Early tournament play

manolo salazar

manolo salazar

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 15, 2018
Total posts
380
Chips
0
I was reading some books about strategy tournament, so I have founded something interesting about the rule of 5 and 10.
This rule is used when you are thinking about calling a raise with a speculative hand.
The key points about this rule:
1) If the raise is less than 5 % of your stack, it is an easy call.
2) If it is more than 10%, it is an easy fold.
3) If it is between 5% and 10%, it is a judgment call.
Be more apt to call if:
1) You have position on the raiser. Position is very important with suited connectors, but not as important with pocket pairs.
2) You have a medium pocket pair (7s or 8s), rather than a smaller one.
3) You have a no-gap suited connector such as 76s, rather than a 1- or 2- gapper such T8s or 96s.
4) Your opponent is type of player who rarely folds top pair or an over pair after the flop.

Dear friends if you have more tips on how to play in early stages, please continue with this post .
 
PuMa8818

PuMa8818

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Total posts
176
Awards
2
Chips
0
It is worth aggressively playing a strong hand and controlling the pot with unready hands. With weak pocket pairs, try to watch cheap flops or fold. It's not enough to bluff and generally choose carefully against whom you can bluff
 
E

Edson

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
May 7, 2016
Total posts
415
Awards
4
Chips
0
This is nice rules, It should be profitable :)
 
T

Tylor Mendez

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Total posts
158
Chips
0
That's a good strategy.

I tend to play tighter early tournaments and try to stack the loose aggressive players.
 
Amanda A

Amanda A

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Total posts
1,357
Awards
2
Chips
23
Yes good rules, I think there's also a rule about the size of your opponents stack. As it's early in the tourney your opponents stack should be fairly deep and it won't be an issue, but if the raise is say 1/3 or their stack, even if it is only 5 percent of yours you may not want to call with a spec hand because if you hit you just won't get paid that much. It won't compensate for all the times you miss.
 
S

SuperPwn

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Total posts
34
Chips
0
I think it's more nuanced than that. I'd start off tighter for a few rounds to get a feel for the table, then loosen up as you develop reads and try to play a lot more pots with the weaker players. People usually don't place in 80-90% of tournaments anyways, so it's worth it to play looser early on to get the fish chips before another good player does.
 
S

sakuraitaro

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 5, 2018
Total posts
17
Chips
0
i try to play as many pots as i can early on. what if you get dealt your favorite hand, but the bet is 11% of your stack? Go for it!
 
TrillUziVert

TrillUziVert

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Total posts
78
Chips
0
Early tournament play essential, and also where you want to get ahead quick. Just play smart and confidently and you'll begin to rake in the pots.
 
Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Total posts
224
Chips
0
Interesting - but I would say position and pot odds/ implied odds are more useful though.

If you call with small pairs and suited connectors you want to be in position so you have a better chance of realising your equity. Have implied odds though deep effective stacks or playing against multiple opponents.


Also the 5 10 rule doesn't apply when defending your big blind against a late position open.
 
C

Chewfulitsch

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 2, 2018
Total posts
62
Chips
0
I always try to get a cheap flop with speculative hands every now and then, but only when I'm in position or if the pot odds are more than 3-1. If I have active/aggro players behind I just fold them as they are likely to raise. Just watch the table and get a sense of what the other players style is. Adapting to them is the winning strategy long term.
 
JBGoode

JBGoode

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Total posts
481
Chips
0
I don't call it "Early Tournament". I like to refer to it as the "Infomation Gathering Stage". Thus I play tigher, and pretty much spectate. Watch how everyone reacts to different situations, how they play against different styles of players....

I'm only getting in there when I have position, without premium hands, and when i know I have odds to call in multi way pots with what I have. Once I get a feel for players, typically the more aggressive ones, or the fish style players that like to limp alot. I can start to adjust my range accordingly.
 
IcyNicy

IcyNicy

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 29, 2018
Total posts
76
Chips
0
I prefer to fold any marginal hands pfr in early stage. And very often it turns out right. I just keep in mind one thought that the main part of any tournament is a middle stage so I don't see the reason why I should lose my chips.
 
K

karl coakley

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Total posts
853
Chips
0
Yeah, that is a little too lose for me. The hands you described (67s or med pairs)can get you into trouble really quickly and you will find yourself on the rail a lot.

If you have 76s and flop a flush what do you really do? You want to build a big pot with the hope that a 4th flush card doesn't turn or river?


You want to build a big pot with the hope that a 7 high flush is good if it hits on the turn or river?


You want to build a big pot with the hope that the sucker end of a straight is good?


The real strength of hands like 67s is later in the tournament when people tighten up and are raising big cards. I want to have 67s when the pots are getting big because of the size of the blinds and antes, not at the beginning where people call with the phone book. You will be able to figure out where you are at much easier.
 
Masi2197

Masi2197

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jan 2, 2017
Total posts
340
Chips
0
deves to know that your strong hands deves to play them aggressively, that you stop medium cards with raise deves to play carefully watching the flop, deves know that folding marginal or bad cards will take you to success, enter many hands is not synonymous with that you will win ,.
 
DougPkrMonsta

DougPkrMonsta

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 7, 2016
Total posts
914
Awards
15
Chips
0
Big fan of speculative hands here - give me 50-100BB's and pot odds to call and I'm in there. I'll be the one over-calling against a tight original raiser with 46s and getting it in with almost 100% against AA on a 235 flop.

Pay attention to how the players behind you are playing - if the blinds love to see flops, there's more money in the pot to make calling more attractive... Or if there is a lot of re-raising you are likely better off just waiting - then consider just calling with a monster and re-raising them.

It is easy to take it too far, but in general if the implied odds are there, it is worth playing these hands.

Taking speculative hands against one opponent who is loose and aggressive - I'm no longer a fan. You won't get there enough plus there is no guarantee that when you do they will have anything that can call you and make it worth your while.

Good luck to you! :D
 
D

dpoole71

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 8, 2017
Total posts
68
Chips
0
i hate the whole percentages 5 percent 10 percent blah blah blah in tournaments its about survival picking right spots and stack building while trying to run deep playing solid poker not worrying about all this other minor BS
 
Top