How to play the final table ....

razshahan

razshahan

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Last month, i reached the final table of pokerschool open skill league thrice. I entered the table table as 3rd or 4th but twice busted at 8 and once sixth. Everytime i got cracked by a lesser hand. twice my AK got cracked to KJ & 9T and once KK got cracked to 66. Everytime i standard bet & the villain shoved all in. Would i've folded those hands heads up or I would've shoved without standard betting?? What should be my play in this situations??

 
BadB420

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First off give yourself a pat on the back for making the FT. Poker is a game to where you can do the right thing and lose! But winning or loser shouldn't be your main focus, the questions you should ask yourself are "did I play my best?" and "what could I have done differently?"

When you have a good hand beat by a lesser hand there's not much you can do, bad beats happen all the time! The important thing to remember is you got your chips in when you were ahead and that itself will be a more profitable play in the long run!

I hope this helped a little, gl on the felts!
 
BearPlay

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Dependent upon stack sizes, FT often comes down to shove/fold. You have to pick your spots and obviously win some flips, but the most important thing is to take smart risks and don't blind out ;)

Nothing you can do about sick coolers. My AA were cracked three times yesterday by QQ. You just let it go and move onto the next game.

Just keep making +Ev decisions and the results will take care of themselves in the long run.
 
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hffjd2000

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First off, making a FT at Open Skill League thrice is a remarkable achievement already. Imagine the many people you have to pass through.

The play at the FT is a shootout. Either you fold or shove. Pick a spot where you have to get/steal the blinds likewise just to survive.
 
razshahan

razshahan

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thanks guyz for all of your valuable suggestions, but its just so frustrating that after running & playing well for 5-6 hours u are just awarded with 10 or 20 cents....:p
 
Jacki Burkhart

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If you're about average in chips, then you want to make sure and let other players take each other out while you wait for solid situations to chip up.

if you are short on chips, you just need to gamble, plain and simple.

if you have average/good chips and an above average hand in late position then it REALLY matters the stack sizes to your left. If to your left are small-ish stack sizes then just go all-in. Take away their fold equity and they will fold some of those KJ and 9T type hands.

If, on the other hand you have above average chips, an above average hand and a big stack to your left...this is one of the most dreaded final table scenarios out there. In these situations I try to craft my bet size so that the short stack knows he has no fold equity, but so that I can still get away if the big stack wakes up with a hand. example i have 32k on button. SB has 88k and BB has 13k. if blinds are 1k/2k my normal raise might be something like 5,500 but in THIS situation I might make it something like 7,700 to send a message to the BB that "you have no fold equity with me" but If the SB jams I can still fold. If the BB jams I call.

Now, I've manipulated the situation to make my decisions very easy, and in doing so I am the strategic winner no matter the outcome. Whatever happens after that is just poker. Yes, there are SOME big stack players out there perceptive enough to exploit this tactic...let's not worry too much about those guys..good for them they are better than us!
 
Aces2w1n

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If you're about average in chips, then you want to make sure and let other players take each other out while you wait for solid situations to chip up.


Hmmm I disagree with this...

You want to play according to the blinds and antes... If you have a decent size chip stack and the blinds are high.

Last thing you want is to sit back and wait for people to knock each other out. It really depends are you after the win? or after a few easy places to get busted out.


You play aggressive when everyone else is scared like Missjacki, find out your players. tight etc. Position is key and knowing when to steal blinds will make it a lot easier for you.

Stealing blinds at the final table successfully will really help your game. Table image from earlier in the tourney does help as well and moving up a gear.

Last thing as well I want to add... The prize money is a lot more for the top places, so generally you want to aim for that and not fear for being knocked out because somedays it won't matter how good or bad you will get knocked ut. But those days when its ur day you need to take full advantage.


Best of luck at the tables :) and don't sit and wait around or you'll lose to the blinds and antes and fall short and place 6th... where you could fall out 8th or 9th most times but when you hit 1st... You'll make much more with the 1st than a couple of 4-6th spots :)

Tourney I won not long ago was 1500 1st 800 2nd 300 3rd... If I came 6th it was like 50 or something. So even if I placed 5-7th 10 times in a row it wouldn't equate to the 1st or 2nd place :) So bust out early 10 times and 11th time you win ... you will make much more still :)
 
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Poker is all about making right plays. If you get it in with the best hand, there's nothing else you can do, but pray it holds up.

That's why I don't like these huge freerolls. Lots of time wasted for a mere reward
 
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rw11687

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I have run into a lot of situations (not FT, but in tourneys altogether) like these the past few days. Seems every tourney I am in, I get busted by a lesser hand when the chips go in. This can be maddeningly frustrating, especially if it happens several times in a row. However, you must remind yourself that luck is a part of the game and bad runs happen. You must try to maintain your game and focus on continuing to play well, don't be results oriented.

In terms of overall FT strategy, I approach each one differently. It really depends on your stack, the blind structure, and how your table is playing. In general, if I am a bottom 3 stack (unless it's deep and bottom 3 still means 30+ BBs) I am looking to double up. It's a shove or fold scenario.

If I am a middle stack, I play a TAG style. I don't want to get out of hand, but I cannot afford to lose aggression. FT play can be very tight, so I will look to get some easy pots by playing position and opening my PFR range when folded to me in mid to late position.

If I am a top 3 stack, I look to be very aggressive and take advantage of the others tendency to tighten up. My goal is to be a top 2 stack with 5 left.
 
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cotta777

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You always want to try and climb the pay bracket a couple of places by being patient.

If you want first place you really have to start hammering aggressive players.
I've been on many final tables online most of the ones I've cashed big are because I made a fearless play and either doubled up with a speculative hand or got myself involved in hands post flop that maybe sometimes when your not dominating the table you would be reluctant to play.

I think thats key to big MTT's being fearless, and yes you will crash out sometimes during the last 30-50 players after 5 hours or perfect play, but you need those risks to win that tournament and you need those blinds and ante's at the final table.

1st place could change your life if you use those winnings to play higher stakes
 
Jacki Burkhart

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You play aggressive when everyone else is scared like Missjacki, find out your players. tight etc. Position is key and knowing when to steal blinds will make it a lot easier for :)

Ouch! While I can understand why my post sounds scared to you, I'm not talking about nitting up and blinding into 6th place. I take a lot of risks getting to the final table. Once I get there I feel a whole new tourney begins, the real tourney where all the most important and most lucrative decisions are made. So I start over and play it like the early phases of a new tourney. Observe the players and the new table dynamic and look for good solid spots to chip up.

Some folks feel that taking big risks, making moves and doubling up is the way to play the final table. That's fine for them, but I disagree. I prefer a different approach of a calculated climb to put myself in place for short handed play. I feel that I excel at 4 and 3 handed play and I'd much rather get to 4 handed a little below average stack than flip for stacks early. For my style I have a much better chance of winning if I have avg chips at 4 handed than if I am the chip leader at 8 handed.

I think that's because so many MTT players get little experience closing out 1 table. Shootouts are one of my favorite structures and I'm very successful at them by waiting till it's short handed to change gears. But in no way do I advocate blinding out just to climb the payscale...it's to get heads up.
 
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Aslama01

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First thing's first: Find out, if you haven't already tagged them, who the fish are. These are who you should be trying to chip up off of. The reg's will know how to make plays and be willing to get it in. If a chance comes up though, there is no reason to pass it up as it will make the final three so much easier. Perhaps some one, or some many it is the first time at a FT. Some will just be happy they're making more money. Those who are going to win the tournament are still thinking about first and first alone. This is why you play this tournament. This chance. I tend to notice 8th and 9th don't mind leaving early, so if you get a hand, take your go at these short stacks. Don't let them build a stack, but don't give it to them either. Pick your spots, and pick them well. bluffing is STRONGLY recommended, but with a lot of caution. If they pick up what you're doing, switch gears and catch them unaware. in turbos, once I get to around 10bb, i will only shove. 20bbs for non turbo. It allows for much more fold equity when the blinds are coming and you don't look like you got much to put in. Watch your competition's play. Figure it out. Counter it. Bink.
 
dino

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try to steal many pots as you can, play aggressively and would pay off in a long run.
If you wait for monster hand, you will blind out.
If you don't wait and play aggressively, you may win more pots and get further in.
 
Salvete777

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If you have top4/5 in stack sizes, then of course play aggressive, try to steal blinds and pots.
If you are low-stacked then just try to get large stacked players in trap - when you have good hand just call and wait raise.
 
rdm4k

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Last month, i reached the final table of pokerschool open skill league thrice. I entered the table table as 3rd or 4th but twice busted at 8 and once sixth. Everytime i got cracked by a lesser hand. twice my AK got cracked to KJ & 9T and once KK got cracked to 66. Everytime i standard bet & the villain shoved all in. Would i've folded those hands heads up or I would've shoved without standard betting?? What should be my play in this situations??

I must say that without HH, it is pointless to talk about hands. BUT overall AK and KK at final table are (kind of) ALWAYS a jam

So gg, run matters ;)
 
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