Starting off strong

Hello everyone, I am still fairly new @ the whole on-line poker scene and I seem to always to start off a tournement very strong. Right around the time of the first break it seems that i realy start to lose it (and fast). any suggestions for a new guy to stay strong?

Sorry mate this is the site suggestions section.. As in suggestions to improve the site.

Might be better in the learning poker section

thank you. see how truely new I am?

moved

Well start by reading through the articals here and then ask questions etc

http://www.cardschat.com/poker-strategy.php

I know what you mean. That sometimes also happens to me. If you start strong in the beginning of a tournament I would suggest slowing down. Playing tighter, don't raise that much, etc. I would limp with small pairs and suited connectors instead of raising much with them. Then as you getting closer to end of the tournament you should be more aggressive. This works with me if nothing else.

Is it a matter of focus or do you play the same but do things not seem to work? The focus part, I probably can't help you much (other than to say turn off the TV and put other tasks aside though I've found that music doesn't hurt).

Strategy-wise, as a general rule of thumb, in a large tourny, you should start out very very tight then become more aggressive as the tourny progresses. This is due to the blinds rising in comparison to the average person's stack size meaning that there is more to play for relatively speaking. Good luck.

One of the reasons that action becomes 'fast' right before and after first break is that many players are becoming short stacks. It progresses quickly into an all-in and double up or bust out for the shorties. They don't have much time before blinds increase and the added antes kick in.

I can't say there is an absolute strategy in the early going. It depends on how your own cards and position are running. What works on one table doesn't work anymore when they move players and a monster-stack gets seated right next to you. You have to take it game by game, table by table, hand by hand. Be prepared to adjust.

Because of the all-in maniacs right before and after the first break, I tend to tighten up if the table goes that way. Sometimes it doesn't, but I still stick with being satisfied with taking down a few average pots and stealing, while staying out of the all-in multi-way crapshoots.

if you play aggrresivelly till the break you will (if the cards are kind and so are your opponents) amass a decent stack,but good tournament strategys state that ,start tight and loosen up as the blinds increase. my stepson plays in similar way to you ,he builds great stacks but loses them as quickly ,he is quite an aggressive player who is eager to bet and bluff at pots and does well in sngs where his style plays well,but he, like most ,doesnt make many final tables ,tighten up a little and be prepared to let pots go when you think your beat as its eay to faLL in love with your hand . oh and dont trust AQ!! good luck

Another thing to think about is that usually in the begining tourneys are filled with all-in maniacs (I assume we are talking about max 1$ buy - in here, or even freerolls), so its not so hard to amass some chips. Later, when audience becomes more sensible, it could be that they simply outplay you. I'm not saying this is exactly the case here, but keep in mind that even in freerolls people become better and better with every minute (I mean idiots fall out, and good guys stay).

When u get to to this point I try to open up my play a lil more.THings like AJ,A10off and things like that.this used to happent o me all the time but thing thing u have to remember is u have to stay patient.Cards will come again and when u get off to a good start that just buys u more time to see more cards.

Are you adjusting your range in consideration to your position at the table? I agree that the 1st hour should be kind of a feeler, just play solid. You can open up more once the blinds get up there and the ante comes into effect.

patience is a virtue... after you get a heathy stack and your close to the break only play premium hands the blinds are still low so dont worry about getting aggressive yet wait till after the break where you could double your stack without blinking....... patience patience patience GOOD LUCK MAY ALL YOUR POTS BE MONSTERS AS THEY SAY