Pushing All-In Blind in A No Limit Tournament

Oaks
No limit
$225
100 players

In the early stages of this event you want to identify the bad players and try to beat them for a big pot. The bad players do get knocked out in the early stages, or their luck will usually run out for them later on. In this event, their were two poor players at my first table, but I didn't have the opportunity to knock them out. Another player did...bummer.

As we get down 60 players, I get moved to a new table. My stack of $5,000 is down to $3,500 and the blinds are $200-$400.

What this means is that it's time to push. I am 3 off the button, and a player raises, so I fold. The next hand I actually get my 2nd hand of the day, pocket 9's and move all-in and don't get called. Winning this hand makes my stack to about $4,800.

I don't have a hand again and I don't have an opportunity to steal with raises in front of me. However, what is very clear is that the two players to my left are very tight.

When everyone folds to me in the small blind. I don't even look, I push all in.

In the next hand, everyone folds to me on the button. I have K-6. The big blind is going to be pot committed. I raise just 2x's the BB...just in case the small blind wakes up with hand. Nope. It's heads up against the BB who has 4-2 suited. I win the hand.

The blinds come around again, and I am in the SB. Everyone folds to me. Why look? I move all-in. The BB folds and shows pocket 2's.

A new player to my right enters the game with lots of chips. He raises three straight hands, and wins 2 of them. Under the gun he raises again, and I find A-10 suited. I move all-in. With the blinds at $400-$800, and I have $10,000, I still need to add chips plus my raise may make this opponent fold. It works.

I have about $12,500 and get moved to a new table.

Still no hands, and the blinds are increasing fast. I find K-10 in a middle position. I push all in and win uncontested.

Everyone folds to me on the button. Why look? I move all-in. The players to my left fold..they are also tight players with medium stacks.

Down to 22 players.

Blinds go up again. I only have 7x's the BB and I'm in the middle position again. I find Q-10. Gotta make a stand.

I get called by A-Q....and no help. Time to drive home.

For the day, the best hands were pocket Aces early on in the event, and the pocket 9's. The next best hands were A-J and pocket 7's. But, hey, in these tournaments you need to get lucky with good cards, no suck-outs against you, no one finding a better hand than you when you are forced all in--and if so, you need to suck out.

Overall, I don't think I missed an opportunity to steal, except one time. I was on the button, and everyone folded. I made the mistake of looking and found 8-3. If I didn't look, I would have won the pot.

I still think that pushing all-in blind is one of the best ways to add chips when you go card dead. I mean are you going to push when you see 7-2 offsuit? Probably not. Without looking, though, you won't hesitate when the situation is right.