Empire $2500 guaranteed tourney - 95 players

1st: $700

2nd: $425

3rd: $325

4th: $250

First scenario - final 4 players - blinds 500/1000. Big stack (solid player) with T35,000 min raises to T2000 UTG, next two players fold and you call in BB with KQo. Flop is J-T-8 rainbow. You are in 3rd chip position with about T14,000. What is your play? Would you have re-raised or pushed all in preflop?

Still 4 players left and you are in 3rd chip position with T17,000. Blinds are 500/1000. The short stack with T11,000 min raises to T2,000 UTG (he min raises a lot with pretty good hands). You are next to act with AKo. Would you consider anything other than pushing all in? If so, why?

Next - still final 4 w/same blinds. Big stack with T39,000 (same solid player) limps UTG. Next two players fold. You have QTo in BB and only T6,000 left. Do you push preflop or check and see the flop? If you check, do push on the flop no matter what given your crippled position? The player in 3rd chip position has about T9000.

In the first scenario - I'd probably check - fold to a bet over 1k. While you do have a nice draw here - right now you only have king high. That being said, if he checks behind you, if the turn is a queen or king - you need to decide on your plan of action beforehand (whether to push or to drop it to a bet). Personally I'd be very wary of a king or queen on the turn. One last thing - what are the stacks of the other two? How close are you to second - how close are you to last? These could help sway things - though with this hand at this moment, I'm inclined to fold to a bet.

In the second hand, I would push - but I would definitely consider folding. Mr. Small stack dosn't necessarily have a hand, and more improtantly, stands to get called by or the other of the remaining players.

In the last case, I'd probably check to see a flop. Raising here won't get any folders; nor will pushing on the flop unless everyone else missed the hands .If I miss the flop - I'm not betting at it either.

/d

In the first scenario, I bet $4000 into the $4500 pot with my OESD and overcards and he raised to $8000. At this point, I felt really bad about my hand and folded after the clock ran down to about 3 seconds. AK, AQ, AJ, AT, KJ, KT, QJ, TJ, AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT, 88 all have me drawing very thin. Plus, if I fold I'm still in 3rd place and have enough chips to do some damage with. I'm still not sure if the flop semi-bluff bet was correct in this situation or not. My opponent was definitely capable of laying down a hand though. Any more comments?

In scenario 2, I moved all in and he called with QQ. I got no help and was crippled which lead to scenario 3 where I moved all in preflop and big stack called with AK and busted me. Here, I'm pretty sure that checking preflop would have been correct. His limp UTG was suspicious for a big stack.