Early vs. Mid and Late Tournament Play

zero

Hey, I have found that my ealry tournament play is really solid and i'm able to get ahead in chips very quickly. Problem is that when the blinds get pretty high, I seem to feel the pressure cause by that and I can't get my stack to grow, it just stays more or less as it is, but it gets smaller relative to the blind size. I just wanted some advice on this, I normally play tight, should I loosen up a bit when the blinds increase? I'm just not sure how my strategy should change as the tornaments progresses, any advice would be appreciated.

wader

Play tight in early position and steal,steal,steal in late position. How much you steal depends on how tight your blind players are. Once you have a feel for them and know who you can steal from you should be stealing with almost any two cards. If I'm against super tight players I will steal with three gappers off suit. (5,8 4,7) etc.

Wader

zero

Thanks, but I didn't mean ealry and late postion to act, I meant play when you're starting a tournament as opposed to play after a couple of hours into it.

pkrfce9

so did he...

literation

This might help you.  It's been recommended by at least a couple of dedicated forum members...

http://www.playwinningpoker.com/articles/03/06.html

Dave Scharf

it just stays more or less as it is, but it gets smaller relative to the blind size.

Without more info it's hard to be too specific. However, ALL players will see this happen to some extent. Not matter how well you are doing early, there will come a time when the blinds start to catch up to your stack. No two ways about it.

If you are getting to the middle stage of the tournament you are doing well. One day soon you will take your healthy mid-stage stack and double through. Double through a second time and you will be at the final table.

I have been playing A LOT of heads up matches ($20 and $50) on Paradise. I have been finding this to be a very useful exercise is getting ahead early so that you are equiped for battle when you and your opponent get under blind pressure.