Playing in a tournament yesterday, made it into level 16 and was about 4 spots from the money. Hand plays out like this: Hero on BB (stack: 25 BBs) gets A2 suited. One min-raise from mid position (stack: 26 BBs), and I am the only caller. Flop: A25 rainbow Hero checks, V bets, Hero raises, V 3-bet shoves, Hero calls. V shows A3. Turn: 5 -- so it looks like we're going to chop as long as the river is not 4. River: 4 -- V hits the wheel. /puke
Are you talking post flop or pre flop? Post flop I disagree. Don't sweat it out for the min money, play it for a high cash, and that's a very good flop. Pre-flop, though, I'm not sure hero should play it. Price it good but A2 will mainly be hitting draws. And I don't really want to be paying to draw this close to the bubble with 23BB left.
The villain was an aggressive chip spewer... I'd fold that 9 out of 10 times, except for the fact of who the V was. Pre-flop we're talking. After the flop, I couldn't have asked for a better flop, especially against any other A/rag hand.
Agree with the overall play given your take on the opponent. One off the bubble you fold, but 4 to go...sometimes those 4 knockouts take a long time to come. Depends on how many tables are going and if you can actually see other stacks to see how short the bottom four or stacks are. But it always feels like hitting two pair with A2-A5 always loses to some luckbox, both live and online. I blame the Shufflemaster machines, I think they let the light cards bubble up to the top of the deck more than random chance should indicate.
I'm always playing to win not cash. I am almost certainly calling also--and post flop you had the best hand & made right moves but got unlucky. I agree with your play--too often players tighten up that close to the bubble, or get stupid like V--it really was a dumb move by him that close to bubble going against a similar stack when you re-raised. Thinking some more--I would have mad a big post flop bet, maybe even allin--there IS a straight draw. He still may have made same move, but that was your only chance of winning the hand knowing what you know now. Tough call.