1st Hour - MTT - Card Dead - What to do?

My question is pretty much covered in my title. When playing a MTT, if you find you are card dead and time passing what is the best play? Example. I just played a $5.50 MTT with approx 1000 players.

First 15mins blinds 10/20 - played no hands
Next 15mins blinds 15/30 - played no hands
Next 15mins blinds 25/50 - tried to steal stack dropped to 700 - less than half of my starting roll.

When you just get rags rags rags in the first hour is it better to try and pick a spot or just keep on waiting?

Also, bear in mind I'm playing micro MTT's either $2.20, $3.30 or $5.50

Thanks in advance
Custo

Well it really depends if your trying to steal, then it would only have to be against the blinds, in which case usually have bunk themselves, but if the blinds are ppl who love to defend there blinds, then i'd have to say it's better to just wait and have a monster hand, hope that helps you out

You have to play through it. Look for opportunities where your cards aren't as important as position pot odds or reads. Open raise with almost any 2 cards from the cut off or the button. Call raises with good pot odds 4:1 or better from the blinds. Be willing to call bets in position from loose players with ace high hands or tight players who routinely check fold the flop when they miss. Remember, a starting hand is only 28% of a final hand.

Here's something to think about. Annette Obrestad won a $4 180 seat SnG without ever having looked at her cards. I wouldn't recommend it, but it does demonstrate that there are situations where your cards don't matter.

custo80 said:

My question is pretty much covered in my title. When playing a MTT, if you find you are card dead and time passing what is the best play? Example. I just played a $5.50 MTT with approx 1000 players.

First 15mins blinds 10/20 - played no hands
Next 15mins blinds 15/30 - played no hands
Next 15mins blinds 25/50 - tried to steal stack dropped to 700 - less than half of my starting roll.

When you just get rags rags rags in the first hour is it better to try and pick a spot or just keep on waiting?

Also, bear in mind I'm playing micro MTT's either $2.20, $3.30 or $5.50

Thanks in advance
Custo

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WIth some tournaments, especially big fields, it can actually benefit you to be card dead earlier on as opposed to being card dead in the latter stages.

If you lose a few small blinds you can recover.

If its a mega field maybe 3-4 thousand runners I wont play a hand for at least 20 minutes unless its an absolute monster.

People are still loose and prepared to take a few risks early on, so I find its best to wait till they start to tighten up before I set to work..

With only 700 chips and the blinds about to reach the 30/60 mark, you will barely have 10 Big Blinds left. I think at this point you should be aggressive from late position with say Ace high or with KJ. Sinking any lower in chips will get very dangerous as the bigger stacks will be more willing to gamble against your short stack.

Four Dogs said:

Here's something to think about. Annette Obrestad won a $4 180 seat SnG without ever having looked at her cards. I wouldn't recommend it, but it does demonstrate that there are situations where your cards don't matter.

Click to expand...

OMG! I've never heard of that. Is there any articles anywhere about that, I'd love to know more. And yes I agree, that's something I wont be trying to soon.

You never heard of that? It's like super world famous. She has a blog you can read about it there. Search around, it's the internet, you can find anything.

custo80 said:

OMG! I've never heard of that. Is there any articles anywhere about that, I'd love to know more. And yes I agree, that's something I wont be trying to soon.

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Enjoy.
The Poker Lab Rat

fcumred said:

WIth some tournaments, especially big fields, it can actually benefit you to be card dead earlier on as opposed to being card dead in the latter stages.

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I wouldn't go as far as to say it benefits you, but it's certainly less harmful.