Best way to start a MTT?

tazer

tazer

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What do you feel is the best way to begin in an MTT? I'm trying to decide if I should be more loose at the beginning and tighten up as the tournament progresses or if I should just be tight the whole time. I feel like at times I am too tight but I do add variance in what hands I do play based on position. Just curious as to everyones thoughts on the situation.
 
XXPXXP

XXPXXP

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from a lot of the pros - eg. Moneymaker, etc who visit Cardschat
nearly all of them with this answer:

play tight at the beginning of MTT.
and I think that is right for start with a MTT.

:D:D:D
 
BearPlay

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I always play tight in the early stages of an MTT, which works especially well because usually a lot of the other players are a lot looser. Golden opportunities for stacking! I loosen up in the middle stages, blind steals, opening range IP, etc.
 
tazer

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When I play tight I feel more pressure to get must win hands. Seems like alot of the time I am down a good amount by the time the 30 minute mark comes around and I'm getting pressure from the blinds and getting pushed out of pots.

XXPXXP and BearPlay... What is your definitions of "tight"? Only premiums or what?
 
crusinnn

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Yes tight for me would be fold fold and play only premiums in the beginning , no reason to play loose and risk busting out early blinds are still low. Also it depends on the table, if I see a loose plyr I usually try to be patient and double up on him otherwise I sit tight. Some plyrs can't play under pressure, if they sit tight they feel their stack is small and they force themselves to play a wider range of hands causing decrease and eventually bust out. I do that sometimes, you have to have patience. You should only be loose and aggressive when the time is right. Like to steal blinds or put the pressure on other loose plyrs later in the game to steal their blinds. Also be more aggressive at the bubble. Hope this helps Good luck.
 
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Yes tight for me would be fold fold and play only premiums in the beginning , no reason to play loose and risk busting out early blinds are still low. Also it depends on the table, if I see a loose plyr I usually try to be patient and double up on him otherwise I sit tight. Some plyrs can't play under pressure, if they sit tight they feel their stack is small and they force themselves to play a wider range of hands causing decrease and eventually bust out. I do that sometimes, you have to have patience. You should only be loose and aggressive when the time is right. Like to steal blinds or put the pressure on other loose plyrs later in the game to steal their blinds. Also be more aggressive at the bubble. Hope this helps Good luck.

Thank you, that helps a ton. I usually try and play pretty tight, but it seems hard to do that when people are being overly aggressive. Hard to push the chips out there on a coin flip just cause they are over betting everything and its just hard to know what they may have. I guess sometimes you need to take those chances to jump up in the tournament.
 
BearPlay

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XXPXXP and BearPlay... What is your definitions of "tight"? Only premiums or what?

It depends ;) Early stages, IP, I open raise with high pp, AK, AQ. Set mine with a call for low to mid pp; if I don't flop the set, I fold (set mining is no longer profitable in later stages). OOP, I attempt a blind steal but only if I have a worthy hand, e.g. pp, sc, etc.

I think that patience is key. Don't let what the other players are doing or not doing affect your play. Remember, it only takes one double up (your QQ vs. an donk shove of Ace rag) to get you in the game. Good luck ;)

crusinnn has good tips ;)
 
Arjonius

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The only players that matter early on are the ones at your table. So play accordingly. Start with your normal game and adjust if and when appropriate. So for example, if you're a good LAG, there's no reason to start off playing tighter than usual - unless that's what fits your table.
 
suby_rafael

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table draw

Personally i tend to be on the looser side at the beginning but it really depends on the table draw u get. If there is lot of action then a cautious approach can be good but having said that the reason i start on the looser side is to create a loose image but what i am really trying to do is set them up for later. But i am always try to be flexible like i am always switching gears, like if i see a weakness or something dodgy with the opponents play i try to win the pot. So what ever your approach may be always be ready to mix up your play :icon_fara or don't be one dimensional is what i am trying to say
 
tazer

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From what most of you have said, I need to keep up playing tight and be more patient and wait for those hands to come.

suby_rafael, I may play around with that idea of creating a loose image for myself while trying not to be too much of a donk :p.
 
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it's relative easy, play tight, control pots with marginal hands, be aware of whats going around the table be very observation and try to get as much information as you can from the other players.
 
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When I play tight I feel more pressure to get must win hands. Seems like alot of the time I am down a good amount by the time the 30 minute mark comes around and I'm getting pressure from the blinds and getting pushed out of pots.

I'm not sure how you are down a good amount by the 30min. mark 'if' you've been playing overly tight?

In early levels it's probably best for you to play a TAG style (TIght/agressive), but also when stacks are deep you want to be getting involved with hands that have potential to win BIG POTS (ie. suited connectors, sm.-mid. pocket pairs).
Many players in early stages (on deep stacks) are not able to get away from TPTK or Overpair hands & you can stand to win a good chunk of chips from them.

As has already been mentioned, you want to adjust your play based on how the other players on your table are playing.
 
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It depends on the structure and initial stack sizes.
If the blinds are too long, Ill loosen up a bit since Im not worried to be blinded.
If it is a "deep stack", Ill loosen my hand also since the bets on the early stage is still small.
If conditions above are reverse, Ill sit there like a rock.
 
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I play tight a lot, play hands that have good value like Suited Connectors and Ax suited in a hope to stack someone off. I might shove depending on the structure of the tournament with JJ+, AK and maybe AQ.
 
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Play ABC poker first with small buyin
 
Juanes1913

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The best way is playing tight, with position and taking notes ;) :)
also playing aggresive the good hands !
control de pot out of position and get very concetrated
 
XXPXXP

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When I play tight I feel more pressure to get must win hands. Seems like alot of the time I am down a good amount by the time the 30 minute mark comes around and I'm getting pressure from the blinds and getting pushed out of pots.

XXPXXP and BearPlay... What is your definitions of "tight"? Only premiums or what?

I think tight means that , you are very confident to put all your chips in.
cos tight generally at my mind means, you are confident that your hand is strong enough to win most of the time and beat anyone else who is currently calling you or potentially call your bet , raise or all in.

I don't want to say you just jam AA or KK with any position preflop, but would say that , if you want to entry pot, you are very confident that , you muse be winning most of the time.:D:D:D

GL
 
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Thanks for the help everyone! I finished 2nd in a tournament yesterday and played tight and put my chips out there when I felt like I had the best hand. Hopefully I can continue to play this way and continue winning some $ at the tables! :)
 
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Good job! Good gut you must have. I forgot to point out that I play low suited connectors and I don't play hands like A9o in Middle Position because I play where there are lots of limpers. Here's usually the range unless I need to change it because of the table. TT+,55-22,A7s+,KQs,98s,87s,76s,65s,54s,AQo+ and is around ten percent of hands. Or in short, just hands that have good implied odds.
 
tazer

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Good job! Good gut you must have. I forgot to point out that I play low suited connectors and I don't play hands like A9o in Middle Position because I play where there are lots of limpers. Here's usually the range unless I need to change it because of the table. TT+,55-22,A7s+,KQs,98s,87s,76s,65s,54s,AQo+ and is around ten percent of hands. Or in short, just hands that have good implied odds.

That's how I did it. If I could limp in late position with a suited connector I would. It helped out a ton whenever I KOed 3 players on the final table with AA lol. Also limped with low PP 22-66.
 
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Yay! We think the same! That is what I do in Multi Table Tournaments. Maybe the odd one gapper and rarely a two gapper, but you still need to loosen up later in the tournament to avoid blinding off. You don't want to play high suited connectors like JTs, because if the flop comes J 4 8 rainbow, you'll be guessing to whether your JT is good or not. What was the tournament?
 
tazer

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Yay! We think the same! That is what I do in Multi Table Tournaments. Maybe the odd one gapper and rarely a two gapper, but you still need to loosen up later in the tournament to avoid blinding off. You don't want to play high suited connectors like JTs, because if the flop comes J 4 8 rainbow, you'll be guessing to whether your JT is good or not. What was the tournament?

Just a little freeroll tournament. Won $9 for second which doubled my BR. Just getting started playing again.
 
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Nine dollars is some money considering your bankroll. Good luck with your bankroll! (Don't burn it!)
 
Diogo Jorge

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Just a little freeroll tournament. Won $9 for second which doubled my BR. Just getting started playing again.

it is a nice begginning to double up you BR but it is normal you feel that entering in a bigger tournments because you double up. My advise to you is that you should continue on that level.. continue learning in freerolls and try to win as much as you can without use your BR... it is important to your development continuing on that level. you should be confident but not overconfident... ;) go on doing well dude.
 
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