How to get till the money finish?

Ainars

Ainars

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Is there a simple beginner strategy I could use that could help me get till the money finish? I can never get till money finish. I have no illusions of winning 100$ in a freeroll but I would at least like to get that last place what gives money and get 0.50$ or something.

I play the 2NL cash games and some random freerolls. How should I treat them? Should I play like I do in cash games? Is tournament strategy any different from cash games? What should I do?
 
westside1950

westside1950

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Tighten up, play only premium hands and don't get involved in pot with marginal hands (mostly from the blinds) at the beggining.
When the blinds go high wait for some good pocket pairs and strong aces to push all-in(mostly from late positions). And that's pretty much it.

You'll need to win some flips..but you should definitly finish ITM in some tourneys ;)
 
Ainars

Ainars

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Tighten up, play only premium hands and don't get involved in pot with marginal hands (mostly from the blinds) at the beggining.
When the blinds go high wait for some good pocket pairs and strong aces to push all-in(mostly from late positions). And that's pretty much it.

You'll need to win some flips..but you should definitly finish ITM in some tourneys ;)

Can you describe what you mean by premium and marginal hands? It doesn't really tells me much.

I know that there are different types of hands, some stronger, some weaker and that certain hands you should not usually play from certain positions. But words like "premium" and "marginal" doesn't really tell me much.

Can you give me examples for what is considered premium and what is considered marginal? Like the range? :3
 
2Pacavelli

2Pacavelli

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play only value hand in early game, and when the high blinds are try some steals, and of course, explore the players who are not taking the tournament seriously
 
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titomurcia1214

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Read a lot of forums and poker strategy helps a lot, knowing the opponents and the tournament structure is the key, but do not expect to have a good collection in the first tournaments have patience, you learn as you play
 
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Play only good starting hands and play them fast (not limping with AK, make big raises) Against most players it's also not good to bluff, because they are calling nearly everything. If you don't hit the board be ready to fold and don't call too much.
 
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bbiase

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I've been trying to figure that out. Past three weeks I started to play very seriously these freerolls as I'm trying to build something out of zero. It's been really tough for me as I finish on the money at about just 20% of the time against total donks. I usually play solid until I make that big mistake and turn myself short stacked.

Four things I started to figure out, I'd be glad if someone pointed out some flaws in my personal observations:

1 - Pots get out of control before the flop VERY often. Happens because a lot of people raise from early position with medium-strenght hands like QJ, any KT+, suited ace-rag, and a lot of people calls. Which means that if you decide to play a lot of hands, your stack is very likely to shrink and expand a lot. You are looking for very strong situations to play flops. Luckily for you, your opposition is very likely to commit mistakes that will lead you to a double up as long as you hit a strong flop. Induce a shove pre-flop with AA and KK, raise with QQ and AK, never 3-bet with AQ or any pocket pair below QQ. You are looking for set mining/overpair situations with JJ or worse. Hands like suited connectors, ace-rag suited and broadways, you shouldn't really play outside of the blinds/button/cutoff.

2 - There's very little fold equity post flop. You will see a lot of multiways pot and is highly unlikely that someone won't hit a piece of the flop. They'll chase the showdown on draws, ace high and with medium-bottom pair. So don't try fancy plays like floats, semi-bluffs or double/triple barrell bluffs. The only situations that you'll have bluffing or semi-bluffing opportunities, is when it's pretty clear someone missed their draws.

3 - Exercise a lot of pot control post-flop, but try not to fold a good pair or two pair on a dry board. Specially when your opponent is covered by you. I guarantee if you play tight with your hand selection and somehow keep you'll win most of the showdowns, even with weak holdings like top pair or bottom two pair. I tend to check behind a lot of turns and rivers that I know I should bet, but I know that I would eventually get pot committed on a later street if I bet.

4 - When you flop sets in multiway pots, you will get three streets of value. Luckily for you, they don't know it's way more likely for you to draw a full house while on a set, than it's for them to draw a gutshot straight or hit an ace to go along with his middle pair. Set mining is the key here. Most of your double-triple ups are coming either from hitting a set on the flop, pre flop action with aces or kings, or hitting hard a board from blinds or co/button.

5 - Take notes. Avoid making big decisions against someone you don't have any notes. There'll be a lot of showdons. Note who is calling anything with a draw, someone's shoving range - is he shoving 77 pre flop? AJ? calling range post flop, etc.
 
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