Big freeroll strategies

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OgelSplash

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I'm grinding the freerolls at full tilt poker, both to improve my game and to attempt to build some form of BR - and I know that these freerolls are normally flooded with fish. To weed out some of the players, I normally register for the tournament just at the end of late registration - which typically cuts the field in half, making the job of earning a ticket a little easier, at the cost of having a 30BB stack, instead of 50BB.

Do you think this is a good strategy early on? It reduces my chances of getting an early double-up, but seeing fields of 1.5k players whittled down to 800 or so when 200 get tickets really gives me hope that I can actually win a few of these - and it reduces the variance I get slightly.
 
rickypr18

rickypr18

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If you really think they are fish, you should play more hands against them to exploit them, not avoid them.
 
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OgelSplash

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A problem that I have often is that I will call all-ins with AKs or push with large PPs, then get smashed on the flop... all because of sheer luck - they tend to call with junk. To avoid scenarios like that, I will try not to play until the late reg. period.
 
rytciaq

rytciaq

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Don't know about you, but I really rarely win a coinflip with AK in earlyphase of a freeroll. Now, I shove only with suited aces, or pocket pairs that are higher than pocket 8. Works better for me.
 
Arjonius

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A problem that I have often is that I will call all-ins with AKs or push with large PPs, then get smashed on the flop... all because of sheer luck - they tend to call with junk. To avoid scenarios like that, I will try not to play until the late reg. period.
The problem is that you're focused on results, not the quality of your decision-making. Your decisions control when you put chips into the pot (it's obviously better to do so in +EV situations) and how many. So decision-making is what you should focus on.

Luck is a short-term phenomenon. You'll run good at times and bad at others. If you make better decisions than your opponents over the entire time, there's a solid probability you'll be profitable overall.
 
Staneff

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In my opinion you should start playing your freerolls from the start so you get early opportunity to increase your chips. You dont need to double-up to make more chips early. If you feel like you play against fish never forget this: "Never bluff a fish". Other important thing is dont underestimate your opponent skills.

In freerolls many players decide to go all-in pre-flop with any pairs or high cards. Just make sure you let these players outplay each others.
 
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hffjd2000

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I agree to start early. You will miss those premium hands and double ups.

One more thing, you will be forced or blinded out if you start late.
 
horizon12

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In freeroll many players in early stage limps, and need too limp with all suited conectors and low pairs. And only big raise or 3bet with premium hands JJ+ AKs, When you have less 20bb already need only push/fold, thats all strategy , and you beat freeroll very easy,,
 
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OgelSplash

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Thanks everyone for the advice - FT has about $5k in freerolls on Sunday, so I'll be tackling those all day to try and cash in a few.
 
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locha2013

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I think also that you will miss premium hands, if you start at the late registration. Think about it, it's only a freeroll and you will need the double ups at later stages. At freerolls I myself try often to play all in and it mostly works, above all when I know that the other players call with trash. But at the late stage of the freeroll I become more carefully, because I know that the most remain players mostly play better than at the beginning. I even have won some freeroll tournements and hope you will do also.
 
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basedfreestyle

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I like to start early and just adjust play to the others at the table. Like everyone pretty much already said, more chances to increase your stack. I've done the late reg thing too, but I think this strategy is more viable
 
Faust

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In tournaments where there are a lot of players i usually guide my decisions based on social behaviour. I believe it's a matter of expectations which makes players go all in, but which inevitably leads to a redistribution of wealth not so equitative. So the strategy would be catching the big fishes, and once you build your stack you can start playing poker.

The problem would be if there are no big fishes on the table and everyone starts to notice that blinds are getting higuer so someone must get kicked. In those cases it's profitable (at least for me) to do a bet to catch everyone on the table, and/or force some tilter to do an all in, the others will call and you simply fold since your objetive at first instance was to do a redistribution of wealth to have a big fish.

I believe that in big freerolls the strategy is to control the economy rather than the game. Once you are an "economic power" on the table you can start to play as you would normally do, or start considering the psychological/social aspects. But definitely i believe that the game starts when the blinds gets high enough to threaten the economical powers. Of course it's an alternative way of watching the "field" of the game.
 
tothbopo

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I prefer to be in from beginning. Using the studying other players pointing out bullies who raise desperatly with trash..

The price in blinds for starting early is not that high compared to the value of the info you get by sitting there.

And you have the oppertunity to get some pots your way in the early stage.
 
WeenieSVK

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Missing hands = losing value of your chips. Yes you can get unlucky at beginning but if you re good, you will build bigger stack more often.
 
skiptomyloot

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Try to play more private tournament freerolls if possible. Find a schedule of freerolls you can play daily. I found that this was helpful when i would play on full tilt back then, usually there is way less players if you play the private freerolls.
 
Fahrenheit451

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I try to play smallball early in tournament: play only good cards from late position and raise only BB. If anyone raises high, I fold and haven't lost much.

I usually not pushing preflop even with AA in early stage, because maniacs with every shitcards push and one of them get lucky.
 
gattusoleon

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original..Pioker.strategy
Before the Flop
Go all-in from any position if you're holding AA, KK, QQ or AK, even if someone has raised before you.

If you're sitting in middle or late position you should also go all-in with JJ or AQ, as long as no one has raised before you.

If you're holding smaller pairs from two sixes upwards in middle or late position you should raise from four (or more) big blinds, as long as there hasn't been a raise up till then.

In late position you can afford to see the flop even if you have speculative cards, as long as there hasn't been a raise. That means you are limping (only calling the big blind) with: two fives, fours, threes, twos, a suited ace and the so-called middle to high suited connectors. These are two sequential cards of the same suit, such as a seven and six or a queen and jack.

After the Flop
The central question after the flop is: Do you have anything? If not, then the round is over for you.
If you have two pairs or better, then you go all-in.

If you're holding a flush draw or open-ended straight draw (OESD), you should only go all-in if a number of opponents have already continued to put chips in the pot.

If you're holding a top pair, i.e. a pair made up of one of your starting cards and the highest community card, then you only go all-in if you have a maximum of two opponents. Proceed very carefully if you're playing against more than two opponents.

How do you play the late stage?
The late stage begins when you only have about 20-25 big blinds left in chips. The strategy you have to follow in this case is: raise or fold. So you either raise or fold preflop. And as soon as an opponent after or before you raises you should go all-in or fold, depending on the cards you have, of course. Just pressing the call button with the intention of looking at a flop or limping is strictly prohibited from now on.

Take a close look at the players with low chip stacks. You'll need decent cards to play against them, because they're just waiting for the opportunity to throw all their chips in.

Be sure not to challenge aggressive players who have more chips than you do. You'll need to have a strong hand to play them.

Before the Flop
Raise in any position if you're holding AA, KK, QQ, JJ, TT or AK to about four big blinds. If anyone raises that, go all-in.

Also raise in middle or late position if you're holding a pair of nines. This also goes for KQ, AJ and AQ. If someone raises after you, you should go all-in if you're holding any of these hands, except the KQ and AJ - if you hold those two hands you should fold to the raise.

After the Flop
At this stage the round is decided on the flop at the latest. This is simply because the pot is so big, that you won't be able to back out once you've decided to continue playing.

If you've raised preflop and only have one opponent, then bet about half or two-thirds of the pot with any hand. If you are raised, then go all-in with any top pair or better, or a flush draw. This also goes for when you haven't hit anything, but your two starting cards are higher than any community card (overcards)...all.time..this..???
 
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