online cash player having a go at live tournaments

Stu_Ungar

Stu_Ungar

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 14, 2008
Total posts
6,236
Chips
0
I'm probably off to a casino tomorrow to play in a tournament.


Does anyone have any basic adjustment tips for playing in a live tournament aimed at an online cash player.

i.e steal less or more than you would at a cash table.

I'm not really after a manual on how to play tournaments, just a few pointers in the biggest differences between cash and tournaments.
 
Poof

Poof

Made in the USA
Silver Level
Joined
May 21, 2008
Total posts
14,419
Chips
0
I have no pointers, you wouldn't want them lol
Just wanted to say Good Luck!
 
Stu_Ungar

Stu_Ungar

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 14, 2008
Total posts
6,236
Chips
0
I have no pointers, you wouldn't want them lol
Just wanted to say Good Luck!

Thanks.

I'm not expecting to do brilliantly, but I just fancied having a go live. I have played in home games but that's the extent of my live game experience hehe
 
Poof

Poof

Made in the USA
Silver Level
Joined
May 21, 2008
Total posts
14,419
Chips
0
Thanks.

I'm not expecting to do brilliantly, but I just fancied having a go live. I have played in home games but that's the extent of my live game experience hehe
Lol that is about my extent. I would think the online would be harder, but I don't know. Let us know how you make out.
Oh and going from cash to tourney, might be alot harder. lol
 
P

ph_il

...
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Total posts
10,128
Awards
1
Chips
25
During the earlier stages, tight is right is usually a good strategy to follow. You shold play more cautiously when blinds are still low. You don't have to get committed to pots with marginal hands like A10, QJ, KJ, etc. Not saying not to play them, you just dont have to and you don't have to get your stack in with these hands. Look to limp in with small-mid pairs and suited connectors as you'll be getting great odds to hit your hand. To vary your game, raise with these hands if you're first to open in mid-late position.

OBV, with higher blinds you're going want to open your range and play more marginal hands. Especially if your stack is dwindling. The marginal hands you tried to avoid playing for stacks early on are (sometimes) going to be the hands you want to play for now. Raise/3-bet shoving with QJo, etc. These are the types of hands that may make or break your tournament, but they're also the hands that'll determine if you'll min-cash or make the final table.

When blinds get bigger, you can lower your raises to 2.5-3x BB instead of standard 3-4x BB. This is just as effective, but you save chips if you need to fold to a 3-bet or anything. Really good if you're blind stealing, the 2.5x raise is really strong. A lot of the time, when blinds are really high, players arent going to want to play weak hands OOP and will give it up. And when they do raise, you can fold (if you're weak) and not have risked that much. Sometimes, a smaller raise is just as effective.

...Blinds are 600/1200, a raise to 1250 might work, too...depending on the player.

Cliff notes:
-Tight early/avoid marginal hand situations
-Aggressive late/be prepared to play marginal hands for stacks if you need to
-Raise less when blinds are high.
 
Stu_Ungar

Stu_Ungar

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 14, 2008
Total posts
6,236
Chips
0
During the earlier stages, tight is right is usually a good strategy to follow. You shold play more cautiously when blinds are still low. You don't have to get committed to pots with marginal hands like A10, QJ, KJ, etc. Not saying not to play them, you just dont have to and you don't have to get your stack in with these hands. Look to limp in with small-mid pairs and suited connectors as you'll be getting great odds to hit your hand. To vary your game, raise with these hands if you're first to open in mid-late position.

OBV, with higher blinds you're going want to open your range and play more marginal hands. Especially if your stack is dwindling. The marginal hands you tried to avoid playing for stacks early on are (sometimes) going to be the hands you want to play for now. Raise/3-bet shoving with QJo, etc. These are the types of hands that may make or break your tournament, but they're also the hands that'll determine if you'll min-cash or make the final table.

When blinds get bigger, you can lower your raises to 2.5-3x BB instead of standard 3-4x BB. This is just as effective, but you save chips if you need to fold to a 3-bet or anything. Really good if you're blind stealing, the 2.5x raise is really strong. A lot of the time, when blinds are really high, players arent going to want to play weak hands OOP and will give it up. And when they do raise, you can fold (if you're weak) and not have risked that much. Sometimes, a smaller raise is just as effective.

...Blinds are 600/1200, a raise to 1250 might work, too...depending on the player.

Cliff notes:
-Tight early/avoid marginal hand situations
-Aggressive late/be prepared to play marginal hands for stacks if you need to
-Raise less when blinds are high.

Thanks thats much appreciated
 
Snowmobiler

Snowmobiler

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Total posts
2,644
Chips
0
Raise less when blinds are high.


Great post philthy,

I singled out this one suggestion to add that if you have a big Pocket Pair from early position,you are better to make a bigger raise and narrow the field.You dont want in a multi-way pot with a big pair.You are much better imo to take a small pot down than play a bigger pot multi-way.


Snow :cool:
 
P

politude

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 24, 2010
Total posts
149
Chips
0
Good luck in your tourney, I want to give a first go as well, so this helped me out as well.
 
Sean Pilgrim

Sean Pilgrim

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Total posts
2,620
Chips
0
just play knowing you only want to play with hands that are worth your whole stack... and don't c-bet live players if you miss they are all mostly idiots and call down all stupid
 
Stu_Ungar

Stu_Ungar

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 14, 2008
Total posts
6,236
Chips
0
just play knowing you only want to play with hands that are worth your whole stack... and don't c-bet live players if you miss they are all mostly idiots and call down all stupid

Thats worth knowing!

I would have lost half my stack before realising!
 
Stu_Ungar

Stu_Ungar

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 14, 2008
Total posts
6,236
Chips
0
what about blind stealing? How light do they call?
 
SPCotter

SPCotter

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 12, 2008
Total posts
378
Chips
0
Not so much blind stealing, but one thing I would advocate more so for live play especially if the table is passive (which it may well be) I like to raise limped pots pre, and with 2+ limpers my range for doing this gets a lot lot wider, as the blinds start to go up you can pick up pots without a flop and if they limp/call, a cbet will often take down a tasty pot and boost your stack. This is particularly effective from the button and the cut off.

I get the impression from your posts your a solid cash player, if you stick to a tight ABC approach and pick some decent spots there's no reason to think you can't do well, best of luck :)
 
W

wetyeti

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Total posts
229
Chips
0
I love c-betting in the mid stage of a live tourney. And even more so near the bubble. I find that live tournies are way tighter than online. When you get that opponent that likes to play back at you tread carefully.
Where I play there tends to be a lot of peeps trying live tournies after they'e dabbled online for abit. They usually make simple mistakes like tossing in a big chip without announcing raise and acting out of turn.
Dont be afraid to ask the dealer about overchip rules and string bets. This serves two purposes; brings you up to speed on live game etiquette and makes you look like a fish to the other players. I do this whenever I change tables and I dont know anyone at the new table.
Live tournies are a blast man! Good luck!
 
Sean Pilgrim

Sean Pilgrim

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Total posts
2,620
Chips
0
I get the impression from your posts your a solid cash player

He is hardcore, makes people cry @ the tables, felt and virtual... He can take a verbal beating too and laugh it off, he is a pro...

if this tourney is any less than $50 buy in, the structure is going to be a POS, with like shitty 20 minute levels and a minor starting stack which only equals 20-40BBs. Welcome to cheap buy in crap shoot tournaments... shove and hope to get lucky or have everyone else fold...

seriously most live tournaments that arent above $100 - $300 have crap structure... see like 4 or 5 hands in each blind level, it's crap.
 
Sean Pilgrim

Sean Pilgrim

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Total posts
2,620
Chips
0
especially when you get the retarded old man who is constantly counting how many chips he has... it's like "DUDE GTFO ALREADY!"
 
Stu_Ungar

Stu_Ungar

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
May 14, 2008
Total posts
6,236
Chips
0
He is hardcore, makes people cry @ the tables, felt and virtual... He can take a verbal beating too and laugh it off, he is a pro...

if this tourney is any less than $50 buy in, the structure is going to be a POS, with like shitty 20 minute levels and a minor starting stack which only equals 20-40BBs. Welcome to cheap buy in crap shoot tournaments... shove and hope to get lucky or have everyone else fold...

seriously most live tournaments that arent above $100 - $300 have crap structure... see like 4 or 5 hands in each blind level, it's crap.

Well I'll find tomorrow, I don't really know what the blind structure is.

Part of the reason I want to play is just to experience the live poker scene a bit. So $100 for a nights entertainment is fine, but if the blind structure means it turns into a donkfest in the first 90 mins then I wont be going again!
 
Sean Pilgrim

Sean Pilgrim

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Total posts
2,620
Chips
0
but you flop the straight and someone will hit 2 pair and not improve and they will pay you off hardcore, where is the tourney? but I'm generally speaking for the people I play in $35 - $350 tournaments at my local casino people with money and little to no common sense...
 
W

wetyeti

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Total posts
229
Chips
0
Great point about the structure. Those tournies with short levels and starting make it tough to play solid poker. The c-betting comment I made applies to 30 min levels or more with a stack of at least 40 bb.
Theres a monthly tournament near my place with 40 min levels and 80 bb as the starting stack.
Again, have fun man
 
Dreams of Tragedy

Dreams of Tragedy

dreamsoftragedy.com
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 30, 2009
Total posts
1,573
Chips
0
just remember that live games if you hit a pair your chances of win the pot i good unless someone has a overpair or better pair then yours. most of the time 2 pairs will win more pot then any other hands.
 
bazerk

bazerk

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 18, 2009
Total posts
1,091
Chips
0
No experiences with this situation...so no tips to provide >>> just wanted to keyboard Best Wishes & have fun Stu_Ungar!
 
Sean Pilgrim

Sean Pilgrim

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Total posts
2,620
Chips
0
just remember that live games if you hit a pair your chances of win the pot i good unless someone has a overpair or better pair then yours. most of the time 2 pairs will win more pot then any other hands.

^----- This, I would never go to showdown with 1 pair, but 2 pair seems to be a huge winner in tourneys, you can exploit that in your opponents and NO FREE CARDS!!!
 
Real Money Poker - Real Money Casinos Organize a Home Poker Game
Top