ALWAYS SHORT-STACKED

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donnavodka

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I play in a weekly cash tournament; buy-in is $100, starting chips are $7,000. Usually about 40-45 players. I make the final table often, but I am usually short-stacked. I seem to play very aggressively when short-stacked, but I never seem to accumulate chips to do any damage. I have read conflicting theories: play tight early and aggressive later; play aggressive early and tight later. I think I worry too much about getting knocked out early in the tournament. Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.
 
salim271

salim271

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What size stack do you usually end up with on the FT? What are the blinds like on the FT and how fast are they going up? how many paid positions? How long does the FT take? Player skill-levels?
 
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donnavodka

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I'm usually around $10-$14K. The blinds are usually $1k, $2K and they rise every 30 minutes. 4 paid positions; final table can take anywhere from 1-3 hours. Skill levels I believe are intermediate.
 
suit2please

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Are you confusing tight for passive or aggressive for loose. You should be both tight and aggressive at the same time, and usually loosen up as the game goes on.

You can be loose aggressive (lag) or tight aggressive (tag) or loose passive or tight passive. But you can't be aggressive passive or loose tight.
 
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volpereira

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I have the same problem. Use to still alive in the tournaments, but always bellow the average.

Should I be more agressive in whitch stage?
 
KardKlub

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Playing too tight is a problem, but in tourneys luck is every bit as important. Eg getting aa then kk or flopping sets then a staight etc and getting paid, or getting in behind and comming out on top.

I think play as you are if your making final table this often the luck will fall your way.

Just remember to use the free time you spend foldind digesting your opponents so that your marginal situations become less so
 
wislim

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Play more speculative hands in position early like suited connectors and sm - med PP's. Hit a flop hard and stack a big PP.
 
steak vegita

steak vegita

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Just curious what are the payouts? and have u ever cashed?
 
superman4all

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Well when ya get to the final table and your short stacked you either try and steal blinds when ya can or just wait for that big hand and hopefully blinds haven't deteriorated your small stack by then. In a 45 man tourney I play tight early unless I have a monster then I play really aggressive . And then late I loosen up and it has seemed to work for me
 
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budebuzz

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I agree with KardKlub, at some point your luck is a big factor. My poker friends started to clasify our luck by these terms, hand card and community card luck. Hand card luck is when you are getting great starting cards, community card luck is when whatever you are playing is hitting the community cards (this is better than the first). When you have both types of luck you get very far.
 
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zingbust

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Good points you bring up...however if you're making the final table often and cashing then I don't think you should change your game. Professional play has nothing to do with how many times you win 1st place in a tourney, no, it's how many times you cash! Do you ever watch the WSOP? Lon always says (when he is hyping up a player) how many times that person has cashed in World Series events because that's a credential for pro status!
Opposite is true, despite what Lon says. It's not how many times you make the money, it's how many of the 1sts, 2nds, and 3rds you get, if you're getting slightly more than your share of those, but slightly less itm, you come out way way on top of the player who moneys more often, but has slightly fewer 1sts, 2nds, 3rds, etc.
 
salim271

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I'm usually around $10-$14K. The blinds are usually $1k, $2K and they rise every 30 minutes. 4 paid positions; final table can take anywhere from 1-3 hours. Skill levels I believe are intermediate.

If thats short stacked I think your best move is to pick a decent hand and shove from position. If there are any other short stackers use the bubble to push them off hands if you can get to 5-6 people left, anyone with around 20K in chips can be pushed off mediocre hands with with 1K/2K blinds and only a few people left. Stealing blinds at this point is necessary, 3K rise for every successful steal, and you'd be surprised that as long as you arent trying to steal with complete junk, anything a shortstack/medium stack calls you with would be far ahead.
 
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wetyeti

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What kind of image do you have? If this game has a lot of regulars you may get some success by using whatever table image you may have to your advantage. If you're making the FT a lot though you must be doing something right.
In live tourneys my game improved dramatically when I started getting aggressive near the bubble (final table bubble and money bubble). I try to avoid the small stacks. If I make a steal and a SS is acting after me I think about whether or not my steal is worth going to war.
 
Poker Orifice

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you worry too much about getting knocked out early in the tournament (I think you answered your own question here).
Maybe have a glance at Harrington On Holdem Vol.2 & read up on 'Inflection Pts.' & 'Multiple Inflection Pts.'.
 
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