Another Night Another Sit-N-Go.

Played one $22 SNG last night. Good news is I came in 3rd, bad news is that I came in 3rd! When we got down to 3 handed the short stack had around 1000 while the leader and I had around the same. He had me covered by around 300 chips. Normally in this situation I will avoid him until we get the short stack out. That way I lock up 2nd place money. I don’t want to let the leader run away but don’t want to battle him while one player is on life support. Anyway I get dealt pocket eights in the big blind. The short stack folds and the big stack just calls. Flop comes 9-8-6 with two hearts. Big stack insta-pushes, now what do I do. I have flopped a monster, unless he has flopped a straight or a set of nines I am way ahead. Being he insta-pushed I don’t put him on either of those hands. Put him on a flush draw with overs or a pair and a straight draw. Should I call of fold? I decided I want to win this one so I call. He turns over A-2 of hearts. Of course you know where this is going, heart on the river and I finish in 3rd! Did I make the right move? Please post a comment about the call I made. Good luck at the tables. Tony