looks pretty close. I dont mind a re-shove with the 88, the UTG opener and MP could have blockers on overcards which helps your equity. folding isnt bad though, you can still find a decent spot to 3b shove or open shove if blinds go up soon. once I get past the money bubble i'm trying to win the tourney, and getting in a pair is never bad here

Thanks. I feel like I would lean toward folding in future to preserve stacks for better spots. Then again, every time I do that, the spot never comes, and I end up blinding down too quickly :(

easy fold imo from utg open, at best you're flipping.

I'd agree with zenful from the info given, but i guess a more detailed profile on UTG would be needed to make a better decision. I'd start asking myself what type of player he is, given that you have a HUD, check the stats, how often does he open in early pos, etc..

Isn't this because there are two re-shove stacks on the table that UTG is going to be getting a good price to call? Therefore, are we to assume that UTG's range is mostly r/c? If so 88 leans towards folding... Meh, 99 feels like standard GII right? read/villain's (utg) r/f frequency dependent?

I think cyclone420 makes a good point - if I had 99 in this spot, wouldn't it be a jam? If so, then 88 would be a very close comparison. But given that I had 0 reads, a fold would be correct even with 99?

I had a similar hand today with 88 and was wondering what would be the best line to take.

Utg (a tight aggressive player) min raised. Folded to me in MP with 88 and 15bb. I shoved. Everyone else folded. Utg called with KK.

After this hand I fired up pokerstove and did some calculations.

Assuming utg opens with 22+, AJ+, KQ and suited connectors 89s+ (12% hands). But he calls our shove with 77+ and AQ+ (6% hands).

We have 4 people sitting behind us who have a 3.5% chance each of waking up with TT+ or AK.

So 50% (12-6) of the times when we're called by utg, we are 40% against that range (77+, AQ+)

14% (3.5%x4) of the times when we're called by someone sitting behind us, we are 31% against that range (TT+, AK).

Rest of the times (36%) we take down the pot uncontested. For the sake of simplicity, we ignore the times when we're called by more than one person.

There's 4.5bb in the pot when it gets to us. So the ev equation is something like:

0.14[(34.5x0.31)-15] + 0.50[(32.5x0.4)-15] + 0.36x4.5 = 0

So I guess it shows, shoving 15bb with 88 is breakeven and anything above that is +ev.

Would be great if some of the regulars could verify my calculations.

I feel its a fold. you have utg raising with deep stack and shove from mp is def a flip. your 88 plays well if you can get to flop but reshove isnt enough ev to get utg to fold pre so as Zen said your flipping. easy fold ladder up, your spots will come!!! maybe not as pretty as you want but they are there. After bubble you gotta have mentality of winning tourney, are small ev flips gonna get you there in the long run?