I think that hands 1 and 3 you can fold these hands pre due to your stack size and the 3 bet shoving stacks behind.  With the stack sizes of 20-22 bb you are going to want to use that stack to do the 3 bet shoving due to the fold equity you have.  IMO I think anytime you are opening with a stack of 19-22bb you are opening for value, looking for villains to spazz with worse.  Now this may not be the case due to table dynamics, etc, but in many case you are just spewing chips opening with these hands.

Suited aces and suited connectors are pretty to look at, but in many cases they are only going to get you in trouble.  With the A5hh hand, just pretend they are pocket 4s…will you open this in ep?  Probably not due to the fact they play terrible post.  Also, if you call a 3 bet shove with a5hh you are no better than a 70/30 dog like evertime.  No Villain is going to 3 bet shove over an ep opener with worse.  The bottom of my range here in opening is A9ss and again that is player and table dependent. 

With the 89cc this is a better hand to 3 bet shove with or squeeze shove with.  This is due to the fact you have fold equity and if called it flops well to broadway hands.

With hand #2, I don't mind you opening here to steal because you are making the blinds make a decision with their stacks and you have an ace blocker.  If you get get 3 bet shoved on, you can safely fold and still have 20bb.  if called, depending on flop, you can c bet like .35-.40 flop and take it down, or you can even check to sd with ace hig.  In most cases this is just a steal spot imo.

REMEMBER…..before any hand you play you need to ask yourelf, “what am I trying to accomplish with this hand”..try not ot open and not be prepared to a villains move.  For example, if you open with 26bb and ther are 4 to play, you are going to know who you are calling or folding to due to their stack sizes. 

Best of luck at the tables!

p3dactor said:

Thanks terbet….

So let's focus on hand one. This is where I really get frustrated about what to do….here I am on the button with about 22 bigs…..I know I've got a 3bet all-in stack in the BB with 15 bigs, but does that mean I shut down here without premiums because of my stack and his? This is what leads me to chip down to 10-14 bigs just waiting. I realize with reads and table dynamics this decision becomes easier around raising and folding, but at the $4 or $5 buy- in level, it's a total guess with randoms.

Not disagreeing with your assessment, because believe me when sitting there staring at the screen that's what I'm thinking too. But where's that line between spewing chips and being too much of a nit and allowing yourself to just blind down to push-fold scenarios….which is where I'm trying to change.

….thoughts? TPE pros's….help a brotha' out!

In this spot, there are opportunities to open steal, because you are ultimately puting the bb to a descison with his stack.  Also, depends on where you are in the tourney…are you on the bubble? Or has the bubble popped?  Is the BB a fish, tight, etc. However, you do see a lot of villains in this buy in level (which i play mostly) call just because they are “priced in”, then 2/3 time you miss the pot and the error is compunded.  I think in many instances, it is better to just open shove then open…they can only call with the top of their range, and in many cases you are scooping the blinds and antes in doing so.