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easy answer
Ask yourself this, why do you play tounaments?
Are you there for fun or the $?
There is a difference for playing to get to the money and playing to win.
If you are playing to win, the level right before the money is where you're going to get most of your chips to make a solid run at winning the whole damn thing.
People tighten up near the money. If you're trying to win the whole damn thing, I would look to play hands with slight edges over very short stacks.
I have no problem calling Ace/Face against a small stack right before the money,and I would raise most of the time with it as well, but if you get any aggression back at you from a mid stack or higher, I would muck it.
Also, when you're heads up with a short stack, and you are first to bet, I would make a nice sized bet. Figure you only hit a pair 1/3 of the time, and so 66% of the time the short stack missed completely. If the guy goes all in, you need to determine how much more it's going to cost you to call and what your odds are. I would probably call with an A high if the short stack has been aggressive, and the bet is large for the shortstack, yet small for my big stack.
Whatever you do, DONT CALL. Raise or Fold.
When you call, you're telling people youre playing a medium hand.
When you only raise or call, they have to put you on a premium hand or a bluff, and there's no middle ground.
Good luck and may the flops bw with you!
Chris
poker @ Chicago2600 . net
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