GGPoker Super Millions Final Table
2021 has been full of some truly exciting hands, with many of them coming from the weekly GGPoker Super Millions tournament. This time around, GGPoker blessed us with another exhilarating hand with hundreds of thousands on the line. With the flat payout structure of the GGPoker Super Millions tournament, caution is advised to maintain equity, but can you play too tight?
The Game: GGPoker Super Millions
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Stack Sizes: 24 Big Blinds Effective
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Decisions Worth Hundreds Of Thousands
With seven players remaining at the GGPoker Super Millions Final Table, the player known as MR-DL would virtually look down at A♠-K♣ when folded to on the Cutoff. While a premium hand, when you are at final tables you must consider the implications of going broke even when you have quality cards! The player finishing in 7th place won $83,097 while the 6th place player took home $104,865, an over $20,000 dollar difference which made every decision potentially worth thousands. The flatter a tournament’s payout structure, the more incentive you have to play cautiously. Whether cognizant of ICM implications or not, MR-DL would utilize their A-K offsuit and raise it 120,000. While MR-DL should always be playing A-K, it is critical they ask themselves “am I likely to get re-raised or shoved on?”
Strategies Of The Big Stack
To MR-DL’s left sits the player known as Duckzzz, the chip leader with more than four times their stack. While Duckzzz can certainly afford to call, they must consider what MR-DL would be willing to raise into them with. If MR-DL is raising it has to be with a strong range, while worthy of caution Duckzzz should also be weary of players yet to act. The player on the small blind has half Duckzzz’s stack size and Mark Radoja on the big blind has a decent stack as well, putting them both in great spots to shove on MR-DL as a player remains with an even smaller stack. Acknowledging those left to act and the strong range of MR-DL, Duckzzz folded their K♥-10♣.
To Call Or Not To Call, That Is The Question
With Q♥-Q♠ Radoja was certainly in a spot where he could effectively shove on MR-DL. While shoving makes the hand simpler, a min-raise could have induced MR-DL into shoving with a worse hand. Despite having some options, Radoja went the easy route and put MR-DL all-in, a tough spot with A♠-K♣! MR-DL had a decision to make, with a premium hand but another player remaining with a super small stack, was this the spot to risk their tournament life? Utilizing the ICMIZER tool, plugging in the relevant information from this hand shows that A♠-K♣ is a breakeven hand (50-50 odds). While pocket jacks and better and suited A-K hands can get the chips in there, offsuited A-K combos do not necessarily call with a lower stack at the table. Assuming Radoja is shoving with a linear, traditional range, MR-DL’s decision should be made after considering how wide or tight Radoja is capable of shoving. If MR-DL has a tight read on Radoja, A-K offsuit becomes an unprofitable hand with a smaller stack remaining. While a fold with A♠-K♣ may seem overly tight, again, acknowledging the flat payout structure of a tournament means making tough folds when smaller stacks remain. Realizing the fiscal potential of a payout jump, MR-DL would make the critical fold.
Congrats to MR-DL and Mark Radoja for making the final table, and an extra congrats to Duckzzz for winning it all!
