C
Chipsteal_jj
Rock Star
Silver Level
I have been playing poker for a long time now, but I've started playing mtt's only recently. Around a month ago. At first I was doing good and was playing alright. I was playing with play money chips and wasnt really trying to win, I was just there for fun. Then I came across freerolls with tickets to win for cash prizes (pokerstars). I played these and was determined to come in the top to win a ticket.
I had no tactics, I didnt know much about strategies or about pot odds or other math stuff. I just knew how to win hands without considering if its a good call/bet or not.
I played 1 or 2 freerolls a day and was doing alright and i won a ticket for round 2 after 2-3 days . I played the second round and thought that this time I have to get to the final table atleast. Unfortunately i lost in the early stages.
Then i started looking for tips, strategies and guides to improve my game. I read alot of them, watched videos on youtube and learned about pot odds and stuff.
Even after spending hours of time trying to improve my game. I still get similar results to what I got earlier.
So my question is, is a strategy really necessary?
A lot of people say that you should play tight in the early stages and shove it all in with AKs/99+ pre-flop but even if I do, there are chances my opponent has something like Q7o and the flop comes 7Q7. Even if I have 80% chances of winning. If in the later stages the same situation comes up, in 1 out of 5 shoves I'll lose atleast.
What I prefer is, if I get cards like QQ for eg, i wont raise pre-flop but call and see how many other people are raising. If a K or A hits the flop. I'll bet a small amount to see if my opponent has got it or not and try to get reads by the way he calls/re-raises. And if my pair is the best with a draw or dry board, I'll bet large so that my opponent doesnt get a chance to see turn for cheap which forces most of the time to fold. This is an example of the sort of game i play.
Sometimes when I have nothing, I raise with cards like 85o, 73o etc and whether or not I get the nuts or 8 high, i still keep raising and try to bluff my opponents for a few rounds. Most of them fold pre-flop when raised to and 50-80% they dont get the cards they were looking for which increases my stack by more than 30% atleast in less than 5 minutes.
Even though this may sound like Its a strategy, I play bad hands when i get reads on my opponent that they have bad cards too. And they same way that I bluff is sometimes the way I play the nuts.
The way I play early stages is the way I continue my game in late stages and try to confuse my opponents as much as possible whether I am a lucky fish or just good enough to win (I'm not sure either). I dont think that playing tight in early stages or trying to double up your chips is really important or needed.
I might be playing a wierd type of poker or just playing like a fish. Even if I follow strategies and play tight in early, call/raise with mid ranges in later stages etc etc. I get the same or worse results.
Again I ask, Is a strategy really necessary. Also please share any though you have to how I can improve my game or what I'm doing is wrong and please if you hate how I play please let me know why.
Thank you for reading this
Chipsteal_
I had no tactics, I didnt know much about strategies or about pot odds or other math stuff. I just knew how to win hands without considering if its a good call/bet or not.
I played 1 or 2 freerolls a day and was doing alright and i won a ticket for round 2 after 2-3 days . I played the second round and thought that this time I have to get to the final table atleast. Unfortunately i lost in the early stages.
Then i started looking for tips, strategies and guides to improve my game. I read alot of them, watched videos on youtube and learned about pot odds and stuff.
Even after spending hours of time trying to improve my game. I still get similar results to what I got earlier.
So my question is, is a strategy really necessary?
A lot of people say that you should play tight in the early stages and shove it all in with AKs/99+ pre-flop but even if I do, there are chances my opponent has something like Q7o and the flop comes 7Q7. Even if I have 80% chances of winning. If in the later stages the same situation comes up, in 1 out of 5 shoves I'll lose atleast.
What I prefer is, if I get cards like QQ for eg, i wont raise pre-flop but call and see how many other people are raising. If a K or A hits the flop. I'll bet a small amount to see if my opponent has got it or not and try to get reads by the way he calls/re-raises. And if my pair is the best with a draw or dry board, I'll bet large so that my opponent doesnt get a chance to see turn for cheap which forces most of the time to fold. This is an example of the sort of game i play.
Sometimes when I have nothing, I raise with cards like 85o, 73o etc and whether or not I get the nuts or 8 high, i still keep raising and try to bluff my opponents for a few rounds. Most of them fold pre-flop when raised to and 50-80% they dont get the cards they were looking for which increases my stack by more than 30% atleast in less than 5 minutes.
Even though this may sound like Its a strategy, I play bad hands when i get reads on my opponent that they have bad cards too. And they same way that I bluff is sometimes the way I play the nuts.
The way I play early stages is the way I continue my game in late stages and try to confuse my opponents as much as possible whether I am a lucky fish or just good enough to win (I'm not sure either). I dont think that playing tight in early stages or trying to double up your chips is really important or needed.
I might be playing a wierd type of poker or just playing like a fish. Even if I follow strategies and play tight in early, call/raise with mid ranges in later stages etc etc. I get the same or worse results.
Again I ask, Is a strategy really necessary. Also please share any though you have to how I can improve my game or what I'm doing is wrong and please if you hate how I play please let me know why.
Thank you for reading this
Chipsteal_