I find myself short stacked a lot of the time prior to the Antes

G

GreatLeslie

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Last week I had a really good run in tournaments, including two final table cashes, but I feel that those tournaments were more based around luck than anything else, especially since one of those had me going ALLIN at least 4 times.

I haven't been able to cash even the minimum in my last 10 tournaments as I find myself so short stacked, even before the antes kick in. I play a tight/aggressive game in general, playing strong hands out of position and opening my range on the CO and BTN. I feel like i'm far too tight, yet people say that you should be tight in the earlier stages of a tournament, and my average VPIP/PFR is around 20/16.

I always find myself 9/10 times before the antes kick in quite short stacked with 18BB and start preparing for ALLIN situations. When i'm around 30BB or lower I tend to open up my ranges further to sometimes playing KTs in middle position rather than folding etc;

I know this is generally broad but how can I avoid getting so short stacked so quickly?
 
ghOst

ghOst

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Add a little bit more fire power to your arsenal. Try some small ball poker like Daniel Negreanu. Call raises with suited connectors or similar to someone who plays tight and hope for low flop. I don't think you should be tight in the early stages in tournaments because blinds are so small and because you know everyone else is trying to play ABC poker....play the player, not the cards!

And don't always bet when you're first to act with the nuts. Let them do the betting for you and 3 bet if there's any draws.

If there are any Add ons in your tournaments, I would strongly suggest to use them every time you're short stacked so you can get out of it.

I also watch sit n go strategy videos when I'm playing to keep my mind active and not bored when I'm not in a hand.
 
veltins

veltins

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if u playing mtts , time to scale down to sng.. gain more confidence then go for mtts... Play in positions, open up a bit with more suited conncetors ...gll at tables
 
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jimmy62

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Sometimes nothing goes right,and Sometimes you can do no wrong.I personally think that when you cant seem to win,thats the best time to quit playing for a week or so and try again.Luk 2 You
 
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braveboat

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I don't think what you're doing sounds terrible, really. Tight is right early, and you're opening up a bit in later levels, in position. As ghOst said, take the Add On, but maybe take a rebuy as soon as you're under the starting stack. If you're cashing often, this could very well be +EV.

Are you considering stack sizes enough when opening in later levels? Lots of opportunity to steal the pot when you're in position and have medium sized stacks in the blinds... Those blinds might keep you topped up until you're in the money phase...
 
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titomurcia1214

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You do not always have to go up strong when you have a good hand, bet 30% pot will not always have the upper hand until the end
 
Michael Paler

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Last week I had a really good run in tournaments, including two final table cashes, but I feel that those tournaments were more based around luck than anything else, especially since one of those had me going ALLIN at least 4 times.

I haven't been able to cash even the minimum in my last 10 tournaments as I find myself so short stacked, even before the antes kick in. I play a tight/aggressive game in general, playing strong hands out of position and opening my range on the CO and BTN. I feel like i'm far too tight, yet people say that you should be tight in the earlier stages of a tournament, and my average VPIP/PFR is around 20/16.

I always find myself 9/10 times before the antes kick in quite short stacked with 18BB and start preparing for ALLIN situations. When i'm around 30BB or lower I tend to open up my ranges further to sometimes playing KTs in middle position rather than folding etc;

I know this is generally broad but how can I avoid getting so short stacked so quickly?

1. number of times all in is a product of various situations, nothing more. Might be 9 times. Might be once. So what?
2. Playing big cards (tight) is incredibly exploitable when only low/middle cards fall. They know you don't have any of it. And off the pot you get blown. Being aggressive can really hurt when they know you don't likely have any piece of what just flopped, and let the check raising begin. You have to be careful C-betting in early stages, when all the calling stations and loons are a-plenty.
3. You can shift gears anytime. All the time. Makes you unpredictable, the most dangerous of all players are unpredictable. You sound very predictable. Do not do that. For Example; If you always bet the same way with top pair, you are screwed. They will know it every time you have only top pair.
4. How do the other players view you? You need to figure that out and use it against them. Would you ever come in for a raise UTG with say, a 56 suited? No? Maybe you need to. Just don't go crazy.
 
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