MTT Strategy Analysis Request: S Shields

Hey everyone. My name is Steve Shields. In my past life I was a professional in the NHL. I am now taking on online poker, and I am very serious about becoming a professional and have the desire to study and play lower limits to learn.

I started online in January an promptly win a pokerstars MTT for 5K and a FT MTT for about the same. I might have come second in one of them. I then won 9k in another. Since then, my playing has been going downhill. I take pride in being a rock, and for some reason, I keep busting out with AK and although it seems like Bingo out there, I know there is a way to be better.

I'm ITM about 7-10% of the time, but am seeking someone who could look at my history and work with me a little to really carve out of style of play that I can rely on.

I feel I'm a decent live player but I would like to be an MTT pro.

Welcome to Cardschat, Steve. Maybe post some trouble spots you've had in the tournament hand analysis subforum...or perhaps make a more general thread in the tournament forum with more information about your approach/style, stakes + volume, and where you think you've been having trouble recently.

Kramer3117 said:

Hey everyone. My name is Steve Shields. In my past life I was a professional in the NHL.

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Whoa! The ex-Sharks goaltender?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8458615

Welcome Steve. I second sticks question: That Steve Shields? But I guess so.

Wow, welcome, If you stop the donks as well as you stopped the pucks, you will be doing great.

But to your post:

I see from your comments that you sound serious. If you want to play MTT, the Harrington on Holdem series is a must, to start with. He comments on rocks soon being spotted as being rocks, and that is not good. Busting out on AK is very avoidable, make a good raise, if you are first to act, raise 2-5 BB, depending on blinds and position and table reads. You can then call the all in from the loose donks (if you want) and fold the nit reraise. This is VERY general, but its not every day I get to give an NHL pro advice.

Good luck, you will find many informed players here.

Yeah, It's me. Thanks for the welcome. I will put together a more precise version of the way I see my play, and will start hitting the forums. I absolutely love the game and my biggest challenge right now is that you really have to be prepared to spend the time if you want to go deep into any MTT otherwise I find it easy to lose your patience if you are not prepared to do the time. Thanks again guys, I catch you around the forum... steve

Kramer3117 said:

Yeah, It's me. Thanks for the welcome. I will put together a more precise version of the way I see my play, and will start hitting the forums. I absolutely love the game and my biggest challenge right now is that you really have to be prepared to spend the time if you want to go deep into any MTT otherwise I find it easy to lose your patience if you are not prepared to do the time. Thanks again guys, I catch you around the forum... steve

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I checked out your stats here> http://www.officialpokerrankings.co...lts/CECC98E2F5884BEDAD03171D620E51A8.html?t=2 and have the feeling that you may need this > https://www.cardschat.com/build-your-online-poker-bankroll.php

Welcome to cardschat Steve

thanks for doing that. You are right. What I did was play MTT and cash games and although I can be a decent cash player, I was over my head online. I also cashed out when I would get ahead, so I want to start with a bankroll and go from there and turn myself into a player. Tonight for instance, I busted out of two MTT on PS with hands that I had no way of getting away from. I don't know how to get away, but I have no idea how to post a hand and talk about it. Any suggestions? I can get hand histories, I just don't know what to do with them

s

I don't consider myself a loose donk, but I'm a pussy when I get a chip lead. I can get into top 20 a lot of the time mid MTT but cannot get people to fold on me. I find I get called down all the time know. I have a lower the 50% All in, and I have gone into AI ahead 60-65% of the time.

When you are chip leader is exactly the time to be more aggressive (with a reasonable holding and player specific of course). You wont keep your lead by being passive. The blinds will see to that in any case. Keep good tabs on what your table does, and, for example, people who limp and bow down to aggression, or tight callers are the ones you want to agress on. Say its mid to late tour, UTG has 2-4 BB left, he goes all in, a player MP with a decent stack calls (who has been playing at least kinda tight), you on the button as chip leader, this is a good spot to push hard with ATC. Of course, this is too general and situational as well, just food for thought.
You said you are being called down, but are you raising enough, and taking player image into account (yours as well) before you make any plays?
If you take your hands that you want to post, and convert them in a hand converter (just google hand converter) you can post them and people here are very responsive.

Hi Steve - welcome to Cardschat. Since this is a request for assistance I am going to move it to the Learning poker forum where you might get more help. Let me know if you need any help with anything in the forum.

thanks dakota, will do. And thanks for the links today...

steve

There are some great articles to be found online re MTT play. Firstly I would read the Harrington Series (Vol1 & 2) << a bit outdated but provides one with a decent foundation for nlhe MTT play.
I'd then read "Winning Poker Tournaments - One Hand At A Time" Vol.1, & Vol.2. Best MTT books out there by far.
Was going to send you a few links to some decent articles but wasn't able to pm you.

Darryl Sittler lived just around the corner from where I grew up, lol.