Big Stack problem

I have a problem with big bets . If I have 100 bb and only one other player at the table with a comparable stack, eventually I will get into a situation where I am in position to fold but I don't. I know, in retrospect, that I should never have called with a pair of tens to a big bet on a rivered ace. Problem is I tell myself that it has to be a bluff and call down half my stack. Or I chase a flush with a bunch of pot bets until the river, wind up with a mid level pair and check call hoping for a bluff that never shows up. Bye bye stack again. This seems to be a pattern for me. Seems to happen when I am at or near the lead in a tourney and seated with another big stack. Stack vs stack. Is it an ego thing? Is there some basic betting pattern that would limit the loss? Only lose 20% on a flush draw or something like that? It takes a while to build that stack and I seem to lose it in 2 or 3 hands.

Learn how to fold.
Save your chips ... & get them in on a future hand.

I'll often put a note on players who I see become married to a pp & are unwilling to fold.

Quote from Jennifear's "The Mistakes LowBuyin players are making the most"
- Not believing opponents might have a hand.



Many players are calling big bets with marginal hands, failing to realize the bettor may very well have a hand. Some players instantly put their opponent on a given hand and keep that thought in their head without an open mind that their initial read could be wrong. They see an opponent bluff once or twice, and then think they have nothing and are just trying to steal the pot. Be sure that you have a solid read before you make a marginal call

I highlighted the problems you're having. When you have a big flush draw or combo draw, you should be the one doing the betting and putting your chips to use. Chips are ammo and when you have more of them, you should be winning more than your share of pots with split equities, not bleeding them off passively.

When you're the big stack, use it to put pressure on other players. Playing passively with a bigstack is a surefire way to lose. Remember that when people are betting into you 3 streets, they know they don't have fold equity because you can afford to make the call so bluffing big stacks rarely happens. Take away pots when people are weak and use fold equity when you have it but recognize when people are making a stand.

However, remember that you are going to lose most tournaments regardless of your chip position at any given moment.

if you are a big stack you normally want to get money from the small stacks. If in disput with a big stack you are either drawing to the nuts/2. nuts. Otherwise give up if your opponent is putting in a lot of money. He won't put in money in desparation. He has time to wait.

It takes a lot of restraint. Do what i did, If I did iexactly that, realized I should have never done it, I sat out the next ten hands or walked away for ten minutes. Didn't care if I had AA or 2/7, still walked away. For me, when I am playing poker I absolutely love it, so for me, taking those ten mintues or ten hands away from the 2-5 games I had going on was hell. It felt like I was gone for an hour before I came back. Eventually I learned to stop being an idiot.

I used to do the same thing back when I first started playing. Big thing that helped me was just learning as much as I could, from the best players I can find. Definitely helps clear up some of the mystery on how to play in some marginal spots

It sounds like you almost become a calling station/spewer at this point since you have the chips to burn

Live tourney last night my table breaks (down to 2 tables) and I get moved to this table with one of the chip leaders...He proceeds to call down with a gut shot on the flop and misses and then wonders where all his chips went and how he missed his straight.

W/ a big stack in a tournament your aim should be to get money from the small stacks.
Being in confrontation w/ another fat stack you should play very tight especially in bad position.

i disagree, 3bet him light when he opens occasionally and he will usually fold and look for easier spots,
with a big stack you should be betting much more than calling.

If you think your tens are good enough to see till the river than force the action earlier in the hand. don't just call someone down with tens if you think you are ahead. The more cards that come out the less likely you are to win with a pair. take a pot down early with pp and if they improve then you can afford to play the hand to the river deeming there are no draws you must protect your hand against. when all the cards are out PP loose value tremendously. This is why people "hate playing AA" they play it till the river thinking it is the nuts then get cracked by any 2 cards rather than just taking down a god size pot on the flop.

If you are from Nothern Europe, and you have a big stack, then you go after the other big stacks. That way you can double up, and run the table.
We have a lot to lose, but guess what, so has the other big stack. Therefor you can get excellent fold equity in pots vs the other big stack.
Provided you are the one who runs the show.

If you are from the US the rule is to stay away from the other big stack. (thats why we all love US players)