ALL IN TROUBLE

Okay, I know this is probably a big thing with a few people other than myself. Im also sure I'm not the only one to gripe about it. I can't stand the people in tournies escpecially who just can't seem to get enough chips into the pot. What to do, what to do? Is slow playing a lost art? I just haven't figured out what to do with these guys(and girls). I mean why would I go all in and risk a ton of chips to win the blinds. Sometimes you have to do it (at least thats what they say...but then again, who are they?) but why every time? Thoughts?

Umm isn't it obvious? Try to get your chips in when you have the best of it.
Early in a tournament there's no need to stick your neck out on anything close to a coin flip (like calling with 6/6 or A/J), but if some maniac is shoving nearly every hand you can pretty much figure out what to call him with. Pre-flop and in late position I'd be apt to call with pairs T/T+ (maybe J/J+). Post flop I'm looking to call with top pair and a big kicker or better, depending on if he has a habit of shoving or not.

Depends how late in the tournie it is, size of the stacks relative to blinds and antes, how tight the players are to your left, whether its been folded round to you. I get called a donk everynow n then in the end stages of a tournament but i know i'm pushing at the right times and when the situation dictates, depending on my stack all it could take is for the action to be folded around to me, at that point (dependant on my stack) cards don't even matter.

If you don't understand the M concept then read up on it because it amazes me how many people don't understand how to play in the end game

Obv beginning stages of a tournie are entirely different, people pushing early on to steal the 30 or so blinds are makin a blatantly -ev play, even with a big hand.
Just tighten up against people like that, don't limp in before them if they are prone to coming all in over the top, and don't call all in with AK - AJ preflop in the early stages, even if they have been doing it a lot, i see this happen loads as well, at the end of the day all they're calling with is Ace high preflop, there's bound to be better spots in the next ooooooh 6 or 7 levels of play lol

Yeah, I hate it when people won't let me limp into every hand too. I like suited cards and big cards and little cards and connected cards and one big/one little cards. Can't we all just get along and see a freakin flop!!11!oneeleven!1!1

It's not the 30 chip blinds they're after. It's the early double/triple/quad up that they want for that substantial chip lead so they have plenty to donk away.

They WANT callers, as many as possible. The more callers, the bigger the pot. -ev/+ev has nothing to do with it. Most of them probably don't even know what that is or means. ...

If you get to a table with a maniac its best to usually limp pre-flop with a big hand and never try playing anything out of position.I hate when this happens as i usually fold alot of good hands becuz Im not willing to race against a maniac as they are often rewarded alot.I do think early in the tourney is the only time u should be willing to race for all ur chips though.Hopefully sit tight pick up a monster and reel him in

I never seem to win a race so I try not to let it happen. Be patient, especially early in a tourney. Any player who has an incredible amount of chips in the beginning isn't playing good poker and will eventually lose his/her chips later, hopefully to you!

That's the point though. They don't want you or anyone else to see the flop because the less people, the more chance they have to win

ALL IN for me is some problem ... once you give an example playing in a tournament was in the hands of the same color AK went ALL IN to someone who had paid Q8 flop comes ... that is when I QA4 .. saw this flop was convinced that to win a hand but let's see who comes and Turn 9 .. My chances of winning increased when Rivera comes and 8 ... I came to break of nerves monitor (.. but to follow me I poker is so cool and good and bad!

I know it's crazy the way some of them play.
All in All the time.
BINGO Players


I suggest sitting back for a bit and let them get knocked out.

Use there BAD play to your advantage.

Use Patience and Push Back when you know you have them.
It can be an easy way to get a lot of chips if you play it right.


Good Luck

In MTT, as a fish, I find myself going all-in very often (I usually like to bluff all-in with a semi-strong hand etc. or just bluff someone I think doesn't have a good hand).

I have trouble restraining myself to not go all-in so often. I know it increases fold equity, but also puts me at risk to be knocked out. However, I don't know if I should ever go all-in like that. What do you all think?

I usually wait and fold the first couple of hand's to let the all-in'ers, get it out of their system + it take's a couple people out of the tourney, and you are that much closer to winning.

Everyone must find their own path.

Do what works for you.
If it's working don't change it.
If it's not working then tweek, modify or rethink your style.


My Thoughts:
There are times you should and then there are many times you probabily shouldn't go All in.

Find your path.
Find your style.

Good Luck at the Tables.

I agree, if people are getting crazy early, wait it out! Unless of course you pick up a REAL quality starter... even then I've seen some eager donks end up big winners early (usually just to lose it soon after). Full Tilt loves the Noobs and really has a thing for the Donks!

I played a .10c but in yesterday - theres $1000 added, unlimited rebuys & 1 add on for .10c making it really good value for money...1st walks away with $312 and 30 with $8 odd and 245 players.

Of course I would get stuck at a table with the biggest chop in poker history. He goes all in every hand & ends up having 87 or so rebuys while trying to convince the table that they need to do the same if they want to stand a chance of getting itm! It was sick...why didnt I just enter a kamikaze tourney????

I cant recall having any strategy in this tourney and played every hand as it was dealt.

That's how the first hour of rebuys goes and is actually a valid strategy because of the top heavy prize structure for most of these tournaments. If I recall correctly, Daniel Negreanu rebought like 40 something times at a major tournament.

As for freezeouts, I'm assuming OP is referring to freerolls or lower stakes. There is actually a completely valid reason (valid from the individual's standpoints, not from an ethical standpoint) for this.

Time is a valuable resource for most people. Thus, the maniac reasons that if they can't get a big stack early on to give them a reasonable shot at a high place finish, it is not a good use of their time to spend several hours grinding only to get busted by a bad beat on the bubble after hours of expert play. Obviously not everyone thinks like this and some people just want to "gamble" but spending a lot of time grinding a low reward tournament is not a lot of people's definition of time efficient.

The tournaments your talking about are usually freerolls, or small
buyin tournies. The people go allin because they want someone to double
them up, not because of the blinds, and they are more than willing to
take a 40% of winning. To them the tourny isnt that important, and they
wont lose anything if they lose, but if they win then they have a position
of power on the table, which can get them into the money, which is how
they see it. Slow playing isnt a lost art but a lot of ppl dont have the
patience for it, and that is what gets them in the end, since they just
can't support seeing all this bad playing and not catch the cards to catch
them.