How to not play so tight?

NeverEnough

NeverEnough

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I still find myself playing too tight (Live MTTs)
I will play a little wider range in the beginning when blinds are low, but I seem to find myself with hardly enough chips to do anything or just plain not enough to do anything as the blinds go up & the number of BBs I have decreases. As my betting power decreases and blinds increase, I have to stop playing suited connectors and such.

I tend to play the cards way too much vs trying to play the players more. I know part of my apprehension is the fact that it seems like every time I hit a flop, someone else hits it better and I have to shut it down as I am not going to knowingly spew off chips. Seems like I can never get a steal either. Every damn time I try I get called or raised.

I tend to be good on my reads most of the time.
 
Arjonius

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What kind of structure do these tournaments have? If you want to play hands like suited connectors, it's preferable to have a slow one with deep stacks. The reason is simple; you don't win big pots very often. So, if you're playing these hands in a flop big or fold manner, you want a deep-stacked, slow structure where you can afford to call pre- then fold a lot of times before you connect. If the stacks and structure are such that all these folds will cost too much, then you should factor that into whether / how to play these hands in the first place.
 
thwizzofoz

thwizzofoz

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Playing too tight always leaves me frustrated and broke. In my opinion it is better to lose a pot or two, to establish a more loose play style so when I get a hand, I am less likely to be believed.
 
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Zin

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Have a plan before the tourney starts and stick to the plan. Don't be scared to get knocked out of the tourney.
 
EvertonGirl

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I play too nitty at times myself, which can be very frustrating. It has helped me to place in the payouts a few times. I would prefer to have a looser image at the tables but I tend to play like a donkey when I loosen up, I still need to work on this :)
 
italiano

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Playing too tight always leaves me frustrated and broke. In my opinion it is better to lose a pot or two, to establish a more loose play style so when I get a hand, I am less likely to be believed.
It also happens to me the same! You need to stop playing for a day or at least for a few hours to regain strength and become much more rested and concentrated!
 
BigCountryAA

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Definitely try lose the fear of getting knocked out. That will help you open up quite a bit.
 
NeverEnough

NeverEnough

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What kind of structure do these tournaments have?
20 minute levels. No antes. 20k starting stack. Blinds start at 25/50

If you want to play hands like suited connectors, it's preferable to have a slow one with deep stacks. The reason is simple; you don't win big pots very often. So, if you're playing these hands in a flop big or fold manner, you want a deep-stacked, slow structure where you can afford to call pre- then fold a lot of times before you connect.
I only play hands like this early & if I can get in cheap and fold if I don't hit & face a bet.
 
NeverEnough

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Have a plan before the tourney starts and stick to the plan. Don't be scared to get knocked out of the tourney.
My plan is always don't get stupid with weak hands & I always play tight. It's not getting me in the money. I need to change my play.
 
NeverEnough

NeverEnough

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It also happens to me the same! You need to stop playing for a day or at least for a few hours to regain strength and become much more rested and concentrated!
Also, I only play live about once a month now & only MTTs. Maybe my lack of playing time hurts, but I don't have the money to waste like I used to. My wedding won't pay for itself. :D
 
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tohos

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Open up your range in late in positions. It seems you just generally 'tighten up' your whole range. What you should be doing is tighten up you calling range and loosen up your raising range. You have to stop calling suited connectors and such because implied odds are not there anymore. You can still open raise or 3b the LAG players on the table.
Also if your stack is small and you don't have much betting power, you just have to open shove lighter when its folded to you in CO/BTN and not worry too much. If you get called well you can still get lucky and double up. If all fold, you chip up a considerable amount.
 
NeverEnough

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You have to stop calling suited connectors and such because implied odds are not there anymore. You can still open raise or 3b the LAG players on the table.
I only call w/suited connectors if people are limping or a very small raise early on. If I miss the flop I fold to a bet.

Also if your stack is small and you don't have much betting power, you just have to open shove lighter when its folded to you in CO/BTN and not worry too much. If you get called well you can still get lucky and double up. If all fold, you chip up a considerable amount.
How wide are we talking?
 
steveiam

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The cards to a degree determine how I will play. I have my strategy for the tourney but that can change depending on the table. Tight at the beginning is right but this can change if the cards allow.
 
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tohos

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I only call w/suited connectors if people are limping or a very small raise early on. If I miss the flop I fold to a bet.

How wide are we talking?

I guess you can overlimp SC hands if effective stacks are over 20BB. I still find it difficult to get value from as it is hard to call down your draws in a limp hand because it will have at least 3 players, you + 1 limper + BB. And whoever is betting is probably gonna bet big on draw heavy flop unless they have a weak holding and you can't really call or shove profitably often enough unless you hit hard like at least gutshot + FD or 1/2 overs + FD.

Depends on how often the blinds defend and their stack sizes. U can generally shove any two broadways or better, any Ace, K9/K8 profitably. Sometimes you can shove any two cards or two cards higher than or equal to 8. Depends on blinds folding tendencies. I personally shove fairly wide when I'm short. Gotta be willing to gamble to get back in the game. Not easy to steal when people don't respect your stack.
 
Aces2w1n

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Learn the different stages of a tournament... Often tight is right at the beginning... Then if you have experience in cash games, you'll do great in the next part being deep stacks.... Then the next part is shove fest blind stealing... Then the bubble... Then the money... Final table... Final 3... then headsup. Then deciding what to do with the winnings whats the best games to hit next... after a rest ofc.


I always like the rule... do the opposite of what your opponents are doing...
 
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NeverEnough

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Learn the different stages of a tournament... Often tight is right at the beginning... Then if you have experience in cash games, you'll do great in the next part being deep stacks.... Then the next part is shove fest blind stealing... Then the bubble... Then the money... Final table... Final 3... then headsup. Then deciding what to do with the winnings whats the best games to hit next... after a rest ofc.


I always like the rule... do the opposite of what your opponents are doing...
How is the "next part" after the beginning deep stack? Blinds increase so your effective stack decreases.
 
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Have an idea of what opening hands you want to play. Suited connecters one gappers can make you money. Also realize that if it costs you fifty to call a bet when the pot is 400 or more you should call atc. Another thing is you must have good fold dicipline to play loose. Good luck.
 
NeverEnough

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Have an idea of what opening hands you want to play.
I do & I rarely get the cards.

Also realize that if it costs you fifty to call a bet when the pot is 400 or more you should call atc.
I certainly understand that, but if the flop came out AQJ and I am holding 72o, I'm not calling the bet. I am likely way behind or drawing dead.

Another thing is you must have good fold dicipline to play loose. Good luck.
That I do have. Pisses me off sometimes LOL
 
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Flsnookman

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Ok, also know that you dont always need cards when youre in position. If its folded to you and youre on the button raise. Then raise any callers after the flop. Most of the time noone hits the flop so the aggressor wins. Good luck.
 
aCutAbove

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Is adjustment the key?
Calling with QQ could be too loose if we should have known the shover only shoves in that spot with AA or KK? Folding Q7o could be correctly seen as too tight vs a total nutjob?
 
Aces2w1n

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How is the "next part" after the beginning deep stack? Blinds increase so your effective stack decreases.

Well next time you play a live tourney and see within the 1st 2 hrs how deep u are compared to 5 hrs... BB's the majority.

Pub tourneys the blinds go up so fast.
 
_FISHFEET81_

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half the time you should be raising your button if it gets folded to you anyways, try and steal you don't always need a hand there. Steal those, you can play tight and have a strong image at the table and open up a bit to try and make bigger bluffs here and there in the right spot of course. But playing tight is not a bad thing, gotta let the crazies windle down early if that is what you're playing. in tourneys
 
loafes

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I think the key is really just to grow balls of steal. The thing with tournaments is that you need to accept that in order to win, most of the time you're going to need to win a few races and get lucky several times. What you need to be doing is putting yourself in the best position to get lucky and to make the most use of your luck when you are. Because the blinds are going to be putting a lot of pressure on everyone you need to really be playing an aggressive game in order to take the fight to your opponents, a lot of players are going to be reluctant to put their tournament life on the line so if you are willing to gamble and give them decisions for all their chips then this will put you at a huge advantage. plus having chips gives you so much more play and also increases your fear equity making life much much more pleasant for you, soon enough players including yourself if you are being too tight will start needing to make shoves with a very wide range of hand so if you can avoid being in this situation you will be doing very well.
Also consider cards that are behind are often much closer than you think in terms of percentages, I cant remember all the exact percentages off the top of my head but just having live cards often puts you in a near race situation, couple that with fold equity and making plays where youre unlikely to be dominated pays off big time. I mean because a tournament will largly be based off of the short term I think that a 60/40 is almost worth considering as being 50/50 especially if you are the aggressor. Because tournaments pay so top heavy I feel like being perceived almost as a maniac can be a pretty profitable style, even if you come across as a luckbox you will find that as far as tournaments go, being aggressive and willing to gamble is key, plus people wont want to steal from you or play with you either ;)

Overall in order to play less tight just consider that aggression pays, you will need to get lucky anyway so why not put yourself in the best chance to get lucky and remember that most hands are far closer equity wise than you might think. that's just my opinion on tournaments, its not always easy playing so riskily
 
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But on the other hand, in MTT's filled with fish, people call everything, and chase straights and flushes, so you will always get called on your aggressive betting. This can backfire in a big way also.
 
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