Getting out on the FT bubble in the 100k GTD, mental game

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thefwa

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So yesterday, I was lucky enough to win a satty to play the sunday 100k GTD tourney, about 7 hours in, there are 18 left, 6 million chips in play and i have 1.5 million, huge chip leader.
From 27-18 players I went all in nearly every hand to steal the blinds that meant so much to the players that I had been needing them so much (i had ~950k, second at the table was around ~200k), so if I got called, no big deal, but huge deal to them.

I get to the final 2 tables, and am not going all in, but raising my regular range, because the player to my right and left had about half my stack... I play super lag towards this inflection point, so I'm raising any 2 reasonable cards, and some garbage in between.

I'm getting played back at a lot from some short stacks (them reshoving widish and what not). My regular strategy is out play players post flop, I generally hate getting it in pre-flop with just about anything aside from the obvious hands. I double one player on a cooler hand with two pair vs a higher rivered 2 pair, and I lose a flip with AKs vs 66. And I'm down to average stack, around 500k.

Maybe it was the fact that I had lost about 2/3s of my stack or that the tournament had gone on for more than 7 hours and I was left with 18ish BB which I know when I'm playing my A game is PLENTY to work with. But a ~420k stack open jams and I have 77 and am feeling impatient and annoyed. I call, he has KsQs flop comes Js Ts Th... FML, Qh 3s... I now have about 76k left in chips down from when I was at 1.5m to start the table. On the button I get KTs with blinds at 12.5k/25k. Just about as good as it gets, I shove, SB rejams and he has JJ flop come A T K ... brick... J... OUT.

So I ended up winning 1.1k which was okay, but getting that close and playing my A game the whole tournament aside from the 18 left to 10, was pretty severe mentally. I've gotten out with Aces vs 20%ers before on final tables before, but getting that close to a possible 25k payday really had me 'tilted'.

Over around 3k tournaments with an ABI of $19 (varying anywhere between 5.50s to 109), I've had a somewhat sustainable ROI of 53%, and have yet to tilt since my last go at poker 6 months back. Until, yesterday. I went ahead and punted off about a 4th of what I've worked months on (do the math, its quite a bit :eek: ).

Anybody go through anything like this? I mean, I know getting impatient after losing most of my chips was the downfall, I know my game to be strong and very profitable overall, but mentally aside from taking a break, what should be the best approach?

Thank you in advance for anyone who took the time to read this any reply
 
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floppymcflopperson

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Hey man, congrats on making it that far. Sounds like Bovada maybe? I hate how they dont have a hud, it would make life easier. Anyways, if you're a super lag, you're going to take on a lot more variance than the average lag or tag (but you already know this I'm sure). So what did villain open to? Min raise or 3x? What position? Was he loose or tight? Plus, if he jammed that means you 3bet right? I'd need to know those things to make my decision but it sounds like you were a bit tilted and you wanted your money back lol. Im not a super lag but I can def see your game plan. Problem is, your stack (18 bb) that close to a 100K final table is precious and you should just avoid that kind of variance to increase your odds of getting there. If anything, I'd just call to set mine (but then again idk all the details) and see what the flop looks like. If the flop sucks I'd just fold and be patient. I went out in a very similar situation in a 50$ buy in tourney. I had 10 10 and villain called with aj. Finished 13th out of 700. Both of our hands were ahead about 60 40 but those flips...
 
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neverendingh

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i think taking a (short) break could work.

i had a few similar scenarios (lower stakes though) and tried switching to a more ABC approach. needless to say it didn't work. avoiding high variance spots i guess would be another thing one could try.

i'm really curious about this subject. would be nice if we could get more opinions.
 
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matiusaa

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First of all congratulations, but if I were you in that situation I wouldn't put a lot of pressurw to shortestack because it seemed that with 1.5 million you could have made the final table. Its a pitty because rhese oppirtunities don't come oftenly but congrats anyways
 
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lukeellul92

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With your stack you could've just tightened up completely and made top 3 with a few steals here and there.

I dont think this was your A game, I think you playing "super lag' was the big mistake here. Playing almost ATC when you didn't really need to.
You need to have more discipline. Only bully when you have position etc to do so, but your super loose style had the table call your all ins eventually with mediocre hands and still win.

Either way, 1.1k is a nice win, but you could've made ALOT more if you'd just been tight at this point.
 
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neverendingh

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well, i've been thinkning alot and applying everywhere the occasion presented itself: kinda LAG with a big stack i.e. bullying here and there, but on the other hand, there's no reason to go crazy with a big stack. i think this is the primary mistake i (and maybe some of you? :p ) make. i don't see why you should change your game/style/whatever THAT much with a big stack. if your style helped you come thus far why would you change it? :) plus, the only way of winning long term is TAG....so TAG, you're it! :))
 
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thefwa

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With your stack you could've just tightened up completely and made top 3 with a few steals here and there.

I dont think this was your A game, I think you playing "super lag' was the big mistake here. Playing almost ATC when you didn't really need to.
You need to have more discipline. Only bully when you have position etc to do so, but your super loose style had the table call your all ins eventually with mediocre hands and still win.

Either way, 1.1k is a nice win, but you could've made ALOT more if you'd just been tight at this point.

Oh yes, I completely agree I was not playing my 'A game' at that particular point, I had been before I had starting to want to take coin flips. Thats my general game, show a ton of aggression but don't take flips without the best of it. But who knows, honestly looking back at it, I know I could have definitely gotten away from a few of the spots, but a huge portion of my ROI comes from inflection points and changing gears when necessary, and there is no inflection point as big as FT bubble.

My biggest mistake was that after losing 2 flips, was wanting to win it all back in one hand and be chip lead again. I am normally very comfortable playing with a 20 BB stack and do not know why I took the flip with the 7s, In other words, I should have tried to chip up instead of double up..

My mental game has improved a lot through this endeavor, and has helped me get back to playing better than ever.
 
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