How to react to a pusher player in tournaments?

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JohnBlack

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Hi, guys and gals! I usually play poker at unibet, finding that platform to be suitable for a recreational player, but i like pokerstars and 888 also.
Actually, I started to play poker in 2012 just for fun with no investment and I managed to understand the game better and to improve my tactics.
When I switched to payed chips in 2017, I knew i m on the right track. Of course, things didn t go my way always and i can t say i m cashing out a lot from it, but keeping it simple and enjoying the time i play are my priorities when i log in to these platforms.
Regarding tournaments, whenever i think at big winnings and become nervous I fall short, but when i play hand by hand calmly and by the book i m in a good position to win it all. That s why i think poker it s all about the brains and attitude, and our reactions when faced to a hand-loss should always be tempered.
I hate something in particular: players that go all-in in 95% of the hands they play. In tournaments, these pushers tend to force us to risk more, especially when our stack is choped by antes. I mean, fold is the right call to make in most of the cases, but i recently played one tournament when that donk went all-in EVERY SINGLE HAND and he was really improving his stack. After like 30 hands or so, tournament generated a switch of tables. I think standing at the same table with these players make poker an undesirable game.
How do you guys react in a situation like this? Thanks!:)
 
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nameless1537

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Good question. I am in the same boat as you... I hate it too. I’m assuming you are talking about beginning stages of a tournament? When someone is short stacked, and especially in be middle stages of a tournament when blinds are getting bigger relative to stack sizes, I think it’s a somewhat legitimate strategy.

The advice I’ve read is to go aggressive on him if/when you get a strongish hand. He’s probably susceptible to traps so you can call all-in bets with the top hands. You probably don’t have to be as conservative with him as others to do this, since he is probably overplaying his fold-equity hand most of the time.

It’s annoying as hell though. I’m usually the one that waits until someone busts him out or do it myself off a top hand. Curious about what others would have to say here...
 
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JohnBlack

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I’m assuming you are talking about beginning stages of a tournament?
Indeed, I am talking about the beginning stages of a tourney.
What is interesting in these cases, and i was confronted with this situations a few times, having a top pair doesn t guarantee anything. They can go all-in with crapy hands and still win it, it s ridiculous. And all i want is a relaxing poker experience, not a lottery competition.
 
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nameless1537

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Indeed, I am talking about the beginning stages of a tourney.
What is interesting in these cases, and i was confronted with this situations a few times, having a top pair doesn t guarantee anything. They can go all-in with crapy hands and still win it, it s ridiculous. And all i want is a relaxing poker experience, not a lottery competition.


I share the same frustration. I’ve read the elsewhere that best way to avoid this is to play higher stakes poker. But for me, that becomes more stressful and not as relaxing. No mans land.

Upshot is that you can take the opportunity to learn how to play better with a shorter stack. [emoji4] I was in a 45 man SNG and in a similar position and ended up placing 4th, despite not having the chip lead at any of the tables until I got ITM at the final table.
 
Edu1

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Hi, guys and gals! I usually play poker at Unibet, finding that platform to be suitable for a recreational player, but i like Pokerstars and 888 also.
Actually, I started to play poker in 2012 just for fun with no investment and I managed to understand the game better and to improve my tactics.
When I switched to payed chips in 2017, I knew i m on the right track. Of course, things didn t go my way always and i can t say i m cashing out a lot from it, but keeping it simple and enjoying the time i play are my priorities when i log in to these platforms.
Regarding tournaments, whenever i think at big winnings and become nervous I fall short, but when i play hand by hand calmly and by the book i m in a good position to win it all. That s why i think poker it s all about the brains and attitude, and our reactions when faced to a hand-loss should always be tempered.
I hate something in particular: players that go all-in in 95% of the hands they play. In tournaments, these pushers tend to force us to risk more, especially when our stack is choped by antes. I mean, fold is the right call to make in most of the cases, but i recently played one tournament when that donk went all-in EVERY SINGLE HAND and he was really improving his stack. After like 30 hands or so, tournament generated a switch of tables. I think standing at the same table with these players make poker an undesirable game.
How do you guys react in a situation like this? Thanks!:)


depends the type of on the tournament, if is SNG the donk will not last long doing this
MTT may be different because the some factors, but the reaction is always this
"damn again doing that":confused:
 
Luvepoker

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The early all in player can drive us all nuts. They seem to win and just dont care. The thing to remember is they are not long term winning players. They re just waiting to give away there chips. There are 2 ways to fight this. Wait for a big hand and double up or take a calculated chance. What do I mean by calculated chance is simple. Take a hand that most likely ahead of his and go with it. Yes A9o may not sound great but you are most likely way ahead of him. Is it high variance, yes but there are times its worth it.
 
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HaroldHouse

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Everybody hates that kind of player. I played against one last night. I Was folding pretty much every hand. After about 15 minutes of all in every hand I caught As10s in early position. I raised 3x and when it got to him he went all in, and had me covered. I called. He had 97 off. The board ran out 10 8 8 2 J rainbow and I was out. So I dont really know what to do against these type players.
 
fa_max4

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Yeah, the ones that shove in the beginning are annoying, but sometimes, there people talking **** in the chat when I shove 13BB.... I'm like, what am I supposed to do? lol
 
wyoming4paul

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Hi, guys and gals! I usually play poker at Unibet, finding that platform to be suitable for a recreational player, but i like Pokerstars and 888 also.
Actually, I started to play poker in 2012 just for fun with no investment and I managed to understand the game better and to improve my tactics.
When I switched to payed chips in 2017, I knew i m on the right track. Of course, things didn t go my way always and i can t say i m cashing out a lot from it, but keeping it simple and enjoying the time i play are my priorities when i log in to these platforms.
Regarding tournaments, whenever i think at big winnings and become nervous I fall short, but when i play hand by hand calmly and by the book i m in a good position to win it all. That s why i think poker it s all about the brains and attitude, and our reactions when faced to a hand-loss should always be tempered.
I hate something in particular: players that go all-in in 95% of the hands they play. In tournaments, these pushers tend to force us to risk more, especially when our stack is choped by antes. I mean, fold is the right call to make in most of the cases, but i recently played one tournament when that donk went all-in EVERY SINGLE HAND and he was really improving his stack. After like 30 hands or so, tournament generated a switch of tables. I think standing at the same table with these players make poker an undesirable game.
How do you guys react in a situation like this? Thanks!:)

Lower your standards a bit, wait for a good hand, and strike.
 
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dompoker

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I think the best strategy is to wait for a good hand, and most likely is that this type of players we give away their chips.
 
mariale_1990

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We all hate those kind of players, I think they ruin the game, but you also have to see that everything is part of this, if everyone tries to play right as the game would be? I try to be patient, and attack when I have to, which is very difficult, sometimes I lose control, but I guess that is the strategy of that kind of players
 
Largebalance

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Play back at them

Players that play the BINGO strategy are almost always doing so in a cheap tournament with unlimited buy-ins. Their idea is to chip up as much as possible then sit out and let their stack get them into the money.
 
kraemer

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Although we all hate them they are exactly the players you will want to have at the table.
It is highly unlikely he is actually dealt AA in every hand, so his shoves usually represent a very bad play. And what is better than an opponent who plays bad ?

Sure, you get lucked out by those guys sometimes. But they also guarantee that you will have a huge payout when you are dealt strong pockets.

And most of the times these players will not be around for very long, because most of them are not capable of stopping the madness after getting lucky a few times.

Keep calm and bust them with a top hand!
 
Zhubiitis

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i wait for good hand and good spot and make him cry for his stupid game :D
 
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Sharpblack

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You know he is doing that with any two cards. The only choice to make is the strength of the hand your going to risk against it.
 
rj_montana

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I always wait to get this player with a top 15% hand, and I never give them credit even though they can actually have a hand..
 
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luskata27

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I would also wait patiently for nice hands and if I had a little luck then everything should be ok.
 
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moshie

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I hate these kind of players as well,every time they shove all of their stack 80 bbs+
they don't care. They either double or their out. But even if we call with AK suited they still have 40 percent equity with any 2 unpaired cards against us.
If you can't handle facing coin flip situations early, I empathize.
And then are players willing call off these shoves with a pair of 77. Knowing that their in a coin flip. If you can handle being 57% pre flop you won't mind the action. I am always asked myself did I get me chips in good when I made the decision to call?
 
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celtics33

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You have to start looking at these situations from a different angle imho. these are great double-up opportunities and not events to frown upon. you just have to wait for a premium hand and fire. yes, maybe it might suck having to fold some good hands in the process, but thats the price for getting an easy call to a premium hand. all worth it.
 
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