This happened to me last night. I was about 51st and 99 made the money. There were about 131 left. Picked up 77 in late-middle position.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t600 (8 handed)

BB (t32565)
UTG (t12010)
UTG+1 (t16126)
MP1 (t33824)
Hero (t13693)
CO (t7948)
Button (t12423)
SB (t8265)

Preflop: Hero is MP2 with , .
3 folds, Hero calls t600, 1 fold, Button calls t600, SB completes, BB checks.

Flop: (t2450) , , (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets t2400, Button raises to t11773, SB folds, BB folds, Hero calls t9373.

Turn: (t25996) (2 players)

River: (t25996) (2 players)

Final Pot: t25996

The button had 95 of hearts for the flush draw and middle pair. Hits the flush on the river, leaving me with 2 bbs and leading to my exit shortly thereafter.

At the time this happened, I was in great shape to make the money, but it was a small buy-in, so making the money wasn't the most important thing in my mind, so I was not going to tighten up ridiculously to make the money, so I'm definitely playing 77 in this position. The only real question I have is whether I should have raised preflop. I kind of think open-limping is a terrible way to play this hand. I gave this fish a chance to limp with the 95 and hit his draw and I gave the blinds a free look at the flop. I think I should have raised about 4 to 5x the bb and probably taken the pot right there. Any thoughts?

I think post-flop I play it pretty much the same way every time, whether I limped or raised. The all-in by this guy is an easy call with only QQ and 99 beating me, and it being pretty improbably he limped behind me with QQ. After that, just an unfortunate time for him to hit his flush for me.

Also, does anyone think the button's all-in is a decent play? He does have either the best of it, or at least 9 outs, on just about every hand except the set, Q9, or JT of hearts. On the other hand. I kind of think it would be a decent play if he was either a very big stack, or a smallish stack, but as he is right around me in the middle, it just seems like a dumb time to be gambling like that. Anyway, thanks for any comments.

The buttons play wasn't horrible.... he really put you to a test and still had a good number of outs. It's hard to put someone on a flopped set when they bet in position. that's crap luck though.

I probably would have raised preflop....but it comes down to the fact that you got your money in with the best of it. Luck is a huge factor in a tourney..and apparetly you just didn't have it.

I actually kind of liked his play too, it was just annoying he hit against me. I really should have raised preflop and this would never have happened.