Any tips for keeping chips in MTT's?

joosebuck

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It seems like I play a great tight-aggressive game early on, and build up a stack fast, usually getting into the top 10 before the first break without a problem.

The only problem with this is that I can't seem to hold on to it... I either play too tight and just sit back while blinds increase and everyone catches me, or I successfully steal the blinds and increase my stack but fall prey to stupid calls when stacked well.

Any tips to help me find a medium?
 
KillerKat

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Read SexyAceJoker's MTT guide, but I think you did already!!!!
 
robwhufc

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joosebuck said:
The only problem with this is that I can't seem to hold on to it... I either play too tight and just sit back while blinds increase and everyone catches me,
I wouldn't be overly concerned about this - it's being in front at the end that matters, not keeping your lead, or even remaining in the top 10 or so. You probably know as well as me, towards the end there's no seeing flops, drawing hands etc - it's a case of all-in all the time. Everyone else is getting pair after pair, and you're continously getting rags :(. I find it's often a case of picking a spot, going all-in and closing your eyes. You can play better than your opponents by folding hands they would have called with, or by calling with hands they would have folded, but in reality often you need the right cards at the right time to win, and there's not an awful lot you can do about that.
 
JRskatr

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I have some advice: When you get to the final table, I suggest doing two things. 1. For a 10 hand period, take note of the player who has played the fewest hands. This should be the person you try to steal blinds from. 2. If you have trouble doing this, just do what strong players do and raise preflop from the button or one off the button. This works best if no one has entered the pot yet and if you get called, you will have position to bluff after the flop. Also it helps to never raise min, becuase its too small a raise to get people to fold and a lot of the time they will think you are bluffing and will play back at you. My suggestion is to raise at least 3x or 4x the big blind.
 
SexyAceJoker

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As KilletKat said, you can check the guide to see an explanation on this :p or i can give you my thoughts on it. You said you usually make the first break being on the top 10, congratulations, thats the dream of every pokerplayer . When you get to this stage of the tournament ( 1 hour ) things begin to spice up, blinds have gone to maybe 75/150 , the short stacks are feeling the heat from the blinds , and this is where play really begins . A mistake many players ( I used to do it all the time ) do , is when they get a chip lead, they turn into cement . They think , because i have a chip lead all i need is to play ultra solid and slowly add to my stack . This in the long run is gonna burn you , because the other big stacks are gonna be doing a big stack's job. When you have a Big chip count, you have the liberty of seeing more flops, of putting more pressures, you can recieve a little bit more hits , and you can STEAL MORE BLINDS . Maybe you havent been doing this, but when you have a chip lead, you have to pick on players . You are 1 position away from the button, the SB and BB , both are short stacked (SB-1200, BB-1455 ) , blinds are 100-200 and you have 10000 chips, this is a standard 600 blind raise with any decent playing hand ( suited connectors, paint cards, pocket pairs ) , if they fold , you just made 300 chips for nothing. Chances are if they dont got a Pocket pair, or really high cards or a semi strong A ( :Ac: :10d4: ) , they will imidiatly fold. But you wonder, what if i raise 600 and the sb goes all in and i hold :6d4::8d4: . You know the answer already , you call, its only 600 more, and you wonder, what if he holds :Ac::Qs: , isnt this call bad . Some people might differ, but you have to see it this way . You are a 61 to 38 underdog , thats what a almost 2-1 underdog, you will win about 1 time for the 2 times he wins. You have him outstacked almost 7 to 1, in the long run if you keep making this move, you will outplay him and win all his chips, thats what this is all about ( you cant do this when you dont have the chips to do it ) . This works for 2 reasons , first you get his chips, second, players in that table are gonna fear you like the end of the world, they know your a maniac who came to play and win, and they know they need to put it all in the line to dance with you, with this image, you can smoothly run the table. BLIND STEAL, i cant say it enough, its the way to keep up with the growing stacks, if you sit down to enjoy your ride, blinds are gonna raise like no tomorrow, and they are gonna eat you away , the other stacks will grow , and they will begin making moves on you. Every now and then, when you steal blinds, show those rags ( once again some players differ ) but you have to let them know, im here to run this show,. They will fear when you raise and they call and the flop brings rags, and they will give more action on your premiums. One word of advice though, dont try and steal a players blind who has chips close to yours, or who has a big healthy stack , they really dont like it, and they can afford to play back at you. Keeping this is mind, not only will you keep your chips in the MTT, you are gonna be adding some much more chips and so much to your play and the most important thing is, you will become unreadable.
 
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karl coakley

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Personally, I think what you are going through is normal. Sometimes you run hot, sometimes others run hot. In some tournaments I chip up early, some I struggle but get a nice run that puts me where I need to be.

The main focus should be not on the board, but on the blinds. If you can keep at least 20 bb through the tournament you are going to do well.

I don't have an issue with letting people catch up, I think its the math of the game. Usually to get a really big stack you have to play a little looser. The problem is just like you posted, you live by the sword you die by the sword. The loose play that gets you chips also can cost you chips. When I get a big chip lead, many times I really tighten up to protect the stack.
 
vic88888

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Luck plays a huge issue along with playing style when ur 3/4 of the way there.
 
Zorba

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It right will ranem stage when stacks are equal there is about 50-1000ББ need to play aggressively to fill the stack then switch to tight aggressive style and the watch at the table how they play the notes do and all will be well

Personally, I think what you are going through is normal. Sometimes you run hot, sometimes others run hot. In some tournaments I chip up early, some I struggle but get a nice run that puts me where I need to be.

The main focus should be not on the board, but on the blinds. If you can keep at least 20 bb through the tournament you are going to do well.

I don't have an issue with letting people catch up, I think its the math of the game. Usually to get a really big stack you have to play a little looser. The problem is just like you posted, you live by the sword you die by the sword. The loose play that gets you chips also can cost you chips. When I get a big chip lead, many times I really tighten up to protect the stack.

Luck plays a huge issue along with playing style when ur 3/4 of the way there.

Guy's, this is a 10 year old thread, the person that started the thread doesn't visit here as much anymore, I actually got a little shock to see his posts, I was thinking he was back again.

:top:
 
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fatstax

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Just play the top hands early. Get agro short handed or if you're up against weak players.
 
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karl coakley

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Guy's, this is a 10 year old thread, the person that started the thread doesn't visit here as much anymore, I actually got a little shock to see his posts, I was thinking he was back again.

:top:

LOL
 
freeringo

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I am no expert and have never read a book but my game improved drastically when I started folding K high in early positions. I don't know the why just the results are far better. I might suggest you try to evolve from a thinking analytical player to an instinctive player. I also found that when I analyzed too much I second guessed myself too often and I was only right 50-65 % of the time. Since I started to play only by feel and worked on finding my zone I am now right 60 - 80% of the time. The notion is that too much thinking reduces your intuitive abilities.
And really what are we analyzing anyways that our subconscious mind doesn't already know.
Good luck, it sounds like you are doing very well with your game.
 
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DrakeM

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SexyAceJoker brings it to the point, thats pretty much exactly what you have to do with a big stack.

I naturally tend to become a rock aswell though I know I shouldnt, but you can train it in smaller tournaments so if the situation arises in an important one, you know what you have to do.
 
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nenkov407

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If you end up at 10 position on a tournament in the early stage you are either lucky AF or looser than you think. What I mean is I play super tight no matter if I am at final table or the first dealt hand. The chances to be in the first 10 positions are if somebody raises and I shove with AA KK or QQ and two or three others pay me and of course I get the pot which is rare with so many players in it. But then when you get AJ and the flop is 234 and you see a bet at least half the pot is better to fold than pay for the lucky five at least I do so. One out of 10 times my fold is correct in such a situation. But I bet my head you would call such a bet and you either get busted out early or you become a chip leader. So the point is it is easy to get the donks on the early stages but when you get to the moment where are 10 percent of the total started than you should fold a lot more. For example I think you make my previous mistakes such as "Yeeey I have 74s and I am a BB I could hit a flush if nobody raises." SO the button raises with 2.5 BB and you think "Well I will lose this blind why don't take the risk for only 2.5 BB and see the flop?" At that point you are with 4.5xBB + ante. The flop turns out perfect, all of the cards are your the same color as your pocket cards and you hit the flop flush. He bets you and you raise, he re-raises and you bot go all in. He shows AA and you just pray that the other to cards won't be A + something on the flop or AA. But also you have to pray that one A in his pocket pair won't hit a higher flush. So finally when he bust you, you start to create threats like "Bad beats are constant at *random pokersite*". Yes I was the same and try to protect people from being me a month ago. I learned a lot of things which no article could give you, you must learn it by practice. So my best advice is do not call only because you have already put a blind, do not go all-in on K2o since you are not a chip leader anymore and avoid playing stupid cards like "Ha-ha this is my lucky hand - 83s" since you flopped a full house once when you were BB.
 
Ivab

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Happy New Year!!! :icon_sant :party: :icon_sant
______________________________________
If you are going to fight for the pot with any hand, then you should have a plan for this distribution. If you do not have a plan, feel free to press the "fold". It should be remembered - the button "fold" - the most profitable button.
______________________________________
Good luck in the game and life ;)
 
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mid stage of tournament, with a big stack, you should be opening more in late position. You shouldn't necessarily play more pots by cold calling or raising in early position. Raise more in late position and see how the players respond. 3bet in position also and most shorter stacks 20-30 will either shove or fold and leave you with easier decisions or more chips.

This will get you more action when you raise in ep too, as most players will just think you are bullying the table.. but only do this with big hands.

Best advice is to play well and run better...

good luck

stoke
 
jaymfc

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Guy's, this is a 10 year old thread, the person that started the thread doesn't visit here as much anymore, I actually got a little shock to see his posts, I was thinking he was back again.

:top:

thought the same but knew it had been too many years since we seen
his popped collar :) I remember him well though.
 
T

TargetLion

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Dont rush and play your game!
 
SuzdalDEcor

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Congratulations, you have learned the game of fish and you easily can win their chips. But when they take off and you cant win their chips more. My advice - learn to play.
 
vitja0101

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just play less bluff and wait for good hands and do not push on the dead hands
 
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SerZhadanov

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Go loose: Force other players to either go all in or fold, if you have slightly good cards
Go tight: Let other player play amongst themselves and then defeat the last few players
Play as you were: It is slightly difficult to maintain once I am chip leader
I have tried all 3 but still can't determine the best amongst them, which is the best strategy?

I believe that amount with which you are leading will matter. I think there must be two subdivisions to this question. One would be when you are only twice or thrice ahead, and other when you have even more.
 
B

bbiase

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As KilletKat said, you can check the guide to see an explanation on this :p or i can give you my thoughts on it. You said you usually make the first break being on the top 10, congratulations, thats the dream of every pokerplayer . When you get to this stage of the tournament ( 1 hour ) things begin to spice up, blinds have gone to maybe 75/150 , the short stacks are feeling the heat from the blinds , and this is where play really begins . A mistake many players ( I used to do it all the time ) do , is when they get a chip lead, they turn into cement . They think , because i have a chip lead all i need is to play ultra solid and slowly add to my stack . This in the long run is gonna burn you , because the other big stacks are gonna be doing a big stack's job. When you have a Big chip count, you have the liberty of seeing more flops, of putting more pressures, you can recieve a little bit more hits , and you can STEAL MORE BLINDS . Maybe you havent been doing this, but when you have a chip lead, you have to pick on players . You are 1 position away from the button, the SB and BB , both are short stacked (SB-1200, BB-1455 ) , blinds are 100-200 and you have 10000 chips, this is a standard 600 blind raise with any decent playing hand ( suited connectors, paint cards, pocket pairs ) , if they fold , you just made 300 chips for nothing. Chances are if they dont got a Pocket pair, or really high cards or a semi strong A ( :Ac: :10d4: ) , they will imidiatly fold. But you wonder, what if i raise 600 and the sb goes all in and i hold :6d4::8d4: . You know the answer already , you call, its only 600 more, and you wonder, what if he holds :Ac::Qs: , isnt this call bad . Some people might differ, but you have to see it this way . You are a 61 to 38 underdog , thats what a almost 2-1 underdog, you will win about 1 time for the 2 times he wins. You have him outstacked almost 7 to 1, in the long run if you keep making this move, you will outplay him and win all his chips, thats what this is all about ( you cant do this when you dont have the chips to do it ) . This works for 2 reasons , first you get his chips, second, players in that table are gonna fear you like the end of the world, they know your a maniac who came to play and win, and they know they need to put it all in the line to dance with you, with this image, you can smoothly run the table. BLIND STEAL, i cant say it enough, its the way to keep up with the growing stacks, if you sit down to enjoy your ride, blinds are gonna raise like no tomorrow, and they are gonna eat you away , the other stacks will grow , and they will begin making moves on you. Every now and then, when you steal blinds, show those rags ( once again some players differ ) but you have to let them know, im here to run this show,. They will fear when you raise and they call and the flop brings rags, and they will give more action on your premiums. One word of advice though, dont try and steal a players blind who has chips close to yours, or who has a big healthy stack , they really dont like it, and they can afford to play back at you. Keeping this is mind, not only will you keep your chips in the MTT, you are gonna be adding some much more chips and so much to your play and the most important thing is, you will become unreadable.

Is there a link for this guide?

I play mostly microstakes mtts, and people are loose callers specially from the blinds, I feel my post flop game is weak-ish and sometimes going for blinds still sounds not much profitable since there are tons of multiway actions.
 
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