What would you do with A7o

[Ripclawph]

Final table with 5 players left.
5 places paid
blinds 750/1500
im on the button with the shortest stack with only 5.6k
SB 8k
BB 14K

everybody folded. what would you do if you were in my position holding A7??

[NoWuckingFurries]

Shove. What did you do?

[TeeKae]

I agree. All in. You're in the money. You've got 3 hands to see before the BB takes 1/4 of your stack. Time to move up or out.

[Ripclawph]

thanks for the response everyone.

i did shove the hand and SB calls BB folds.
SB shows QQ.... and lost the hand.

i know i played the hand right. i just needed some approval from you guys.
thanks a lot for easing my pain...

[illphillllllll]

have to go all in there, chances are your not catching a better hand and even if you do the antes are going to damage your stack. i would have tried to push before i got that shortstacked, 10-7 K-9 or any number of hands. that may not have been an option if you had just lost a hand or were fighting the bubble, but personally i like taking risks late in the tourny. it costs me sometimes but it also can put me in great position for a win.

[rgchan]

Yes those are Big Blinds. You have to loosen up your starting hands and change gears at this time of the game. I,d even PUSH with a King or Queen rag here as well. Only worry is if the BB has a huge stack and has been calling. He has what 1500 already in the pot. He may call with any 2 live cards and sukk out on you. But thats the gamble you have to take.
RG

[PokerJonny]

FWIW I would be shoving ALOT weaker hands than A7o here without even thinking.

[andy334]

Bit confused - grateful for a steer on this play.

I would possibly have called the BB and either folded to a re-raise and checked or pushed depending upon the flop.

Is that way too tight or just too timid?

I note what rgchan says about changing gears at this time of the match but I dont find it that easy to do - I guess therein lies my problem. In hindsight I guess my play stays pretty much the same throughout the game.

Anyway, what I do not really understand is why pushing the A7 was the right move. I am ok with the intent but not the why? Obviously the Ace is good if you hit but, if not, the 7 is a pretty lousy back up card to risk all-in particulalrly as BB can afford to call. He has little to lose and lots to gain so it should have read that he would call if he has anything even half decent.

For the record I am not for one minute disputing how the hand was played I would just like to learn and dont really grasp why the all-in was the correct play when a lesser call would have given an out with only minimal damage to an already low stack.

Thx - Andy

[rllngn]

think i would have to push here and hope for the blinds, beign short stack and alrady itm, this is one of the only times i would play ace/rag, but this would a good time to push and hope for the best i think you steal the blinds myself

[TeeKae]

Bit confused - grateful for a steer on this play.
Thx - Andy

Andy, this is all about position. We all think about table position, Big blind, dealer, first to act, etc.. In this circumstance we're looking at stack position (relative to opponents and relative to the blinds.) He's the short stack. He has 14 hands left at the current blind levels.
Now factor in table position. The two behind may very well fold (although they know he's desperate) because they too are getting short stacked and won't call just to try for knock out.

If you wait for another round of blinds (only five hands) to make a move, you'll need a double up just to get back to the current stack. In this situation I too would push with even less than A-7.