One of My favourate
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$5.50 nitro is the way to go.
Start off playing a tight ish range in position Open for 2x (40) , Suited connecters are ok as low as 8-6 7-8 7-9 if its cheap to get in (preferable you want to open - dont go too deep and invest chips on risky boards with multiway players.
Also broadway type
hands K-9 and Up Q-10 and up / J-10 and up, You wanna be opening with these later on looking for the steals after the blinds are above 100.
(please note based on the range of hands your picking up and pre flop action you wont need to play every hand every time you get one)
but when its cheap to get in, speculative hands are good
Early on your really looking for spots to suck value from opponents theirs alot of loose players and most will fall for a well disguised strong hand.
You dont want to go too aggressive too early because even if things dont go your way early on,
your not going to need premium hands late on to build up a stack.
Once the blinds pass 50/100
you wanna start opening up to around 250, testing your table seeing how easily they are giving blinds away.
Dont be affraid to C-bet as well if you miss the flop (alot of players will just shove if they are strong) So dont be too scared to bet 3/4 of the pot when you have been called and checked back too.
As we approach the later stages 150/300 and beyond, any hands such as ace rag, King high you can be on the button taking down the blinds,
Dont get to carried away but just do what you need to to stay alive
(dont like shove every single time if your getting alot of K rag, Ace Rag hands.)
just enough to keep a nice stack add a few chips, (2 out out of 3 buttons) maybe chuck in a standard 2x raise somewhere also within the 2/3 orbits
when you get your premium hands your going to be looking to disguise the strength and trap players, min raising, or limping pre flop.
Since the players aren't very skilled in the nitros they wont pick up your disguising your strong hands,
so you just play strong with your good broad to spec range (and medium pairs) with the intention of stealing blinds
if you do get called, you've got cards that can do some damage on the right board
and what you do... you play elusive with your big pairs, premiums and any strong made hands post flop such as top pair dry boar, the nuts, anything big.
My advice is dont go too relentless unless you need to keep it composed and controlled pick away, put in your occasional 1 x raises after 150/300 levels taking down chips.. try and pattern in so you may raise two of your buttons then fold the 3rd. even if you have the same hand 3rd time round.,
dont get too greedy unless your sure the players are to tight to shove on your raises.
In addition if you lose a flop or get sucked out on and your stack diminishes,
and your left with less than 3/4 Big blinds you just have to get your chips in good on the button or in small blind with Any broadway, Ace rag whatever you can pick up. Even suited connectors and flip for it if the blinds call you
some of the time you wont get called and your back in the game, other times you will double up.
but for sure stay away from hands like Q7 and general junk J8 etc. early in the tournament.
you dont need to go hunting for steals. all you have to do is extract value with good hands preserve your chips while waiting for the blinds to go up
so you can start stealing,
there is No harm in a few small, Small ball moves in position early just to gather momentem and feel for the table.
but
in the process your just looking to flop big and decieve your opponents to stack them, so you have more weapons for the middle and latter stages..
P.S
Dont under estimate position, its an extremely powerful assett even when u dont realise youl be more often making chips rather than losing