Paying Attention

Late in a tournament it is very important to pay attention to what is going on around the table. How many chips other players have is right up there as one of the most important. Here is an example from last nights game. We are down to the final 2 tables just one or two from final. I am in mid position with Q-J and one person has already called. I look around the table at chip stacks and realize that big blind only has 2000 left after the 2000 blind. I fold. Player to my right thinks a little and calls. BB moves all in for 2000 more. First player calls and player to my right thinks a while and folds complaining as he does. BB blinds catches a pair with a bigger kicker and wins pot. Guy to my right tells everyone he would have flopped a set and turns over his two deuces that he folded. I ask him why he had folded. His answer was he didn't realize that BB had only 2000 more or he would have folded. Now I can see folding 2-2 preflop late in a tournament to a raise or even if you think someone is going to move all in and you are worried about a bigger pair. But when you have committed 2000 to a pot and the raise is only 2000 more how do you fold! There is already 7000 in the pot when it gets to you so your pot odds are enough to call anyway. Not only does his fold keep the BB in the tournament and allows that player to make it to the points, but after he caught his set he could have moved all in and the other player most likely would have called and be taken out. That player ends up winning the tournament. That one fold changed the whole tournament dramatically. So if you are going to limp into a pot late in a tournament you must keep track of others stack and say to your self am I willing to call if it is raised. If you are not then just fold. You will soon be blinded out!