Dazed and Confuzed

Socialpro29

Socialpro29

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I have taken so much time to study, I have sat down with equilab and constructed my ranges for each position, my 3B ranges, 4B ranges, cold calling ranges, i have watched countless hours of video etc and I am still lacking the sucess I am striving for playing MTTs. I have small BR on 2 of the main sites I play on built mainly in cash games where I seem to have my success, but it is a very slow grind building your roll in micro cash games, especially because you will always hit a downswing due to variance. I keep trying to get into the low buyin tourneys with hopes to get a nice boost to my bankroll and allowing me to take shots at higher cash game stakes where I think I can have success as well. I am struggling to find my leaks when it comes to tourney play, i dont want to contribute it all to the variance of MTTs which i know is part of it but I am sure I am also making mistakes that are causing me to not make it to the money or even a final table at all. One area I know I am struggling with is the constant multiway limping and flat calls from multiple opponents when open raising with strong holdings. It seems like nobody can find the fold button at these low stake mtts and using aggression seems to get me in alot of trouble, especially preflop. Could someone that has longterm success as a Mtt player guve me some strategic advice, or insight to a could plan of attack to increase my chances of winning and binking a mtt for a nice payoff and boost to my bankroll. Or maybe i should stay at the cash tables and forget the MTTs for awhile.
 
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kmart99

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Not sure if this is the case for you, but for me I wasn't bluffing enough in the MTTs at the beginning. My ITM% was 35% but I was so often getting to the money with 0-25bb.

I started winning my MTTs when I started semi bluffing in position early in tournaments more. Since the antes start immediately I am pretty loose right out of the gate. My ITM dropped below 20% but I at least win 2-3 tournaments a month now because when I hit the money I'm often at 40+BB stack.


Also, when I do get to the money with <30bb I just play tight because I don't have a stack with any bluff equity, and because of ICM.

But when I get there with 50+BB I'm loose to a disrespectful level. Especially with my 3bets vs small stacks.

Anyway. That's what turned it around for me.
 
Jim Brown

Jim Brown

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I follow a similar strategy and achieve similar results to the above. You have to use aggression and not just sit around waiting for QQ+ AK

Bet or raise, avoid calls, and don't be afraid to fold when facing resistance with a marginal hand.
 
Socialpro29

Socialpro29

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I do semi-bluff, and i rarely if ever call preflop, i just have been getting destroyed by the river lately, the low buyins has alot of limp/callers with so much trash but the trash has been destroying me
 
mbrenneman0

mbrenneman0

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Its sounds like youre underestimating the varience in tournies. You need good BRM to reasonably expect to have success in tournies and you need some experience too. I really dislike range charts especially for tournies because you need to adjust your range constantly. Table dynamics and blind levels are two of the biggest factors that effect your range. If youre not adjusting youre not going to win. Post hand histories in the hand analysis section to get a better idea of how you can improve.
 
Socialpro29

Socialpro29

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Thank you for the post, i expect higher variance in the tourneys i have just been on the down side of it for the last few days, i watch my BR very closely, i have not had to deposit on both of the main sites i play on since last year, but it has been tough going as of recently
 
mbrenneman0

mbrenneman0

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One thing that's very important to poker players is learning how to recognize the difference between varience and flaws in your game. You should always analyze your game and find out if your decisions are +EV or not. If you are playing profitably and still losing, it might be varience. If your decisions are not long term profitable then it is from your own flaws.

Its always best for your own improvement to never assume its varience until you've worked out the math and determined it definitely is.

If it is varience, keep playing profitably, making the best decisions one hand at a time and you will win in the long term. Poker is not a short distance game.
 
Socialpro29

Socialpro29

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@mbrenneman0 thank you for your input and I completely agree with you. I believe in my case it is a mixture of both, i have worked out the math in many of the situations and I have definetly got it in good the majority of the time, there are several that were BE or -ev though and i am constantly trying to improve. It would be nice to bink a MTT for a bankroll boost for all of the work i try to put in off the table

I think one of my biggest weaknesses at this moment is trying to put my opponents on ranges, especially at the low buy in tournaments cause so often they show up something i did not even have in their range when making my decision, it is very hard to put weaker opponents on a range IMO at these stakes
 
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mbrenneman0

mbrenneman0

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I agree, its tough to put loose opponents on a range. Play premium hands against loose opponents. You can open up your range a little against opponents that you can more confidently put on a range.. But even against them its still good to play tight.

If you strive to make fewer -EV mistakes, you will not be effected as much by variance. Because you will be winning more in the long term. Nobody can play mistake free, but the best players are the ones who make the fewest mistakes.
 
Socialpro29

Socialpro29

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I play a TAG style but am also capable of switching to a more LAG approach if the table dictates that i can profitably do so, I feel like I almost play to tight alot in these lower buyin tourneys and end up not building a big enough stack to withstand the increasing blinds, which then become reliant on push/fold chart type play cause my stack cant withstand any kind of flop play without having to commit anyways. I will keep on grinding and studying to try and be the best player possible
 
mbrenneman0

mbrenneman0

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I like to think of it as my range should be tighter than my villains range. If villain opens the pot with a 50% range, I call with a 25% range. If villain opens the pot with a 20% range I call him with a 10% range. If villain calls my open with a 30% range I open with a 15% range.

Doesn't have to be exact, but as long as you are playing hands preflop that are ahead of your opponents ranges then you'll be okay in the long term. I'm not good at mtts I play sttsngs, so don't take my range advice. That's just how I try to think of it.

Most mtts that I've played, especially turbos end up being in push/fold mode most of the time. So youre not going to avoid those situations.
 
7svetoslav

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Yeah man, i totally agree with alot of things written in your post. I learned from your thoughts shared in your text, that you are trying to improve your skills and get better.
Its so good to judge yourself and learn from your mistakes, thats archievable when you really whant to do it. As you want to! Ive red month ago about one of the ways to improve your skills is the perseverance. It will give you the experience to react adequate to the situations!
I think you have to keep going with those tries to improve yourself. You gonna be rewarded for sure! Good luck!
 
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chronical

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yes there is no fold button... or very few know were it is. Use it to your advantege. 98s is not a good hand PRF in free/micro, you can use "floating","fold equity" and all the other stuff when you move up the limits where people know the % of getting closed "gut shot" on the turn.
Before that value bet with big hands, slow roll with monster against aggro an bet against passive with good pairs. Don't catch drows for 3 streets, don't shove UTG or/and call 2,3,4... all-ins PRF no mnatter what you holding...
ABC poker for the win bro :cool:
 
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Joseph Havelka

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Balance your range. My rule of thumb in the first hour or two is only play big pots with a set or better. Early on in tournaments top pair is not as strong as it would be later on. Cbet on boards that hit your precieved range. My average vpip and pfr for mtts is 35/25. I see a lot of players that play to tight in the middle stages in a mtt. Most of the chips I win come from when I am on the button. When facing a pre flop raise keep in mind of the gap concept. Confidence is key. Patience in waiting for the right opportunities. Key word "opprtunities." Try not to get to caught up in your preflop ranges. When its folded to you, when you are in late postion, open your range. I go with top %50 of hands when it's folded to me in late postion. Now remember don't be a robot with your opening ranges. Makes you to predictable. Mix it up when the opportunity presents itself. By balancing your range you get paid off huge when you hit your hand.
 
Socialpro29

Socialpro29

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I have read some really good advice, thanks to everyone who has taken time to give their feedback, i am going to keep on grinding with a positive attitude and try and bring my A game every time. Last week or so has been a little damaging to the roll so i have to proceed with caution as to not go broke
 
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