Taking down tournaments.

i talked to a guy one night at a summer party, a few yrs back. the conversation soon changed to poker. as we talked, this gentalmen told me about his vegas games. after he got to brag a little,hahaha, i asked him if he had a tip for a fellow non-tourney player, who wanted to start....... he said "patience. fold fold fold"


i took this advice and use it in every game!!!!!!!! both live and online...and i am a final table hitter.. & it is because of this..... i do not chase cards..... rarely does a flush hit for me anyways!!! hahahaha. same for str8's!! unless i flop them... i aint bettin my stack on it. often i see that 2 of my cards landed. maybe on flop..maybe by turn. the pots are huge by now..... and then nothing after.......... so i keep my chips.. my chips!! hahahaha

see the point to playing tounaments, isnt to have the biggest stack... sure it helps, but the goal.... is to HIT THE MONEY$$$$$$$$$$...... man i have hit the money w/ 400 in chips..everyone else 24-60k..... haha. but i placed. i got paid...thats the point.

i love these guys that get a huge stack, and think they cant lose!! next thing, they lose 3 small pots, get mad, and make bad calls.... i have folded hands that i regret....yes...regret badly!!! yeah i hit hands i folded, hit monster hands!!!!! full houses and str8s... but i wont play crap cards...8-2...9-3..6-10..ect. i remain calm and in the end... i dont fall out to flush or str8 draw.....or even higher pockets that dont hit & lose to 2 pair!!!! hahaha. see, i always tell myself.....

there will alway be another hand.....another set of cards...

why chase that hand, when the winning one could be next????????????????????????????

Good points -- reminds me of Mike Caro's tournament philosophy, that it is about survival over building a stack. Idea is that the winner has 100% of the chips but not 100% of the money.

I read a post a while back in this forum, and the bit that stuck with me was: "coin flips are not the way to win a tournament". Wish I could remember that when my JJ gets re-raised...

The patience is difficult to master, especially when the cards don't come for you. Don't forget about maximum chip extraction from your opponent when you do get something in your pocket and it flops well. Sometimes the moves backfire, but if you don't mix it up and have some fun (while working your way ITM) what's the point!

Fold equity

Fold equity is a wonderfull thing. Too many times even I get caught off gaurd and can over bet. But when your not pushing to big or shoving, Fold equity does help. Bigbigbucs

In a tournament you shouldn't be playing to make the money, you should be playing to make first. Payouts are extremely top heavy and you won't ever be very successful if you shoot to just barely float into the money.

straytfrush said:

In a tournament you shouldn't be playing to make the money, you should be playing to make first. Payouts are extremely top heavy and you won't ever be very successful if you shoot to just barely float into the money.

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. I always play for itm. Then readjujust once im there . I know go big or go home is great but being a fairly god ss player. I tend to be happy to make itm then play accordingly. Bigbigbucs

Some great advice you must have taken in and used to become a successful player

I like your strategy but do you adjust it in anyway when you are ITM? do you use the same strategy to make higher places or do you try and build a stack to go for the W?

inti

Well, I don't play tournies much. But when I do, more times than not I make it itm. And only played maybe 12-15% of hands dealt. With showdown % of at least 75. Just can't ever seem to get that #1 spot, but it's ok with me. When I do play one it's low buy in and I just wanna see how far I can get!!!

once in the itm, i sit back some.

intiekkeko said:

Some great advice you must have taken in and used to become a successful player

I like your strategy but do you adjust it in anyway when you are ITM? do you use the same strategy to make higher places or do you try and build a stack to go for the W?

inti

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. Once you hit the first payouts in itm, i tend to sit back a bit and tighten up. Because I find alot of players tend to do just the oppisite. They lossen up and if you watch the field size it tends to lose players trying to stay alive and players going for big win. So you will have players with more chips then you going out along with the short stacks. So pick your best cards best spots and move up a few more spots on the payouts. I don't have too many wins, but I have seen the final table and have a few under my belt. Hope this helps. bigbigbucs

This wasn't the greatest thread bump ever.