How to deal with losses at early stage in MTT

Hi there,

I wonder how you deal with the situation at the beginning of an MTT when your relatively card dead and also have lost already some chips with good hands like AK, AQ at late positions. You played before relative tight and solid, but you just can't hit, you give up hands and no move pays out. You just realize how you are running out of chips more and more.

What recommendations do you have? Do you change style of playing? Do you become more aggressive or do you tighten up more?

Greetings
Whiskers

How many times did you play in MTT?

Thanks for your reply/question. I would say in some I played already.
Since march since I am using a HUD I played 288. I'm playing since 10 - 12 years on a recreational basis. So I guess, there was also some more. But actually it was a honest question. I have lack, that I am becoming overtight sometimes in MTTs, at least I think so. But maybe there are more opinions on this.

Most of the time , I just wait for a good spot to double up , wait big cards and then play them agressively

Thanks agent for your reply. I also do like this most time. But this often doesn't help me, cause i am running out of chips after a while or i become bad beated. Well maybe I am to nitty... I don't know. But it bothers me then about myself, even during the game. Terrible, lol. =^^=

To be fair, sometimes you're not meant to go far in a tourney. Bad beats, lame hands, ... it happens.

There's always a time where loose players go away (lose) and that's generally the moment I try to strike. Be patient, wait for a good hand, but don't wait until your allin doesn't mean anything to the big stacks. When I reach final tables, I'm (almost) never in the chiplead from the start.

All you can do is play your game. In freerolls I play a wider hand range or should I say pretty loose to try and catch hands early. I call it the boom or bust early play style. If real money is on the line I tend to play tight and trap like crazy when I hit my semi-bluff draws and made sets or better. Everyone must create there own play style and what works for them. Best of luck on the felts!

Depends on the tournament and if you have a stack big enough to take those hits.

Supmargy said:

To be fair, sometimes you're not meant to go far in a tourney. Bad beats, lame hands, ... it happens.

There's always a time where loose players go away (lose) and that's generally the moment I try to strike. Be patient, wait for a good hand, but don't wait until your allin doesn't mean anything to the big stacks. When I reach final tables, I'm (almost) never in the chiplead from the start.

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Great post. There's nothing worse than waiting too long to make your move, and you have to do it against the leaders, with a crap hand. I also punish players hanging on so they don't bubble out. There's always more tourneys, playing overly cautious, it turns into hours wasted and like three out of the money....but what do I know, I play SNG'S more than anything. Ha

Thanks a lot to all of you for sharing your thoughts!
Maybe I should gain more this boom or bust attitude.
Because I also hate the feeling of wasted time like Jazeapokergod describes it.
Wish you also good luck and success at the tables. =^^=

whiskers77 said:

Thanks a lot to all of you for sharing your thoughts!
Maybe I should gain more this boom or bust attitude.
Because I also hate the feeling of wasted time like Jazeapokergod describes it.
Wish you also good luck and success at the tables. =^^=

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Lol. Tourneys are like getting locked up in the slammer...cheers.

Well i play slowly in the beginning and when I double or triple my chips, then I play aggressive and only in situations when I have good cards. You just need to wait an opportunity to double your chips.

Patience is a virtue, expect a good hand and fold chips

Sadly you will lose sometimes with good hands, just keep in minds it happens. You just have to be patient and wait for good cards and hope they hold so you can double up.

Mtt

Wait for a good spot

In poker it is very important to be reserved and cold-blooded to wait for your chance. Of course there are very unpleasant moments when you are beaten with a weak card, when on the river the opponent comes with that single card. But this is all a game and for a long distance everyone has a chance.

Early on I do not play weak and medium hands...Only the strong and very aggressive,forcing the opponent to discard before opening.Later,when the stack will grow to expand the range and play creatively...

Thanks a lot to all for your answers.
Well, I know how neccessary is patience. And i also play at beginning only
the monsters. Maybe some AK at earlier positions or AQ at later postions and so on. Not too small pairs. Only if in position. But what to do if all moves not pay out? You raise preflop, but need to fold postflop, cause you have too many callers and so on. Your stack is just decreasing...
At freerolls I appreciate the bust or boom, like Jazeapokergod described it, but when I spent my money it is bothering me twice
Your whiskers =^..^=

It's really normal loose on the begining.
Just wait for big hands and go agressive.
If don't hit, start another tournament.

It is very difficult to play in the initial stages of a tournament as many players go all in with junk hands and most of the time they win with nothing.
I've gone from losing with AK KK AA.
In personal what I do is not to go all in pre flop so I remain calm of having a strong hand, luck and I hope you serve my opinion

at early stage of the tournament I recomend to you to limp when you have the chance to pay cheap only from late positions froem early position don't ever hesitate with strong hand that's standard Raise of 3bb-4BB ... from late positions you could do more limping and slowplay with strong hand due to they expect from you a wider range that's one of my strategies because raising and steal the blinds when there so low it is really not worth it that one advice from EARLY POSITION TIGH From LATE POSITION more LOOSE and in case of having the nuts slow play but always at leasst with minimum bete or 2bb something that you're opponnent will cal to start winning some chips and build your stack !

Hope this was helpful Good Luck!

Do not lose your temper and continue to wait for a good hand, try to play as possible without exhibiting, and if you only shove with a monster hand ...

Nice post whiskers 77,
It's Nice to read these topic. Do not Go tilt, look for fishes and invest on premium hands. Dont bem afraid to fold poor hands and leave the tournament on the last BB.