D
Dani_California
Rock Star
Silver Level
I have probably been eliminated too soon from the final table more than once by playing too tight and running out of chips. So I would say that semi-aggressive strategy might work. People are trying to climb as high as possible so they might be protective and you could use that against them. Of course everything depends on your stack size as well but that is something I am going to try next time I reach the final table.
But I would also like to hear more about this from someone else since I have been battling to find my best game in the final table.
But I would also like to hear more about this from someone else since I have been battling to find my best game in the final table.
milka1605
Legend
Loyaler
If I have few chips at the last table, I throw more often in Allin. Even with an average map. I try to pick up the Blades. With an average stack, I behave more modestly. If possible, steal the blades. With a good stack I select for the game a premium card or pocket pairs and wait for players to become smaller. Blades can also steal.When there are 3 or 2 players at the table, I play aggressively.
Andrew Popov
Legend
Bronze Level
Behavior and statistics on opponents - decides. To the final table you should already have an idea with whom you are playing. And appropriately adjust to the game of your opponents. Use the position and remember the value model of the chips.
Katyushka4
Visionary
Silver Level
Drowy
Enthusiast
Silver Level
This is a very good point
Amanda A
Legend
Bronze Level
I think you have to pick your spots and be aggressive and try and isolated one player. If there's a couple people going all in all the time try and steer clear of them unless you have a monster and wait till the smoke clears. You can move up quite a few rungs that way.
J
joy
Rising Star
Bronze Level
I think it's quite different by each players.
In my position, I mostly give all the best to stay alive at the tournament.
Never bet with non-premium cards but when the blinds increases, Aces is the chance. Doesn't matter if your hand is bad but with aces is always challengeable to raise but never call the pot of opponents.
With middle good hands just raise tripple or all-in not just call.
B
bbiase
Rock Star
Silver Level
You should study FTs payout structure. Every FT is different from other. There are payjumps more valuable than others, for example if the payjump from 9th to 6th is a measly increase of 10% from eachother and the payjump from 6th to 5th is around 30%, the small and mid stacks should play considerably looser in the 10% payjump range than in the 30% payjump range.
Also, another thing to consider before playing a hand is your open raise range from every position. As the game gets short handed, you should open tighter from every position, and should defend the big blind tighter. the reason for that is that you have less antes, so stealing blinds and antes is less valuable. So, for example, your open range from the cutoff should be tighter 3-handed than 6-handed and naturally much tighter than 8-handed+, and of course, the more antes there are in the middle, the looser you should be defending the blinds and your 3-betting range.
Meaning: you should open 85s in the button 9 handed, but could fold open fold (or even limp) 85s 3 handed from the button, because there are less antes and the payjumps are steeper. Theoretically, you could add a limping strategy the shorter you get, but i didnt study that enough.
To finalize that: no matter how advanced the concept is, poker is always the same. It's all about position, stack size, value of the blinds+antes and ranges, and, in tournaments, payjumps. Never settle for easy advices like "play LAG" or "play TAG".
Also, another thing to consider before playing a hand is your open raise range from every position. As the game gets short handed, you should open tighter from every position, and should defend the big blind tighter. the reason for that is that you have less antes, so stealing blinds and antes is less valuable. So, for example, your open range from the cutoff should be tighter 3-handed than 6-handed and naturally much tighter than 8-handed+, and of course, the more antes there are in the middle, the looser you should be defending the blinds and your 3-betting range.
Meaning: you should open 85s in the button 9 handed, but could fold open fold (or even limp) 85s 3 handed from the button, because there are less antes and the payjumps are steeper. Theoretically, you could add a limping strategy the shorter you get, but i didnt study that enough.
To finalize that: no matter how advanced the concept is, poker is always the same. It's all about position, stack size, value of the blinds+antes and ranges, and, in tournaments, payjumps. Never settle for easy advices like "play LAG" or "play TAG".
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Alucard
Santoryu
Silver Level
agree with this. Sometimes it pays off to sit back and let others fight. Specially if you are the least stack.
And sometimes it pays off to fight for the antes & blinds.
Always use position to your advantage & observe how other players play and take advantage over that.
And do not rush when you are at the final table. Many people get busted as soon as they see the final table by overplaying their hand out of position just to get to that chip lead as quickly as possible.
J
John Bor
Rock Star
Silver Level
Some players have different methods and styles for the final table, and you may choose to play super tight and wait for others to bust or you can play more agressively with a push or fold mentality.
The most mportant part of final table strategy concerns the M-Ratio i.e. making decisions based on the size of blinds and antes relative to you and your opponents stacks. In deep stack tournaments players tend to shove less pre-flop with more action cominh post-flop. However in regular MTTs (180-man for example) the value of pots will be so big pre-flop relative to your stack, so that it’s inevitable players will be pot-commited and all-in before the flop.
The most mportant part of final table strategy concerns the M-Ratio i.e. making decisions based on the size of blinds and antes relative to you and your opponents stacks. In deep stack tournaments players tend to shove less pre-flop with more action cominh post-flop. However in regular MTTs (180-man for example) the value of pots will be so big pre-flop relative to your stack, so that it’s inevitable players will be pot-commited and all-in before the flop.
T
titiduru
Visionary
Silver Level
I don't think there is a one size fits all strategy. Sometimes you play slow and watch the others knocking each other out, other times nobody wants to take chances. It all depends on how the situation presents to you, your stack size, what kind of cards you are dealt, what position you are in, how the other people are playing etc. Each hand of the game is different, and the final table is no exception.
1
1220poker
Rising Star
Bronze Level
You just have to see the mood of the table. If everybody's agressive, you have to compensate for that. If you have a table that rarely sees the flop, then find a way to scoop those ante pots... It's touch and go till you figure out what you want to do..
Navin Sarabjeet
Legend
Bronze Level
I would advise to play supertight in the beginning until you have observed all the players there. When there are only 4-5 players left you can loosen up and pick your opponents and spots wisely
See you at the final table
Y
Yoo
Rock Star
Silver Level
Final youll gonna play addapting to the other players and ofc your stack will make choices for yea on what cards to play if you wait monster hands you may be to low when they hit you if your to agressive you risk face monster hands you must find the balance.
akmost
Rising Star
Loyaler
Very interesting and informative answers so far from other CC members! The fundamental strategy I use is:
-be more active if you are one of the big stacks of the table and try to take down pots easily,
-abc poker if you are a medium size stack
- patient plus abc if you are short stacked[ by writing abc I don't mean wait for AA in order to shove]
Spend some hands to see the dynamics and wait for other to eliminate in order to make a pay jump when you are one of the short stacks at a FT. ICM must take its place in some spots if it worth it as bbiase has already mentioned!
-be more active if you are one of the big stacks of the table and try to take down pots easily,
-abc poker if you are a medium size stack
- patient plus abc if you are short stacked[ by writing abc I don't mean wait for AA in order to shove]
Spend some hands to see the dynamics and wait for other to eliminate in order to make a pay jump when you are one of the short stacks at a FT. ICM must take its place in some spots if it worth it as bbiase has already mentioned!
Marlongamer7
Enthusiast
Silver Level
This will depend on your stack and the behaviour of other players on the table
If you have a comfortable stack and the other players on the table are passive with fear of losing chips, losing everything.
Be aggressive against them and dominate the table
Now if your stack is injured and opponents are aggressive it's better to be cautious.
If you have a comfortable stack and the other players on the table are passive with fear of losing chips, losing everything.
Be aggressive against them and dominate the table
Now if your stack is injured and opponents are aggressive it's better to be cautious.