Is sitting out a strategy?

Is there any advantage to sitting out the first part of a tournament say until the bb's are 100. I've seen this more than a few times and wonder what is up? Are they in another tourney, are they studying the table, are they waiting until Oprah is over? What's the scoop?

You hit it right on the head--they're watching Oprah. That's what I'm doing, anyway, and I'd assume it holds true for most others, as well. All the self-help stuff you see on her show has vastly improved my poker game. If you're not tuning in, you're missing out.

Actually, this is a known strategy for re-buy tourneys.

Some folks like to load up on duckets, and wait for the donkfest to end (first break).


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What ZZ said--and it's about the same thing as folding every hand until the fest is done--alot of people just fold UNLESS the get a monster!

I do sit out occasionally til 1st break. But If I have high pp like JJ to AA ill hurry and sit in the hand.

lol you mean they like to throw away money? When people are getting in with all sorts of crap, NOT calling with TT to a shove can be very -ev. Also note that this "strategy" is exactly the same as just check-folding every hand. It's a "strategy" for people that don't know how to play poker, don't like money, and just in geneal aren't taking it seriously. It's bad enough to check-fold every hand (especially if it's a donk-fest, you should WANT to get in hands like 99+/AJ+), but to let everyone KNOW you're check-folding every hand? What happens if you sit out and then sit back in just to play your AA? You think they think you just sat in because you saw 38o?

Zachvac's got it.

I guess you can call it a strategy, if you're justifying it some way. "I'm gonna sit out because X, Y and Z".

The real question though is whether it's a good strategy - I suggest it probably isn't.

I sit out a lot because i know if i play too many hands, im eventually going to make a mistake... the only disadvantage is that when you come back, the chip leaders are way ahead

Never said it was good, or my preferred strategy.

But I see a lot of empty seats in the casino with chips in front of them. And they seem to fill after the first break. It is used a lot.

I prefer to sit and cherry pick.


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If I win a big pot or two early in a tournament, I will sit out for fifteen to twenty minutes or so. I don't want to lose my stack and I wait for things to calm down a little.

I you have a reason for sitting out, then it's a stategy. It doesn't really matter what the reason is. That's my 2 cents.

I play a lot of freerolls and use the time until the first break to cherry-pick and tag the players I see for later.
It's not sitting out but playing tight.
I usually don't play the first 5 hands unless I have a monster because someone is sure to shove (...and get multiple callers).
I often don't play the last hand before and after the break either because someone will pull out something crazy here, too.

I dont know about online poker but in big live games thats what Hellmuth seems to do. Mind you, he does like to make a grand entrance so I dont know if its a strategy thing with him or just a big ego trip lol. Its been working out pretty well for him though so I guess it cant be all bad.

if you try VC poker, they have double up sng's for top 50% of the sng's - a gem for slowly building a small roll. Just playing these I have built up from $28 to $100 in a week playing PLO $2.20 sng's

I see people sitting out that I win money for by knocking people out for them. It seems their strategy works cos they make top 50% every tme

ok well then sitting out is a strategy like getting all your chips in an 80-20 dog is a strategy.

i have noticed to that a ton of people sit out....and in truth i have thought about doing it in some freerolls myself cause of the donks...but instead i play and just be cautios until things settle down

lol at this thread

You guys need to listen to zach, imo.

Basically it comes down to this: If you are playing in the tourney, it should be because you feel you have an edge/+EV to be in it. If you're in it, then you maximize that edge by actually playing, not sitting out. Especially in a rebuy, when you can either build a large stack early or take chips later from those who win them early. I see no way that sitting out is +EV in a rebuy tourney. And if it's a freeze out and you don't have the smarts and/or discipline not to stack off early, then you need to be working on your game more.

Sitting out is used alot but is it a good strategy?

Only if it works for you!!!!!

I prefer to play tight, observe what the other players are doing and try and tag them. In a rebuy so what if you loose a couple of chips early on to a donk... the wealth of knowledge you are gaining by seeing what they are playing will make up for it later on. As Zac said cherry pick.

I like to sit out and observe the other players to see how there playing............ If there is too many donks going all in with 72o i will sit out until they are all gone..........

*groan*

You know.... They try to tell you guys.

They know what they're talking about. The reason they groan is because it seems like they're words are falling on deaf ears.

Jus Sayin....


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Yeah and when the guy on the corner tries to hand me a $20 bill I just avoid it and run away too. Good strategy.

I can see,and have seen,sitting out being used as a strategy,near the end of a game.
If you are safely in the money,and are waiting for the bubble player to lose,or are close to making a final table,then sitting out can be used as a strategy,so that you don,t play any marginal hands,and risk losing any chips to the lower stacks,who are going to be pushing with any half chance hand.
So yes,sitting out can be used as a strategy.

lol they are watching oprah!!!! na i think its just because they haven't got home yet or w.e. maybe they dont like to play the small blinds becuase the way ppl limp in and call when the pots are tiny....thats what i think....

I guess so. what is the reason for getting all your chips in as an 80-20 dog? I would guess that your strategy is to double up or go home...And, btw, you better run from the guy on the corner, the bill is probably counterfeit.

Me, too. The bill could be cursed. Why risk it?

Not to mention that money is dirty and has lots of germs on it. He's prolly in the corner for good reason: leprosy, STD's, ugly. Best to stay away from the free money.

The reason to do it is to throw away money, much like the reason for sitting out.

edit: Let me re-phrase.

Basically sitting out is the equivalent to saying "I suck at poker, I can't control myself and so I'm going to throw away a little money because I know if play hands I'll throw away more money".

With that mentality you should not be playing a tournament.

I like to watch.

Your parents proofed you well.

Well said, txs.
I dont think, to answer OP, there is any strategic advantage in sitting out. If you are afraid of donks, dont play poker online (or most places). BTW sitting out will not save you from donks, some make it deep in the tourney before they bust you or vice versa. Advantage to staying engaged from the start is you can stalk the donk and double up. Learn to play all styles, all donks, all masters, as yoda says (I made that up).

I would say it is mostly just them being late. Sitting out doesn't really give you an advantage because you could just fold your cards otherwise. Playing early can give you an advantage early on, but playing late can save you from bad beats from donks.

I wouldnt completely discount sitting out at the start of a tournament as a strategy. Someone already said, if it works for you then by all means do it, I see nothing wrong with that statement.
Obviously sitting out and missing out on the chance to gather up a nice pile of chips is -EV, but so are many other actions or decisions you make throughout a tournament.
Personally, I would never sit out unless absolutely necessary but a lot of the pro players do it so what do I know. They even do it in rebuy tourns and dont forget, poker is their living and they depend on it and know a lot more about these things than anyone of us here does.
I wouldnt do it, but I think its wrong to wave it away as completely wrong or without merit.

Since the blinds are so small, people just keep calling to see if the flop helps them or not. No1 is going to be playing tight so they wait out till tis all over. I usually just play premium hand and fold the rest.

Name one pro tournament player who uses this strategy. I don't think there is one that exists. It's a losing play, it literally says "I can't control myself and make myself play good because I suck, so I'll just throw some money away". Anyone who tries to make it out as a legitimate strategy is just plain wrong.

well hellmuth always arrived notoriously late for the main event, but i think that's more about making some statement about how awesome he is than it is a "strategy"