Tourney play
Hey Dave (or anyone else)
Starting to play some on-line MTT's - usually low buy ins or freeroll's that I have qualified for on Poker Room.
I have had some success playing SNG's and ring games - again at low limits.
I have probably played in 20 so far and I have made the money twice, once the minimal amount and in the other tourney I ended up winning it - which was nice but in all honesty I was really lucky - cracked aces twice and kings once - I mean I set some good traps and played well at points but overall, it felt like I just got lucky.
Lately though I feel like I am playing to tight/aggressive, and can't seem to get past the middle stage - my stack is average and when I finally get a quality starting hand it seems like I am pushed all in or someone hits the miracle flop on me (yesterday I lost with KK on a flop of K, J, A) opponent pushed and won when a 10 on the river gave him an Ace high straight.
My question is this - I am not playing correctly based on the time frame of the tourney? I am risking to much when I don't have to? Butting up against someone who has a much larger stack than I do? Am I trying to hunt when I should just be content to sit back and wait it out?
Thanks in advance for any feedback
Scotsrule
Starting to play some on-line MTT's - usually low buy ins or freeroll's that I have qualified for on Poker Room.
I have had some success playing SNG's and ring games - again at low limits.
I have probably played in 20 so far and I have made the money twice, once the minimal amount and in the other tourney I ended up winning it - which was nice but in all honesty I was really lucky - cracked aces twice and kings once - I mean I set some good traps and played well at points but overall, it felt like I just got lucky.
Lately though I feel like I am playing to tight/aggressive, and can't seem to get past the middle stage - my stack is average and when I finally get a quality starting hand it seems like I am pushed all in or someone hits the miracle flop on me (yesterday I lost with KK on a flop of K, J, A) opponent pushed and won when a 10 on the river gave him an Ace high straight.
My question is this - I am not playing correctly based on the time frame of the tourney? I am risking to much when I don't have to? Butting up against someone who has a much larger stack than I do? Am I trying to hunt when I should just be content to sit back and wait it out?
Thanks in advance for any feedback
Scotsrule
Comments
Note that is 10% of the field get paid, you are running “average.†The short sample size is, of course, too small.
If this is the case, then you are not doing anything wrong. You are getting it in with the best of it.
Difficult to know, without A LOT more details, but I will venture a couple of comments.
(1) One of the cornerstones of successful no-limit tournament play is to bet “only enough to get the job done.†Minimize your exposure to risk. Many small pots is better than a few big pots.
This may be what you are asking about when you say: “I am risking to much when I don't have to?â€
(2) In low-limit or freeroll tournaments, unless you have a HUGE stack, in the middle stages and late stages you will invariably be playing for your whole stack (other than a little probe bet or small steal attempt). In other words, it gets really difficult to fold because the chips are not deep enough.
(3) Most players do not wait as long as they can. They panic too soon.
(4) At some point, to give yourself a shot at the top three, you should panic. Generally at about 4 times the big blind is my feeling.
For the last little while I have been up and down - doubled my piddly little buy in, almost went broke, double again etc. etc etc.
Only started playing poker in the last year - normally I get my competitive fix on the golf course but when a guy I play with introduced me to poker I found a new outlet. Winning the tourney had the same feeling as sinking a long putt on the 18th to shoot your career low and win your "loser buys beers" bet.
Last night I won a $5+.5 MTT at Pokerroom - out of 357 players I won $414 - but it was the experience more than anything - on the bubble I was a short stack and some of the advice I have gotten here really paid off especially the stop and go - did it twice at on the bubble to double up and as I had an amazing run of cards, the tips I got here about pre flop play really helped - entered the final table in 6th place - in 4 hands I busted out 3 players to become the new chip leader - with KK, AK, QQ and 99 - when a nine came on the flop with AK (AQ pushed)
So sorry for the long winded response but again many thanks to everyone - such a rush - the money was nice (going to Golftown to get a new Driver at lunch)
Cheers and again, many thanks!
Scotsrule
Aaaahhh! YOu are spending poker money on golf clubs!?!?!? This is almost as bad as spending it for clothing or food or gifts for your wife. Sheesh.
As a semi-serious aside, the MAIN REASON that it took me a long time to build a good bankroll is that I kept spending it.
Point well taken and my girlfriend just pointed out that since we will be going to Vegas in November, I should just save the money for that trip (and I will try to build it playing poker until then)
Question for you:
For a Vegas newbie - where would you suggest one go to play - I prefer No Limit Hold em - and figure I would either play small buy in tourneys or low-limit tables - any suggestions would be much appreciated.
PS - A new driver may help me build my bankroll, as I can usually win a few bets on the course.
Cheers
Scots
Welcome to the forum. If you do a search on vegas poker rooms you will find lots of topics in various forum threads. In addition, try these links:
http://www.lasvegasvegas.com/poker/tournaments.php
http://lvtalk.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=130
http://www.allvegaspoker.com/reviews.php
Finally, me and a buddy are dashing down to vegas in September and I will likely be doing a whirlwind tour of small buy-in tourneys. I'm already mapping out my itinerary - so many choices, so little time. Planning on posting a trip report upon my return - check back with me in a couple of months.
Man-flirt alert - this trip report will be nowhere near the caliber of those proffered by our beloved All_Aces, even though I expect the fields I will be playing against will rival those he recently faced