[BeerDog99]

I do not understand the point to this play....

Player X in any position, on any street, (usually opens) bets all-in into a small pot (say ~5BBs) with a >50BB stack.

I see only two really options,

1) They have a strong hand or the current nuts
2) It is a bluff or semi-bluff.

For #1, I can see why you would want to protect your hand but you are putting way too much in for a risk/reward scenario. The rarity with the calls would mean it is very low EV and also taking into account the calls that bad-beat the big hand make this an overall negative EV play.

For #2, I like the strong bluff but the amount you are risking for such a small pot plus the 50/50 chance someone will call with a better hand or again a hand that ends up getting there (that should have not called) makes this again a very negative EV play.

Am I right on this or am I missing something that makes this a smart postive EV play?

Thanks.

[mvp123]

you are correct i see it alot , why overbet without the nuts into a small pot and even if you over bet with nothing in there you can get beat for all your chips . i agree!!!

[RANDAZZO]

Standard online donk play. Stupid though...

[wtt0315]

you must of been at my table yesterday. call 20 call 20 footballtime all in. next hand call 20 20 footballtime all in. says he didnt want a jack to come? little confused but hey i tried to bluff away my 1000 yesterday and lost to him so

[daneblazer]

These guys normally take down a few pots before they run into aces or a set and get stacked

[BeerDog99]

These guys normally take down a few pots before they run into aces or a set and get stacked

Agreed, was just wondering if there was a positive angle on this that I am missing.

Thanks.

[Ian]

You'll almost never see bets of this type when you're playing for non-negligible amounts of money. The rare times I make them myself are when I'm up against a calling station who I read as being clueless about bet sizing, and I have a hand that figures to be ahead of his calling range. Also, in a lot of tournament situations where the effective stack is like 15-25 BBs I'll end up overshoving the pot if a bet or raise of "normal" size will leave me essentially pot comitted on a later street. The tournament situation isn't really what you're referring to, but it can seem that way to some less experienced players.

[BeerDog99]

Ian, good points, thanks.