KenFischer
Rock Star
Silver Level
With an above-average chipstack, I'm playing the same solid game that got me to this point, trying to slowly add chips to my stack. I rarely feel the need to vary my approach at this phase.
I will continue to play this way until I am either at 50% of the average in chips, or I am the short-stack in the field. Once this happens, I am generally looking for a hand to push hard, in the hopes of getting a caller and doubling up.
As I approach the bubble, I look for the players that seem to be willing to give up their blinds to avoid a confrontation. Generally, there will be one or two who seem to be keeping their head down, trying to hold onto enough chips that they can most likely back into the cash.
A lot of players will blatantly steal the blinds with any 2 cards here, but I prefer to only raise with decent cards in later positions. Ideally, I never want to be thinking "please don't call me" when I decide to put in chips. Cards that can stand up to a reasonable calling hand or a small reraise are what I am looking for, and I'm making the same "standard raise" that I have been using the entire time (in the range of 2.5BB to the size of the pot) no matter what I choose to come in with.
Once we are in the money, I will generally sit back and let the first few people take each other out unless I get a premium hand. This is a good time for me to identify the people at my table that I will be challenging, and start observing their play, since they are new to me after the seat draw.
Short stacks are looking to mix it up with anyone and double-up, so I don't like to give them the chance to. I have to have a rock-solid holding to even steal their blinds.
Unless I am close in chip count to them, I also stay away from challenging the big stacks at the table. There is no point in taking a coin-flip against someone that is willing to risk 8% of their lead to take you out.
Usually, the players that I will go up against are the ones that have slightly more chips than I do. It is very unlikely that they will put many chips in against me with less than a premium hand, because they know that by doing so they could drop below me in the payout. They can "make money by folding" if I go out before the shorter stacks do, so I try to give them the opportunity to do that.
Hope that helps - congrats on the finish, and good luck on the next one.
I will continue to play this way until I am either at 50% of the average in chips, or I am the short-stack in the field. Once this happens, I am generally looking for a hand to push hard, in the hopes of getting a caller and doubling up.
As I approach the bubble, I look for the players that seem to be willing to give up their blinds to avoid a confrontation. Generally, there will be one or two who seem to be keeping their head down, trying to hold onto enough chips that they can most likely back into the cash.
A lot of players will blatantly steal the blinds with any 2 cards here, but I prefer to only raise with decent cards in later positions. Ideally, I never want to be thinking "please don't call me" when I decide to put in chips. Cards that can stand up to a reasonable calling hand or a small reraise are what I am looking for, and I'm making the same "standard raise" that I have been using the entire time (in the range of 2.5BB to the size of the pot) no matter what I choose to come in with.
Once we are in the money, I will generally sit back and let the first few people take each other out unless I get a premium hand. This is a good time for me to identify the people at my table that I will be challenging, and start observing their play, since they are new to me after the seat draw.
Short stacks are looking to mix it up with anyone and double-up, so I don't like to give them the chance to. I have to have a rock-solid holding to even steal their blinds.
Unless I am close in chip count to them, I also stay away from challenging the big stacks at the table. There is no point in taking a coin-flip against someone that is willing to risk 8% of their lead to take you out.
Usually, the players that I will go up against are the ones that have slightly more chips than I do. It is very unlikely that they will put many chips in against me with less than a premium hand, because they know that by doing so they could drop below me in the payout. They can "make money by folding" if I go out before the shorter stacks do, so I try to give them the opportunity to do that.
Hope that helps - congrats on the finish, and good luck on the next one.
THe Slob
Rock Star
Silver Level
I agree with Ken, if you want to pick on anyones blinds at the table while you have a big chip lead the medium size stacks are the ones to go after. They can fold their blinds without it hurting them too bad and they don't want to risk possibly going out while there are so many short stacks still clinging to life.