Just played my first LIVE tourney - epic fail

So I just played my first live tourney. It was a $100.00 Big stack event with probably about 40 people. I lasted about 4 hours but was nowhere close to the money. I struggled a lot to find a rhythm and hide the strength of my hands, but I just couldn't. I really wish I had brought sunglasses and a hat because I felt like there was nowhere to hide and I wasn't getting respect. It was really a confusing environment for me, I played super nitty ABC poker and these guys just kept hitting flop after flop. Even when I had monsters AQ - 10JK flop, I didn't even consider bet size or strategy, I was so nervous that I felt like I was just chucking chips into the middle. My next big hand, probably about 3 orbits later, I had QQ on the button. I raised 4.5X and got FIVE CALLERS, WHAT THE F****? Anyhow the flop brought three under's, and rather than bet for value, I made an obscenely large bet, that in retrospect is only going to get action from AA, KK, or an ugly two pair or set.
Speaking of ugly two pairs.

After folding hand after hand, it was folded to me on the button. To my left in the blinds are two huge stacks, blinds are 200/400 with 50 antes and I have 18k behind.
So I make it 5X with J9.

The small blind calls and the flop comes 6 4 9, Fantastic, this is a great spot for a CBET. I bet 2k and the villain makes it 5k. Interesting, this guy has been involved in a ton of pots and last time we faced eachother His J3 monster prevailed over my 99 in the same exact button/blind situation when he flopped trips.

So I call the 3k and the turn is a King. I figure, if he's bluffing and giving me no respect, then that card might have helped him, but it's one over card and I shouldn't be concerned. He checks to me, and I bet 5k. I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED BACK FOR POT CONTROL, BUT LIKE I SAID I Wasn't THINKING AT ALL BECAUSE I WAS NERVOUS.
he makes it 10k effectively putting me all in, and I reluctantly call, thinking he has a set or hit the King. He actually had 46 and flopped two pair. I played this hand wrong, but it was the culmination of a bad night where I didn't get max value out of my good hands.
A couple other interesting hands,
Had a huge pot with some lady, we both ended up having KK, a bit disappointing.

how can I get better at live play? All the fundamentals I've worked so hard to develop seemed to slip away when I looked down at Ak suited with 5 limped behind. I was practically jumping out my chair whenever I picked up a hand. Overall i'm disappointed with my play, but there was one bright side

At my table was an obvious regular, an older guy who was playing a TAG style and garnishing a ton of respect from other players. I had AK and he had KQ and we ended up battling one hand. He made a substantial river bet, I tanked for a moment, then called with my Ace high to take down a huge pot. That was a bright spot on an otherwise disappointing session.
Any thoughts on live tourney play and how I could improve? Im def going to wear glasses and a hoodie next time, I just don't think I can function without it.

Also one last funny note: I mucked my big blind when there was like 6 limpers because some guy through in a 500$ chip. He couldn't make exact change but I didn't realize this, making me look like even more of a dumbass.
either way i'll be back at it soon because these people were really really really not that good. Now that I've had time to think it over I just want to jump back in there and be a super TAG and destroy people.

on a side note: in the four hours of play this is all the hands I saw a flop with
K9s
QQ
AKs
KJ
KJ
44
22
22
99
kk
J9
1010
The KJ was obviously played from the big blind. We were actually seeing a lot of hands, i'm thinking I was being way too tight.

Now that you have some experience. I would think the next time you will be better prepared. Good luck.

The main adjustments I would use for live tournaments is I rely super heavily on position.

I'll use position to get payed off on my made hands, I'll float board IP. and use bluff catchers on the turn/river. and generally try to steal any obvious orphaned pots and weak hands.

its just a realisation that not many players are using this strategy live especially casino regs/recreational ones.

essentially the chips will leak back to anyone who is solely focused on position its fairly straight forward.
As the opposition/quality improves 'higher stakes' you need to think about your image alot more so theirs other adjustments we need to make to keep exploiting

Also it sounds like you had a tough night. I wouldn't worry to much since you obv have a good knowledge of a solid game so fundementally your ahead of alot of live players and still looking to improve

It was a major tournament for you because it was te first live tournament. But it 's a tournament more. When you play only one tournament you will most likely lose. You played well, luck was not with you.
GL the nex time.

I see you are from Salem, Ma. where did you play?

When I played in my first live game, which was $65 satty at Mohegan Sun, I was so nervous at the start, I thought I was going to pee my pants. I couldn't stack my chips without knocking them over, I spilled my drink onto the table.

Live is way different than online, live can seem to go at a snails pace, you may see 20 - 25 hands an hour.

The hands you saw flops with were good hands to see flops with. Play your game. The people you are playing against are the same as you. The more you play in these games the more relaxed you will get and comfortable you will feel.

Along with paying attention to how you played, I'm sure you saw others making horrible plays. This goes on all the time. People calling 4x raise with 8,4 off or, in your case 6,4 calling a 5x bet. You want to play against these players as they are the ones who in the long run will give you all their chips.

sounds like a decent tourney for popping your cherry! It will get better and easier with experience.

All in all, it is not that different than online except only playing 1 table at a time.

The only other considerations are dealing with chips and showdowns....things like "players throwing out 1 single oversized chip is just a call" you only have to make that mistake once.

other little chip things you'll pick up like being able to quickly size up an opponent's stack, that is pretty helpful.

Also with showdowns, you want to make sure to make your opponents show when they are supposed to, and you want to avoid showing when you don't have to. This is something that the software automatically handles for you. Sometimes I still mess this up when I find myself in a huge pot and I'm just so excited to have the hand be over with what I think is the winning hand, that I just table my hand and they muck. Dangit! Or worse, I table my hand out of turn, they show me a hand that beats me and now the whole entire table got to see how I was outplayed.

Go ahead and wear the sunglasses and hoodie or hat. I don't always wear sunglasses anymore but I always used to and it made me feel more comfy. Anything to make you feel like you are comfortable is a good thing.

Also, try not to check your hand until it is your action. This will accomplish 3 important things:

#1 Nobody can get a read on your hand strength if you haven't looked yet.
#2 You can be watching other players to try and get a read on their hand strength
#3 it keeps you much more focused on the developing action if you don't already know you are going to fold that 7-deuce...helps you keep your head in the game so to speak.

Since I'm not that great yet at picking up physical tells I am mostly concerned with not giving them off.

Post flop, don't look at the flop as the dealer lays it down, instead look at your opponent. Eventually you will be looking at their reaction to the flop, but for now you are just trying to not let them see your reaction.

missjacki said:

#1 Nobody can get a read on your hand strength if you haven't looked yet.
#2 You can be watching other players to try and get a read on their hand strength
#3 it keeps you much more focused on the developing action if you don't already know you are going to fold that 7-deuce...helps you keep your head in the game so to speak.

Since I'm not that great yet at picking up physical tells I am mostly concerned with not giving them off.

Post flop, don't look at the flop as the dealer lays it down, instead look at your opponent. Eventually you will be looking at their reaction to the flop, but for now you are just trying to not let them see your reaction.

Click to expand...

I disagree.

If everyone did this, everyone would be looking at everyone. It doesn't matter.

I like to peak at my cards asap and get an idea of what I am going to do. By looking at your cards first, now I can see Jim Bob raised and Tight Ted re-raised. Now I know I have JJ and can decide how I want to proceed rather than take an extra 1-2 mins to think when it gets to me.


I do like the idea of keeping your head in the game from not looking, but it really could be just as effective by looking.

It could give you extra seconds to realize maybe you should lay down the A10 even though you have been card dead for some time because you notice how antsy UTG was to throw his chips in.

Its all relative. I say do what works for you.

Karozi615 said:

I was so nervous

Click to expand...

First of all, great new experience playing first live tourney I remember my first one, I was also very nervous, and made all kind of errors because of that.

Personally I think the most important solution for this is simply to get more experience. You will feel more confident already next time, and then you can start playing your A game more and more.

Good luck!

Carl Trooper said:

I disagree.

If everyone did this, everyone would be looking at everyone. It doesn't matter.

I like to peak at my cards asap and get an idea of what I am going to do. By looking at your cards first, now I can see Jim Bob raised and Tight Ted re-raised. Now I know I have JJ and can decide how I want to proceed rather than take an extra 1-2 mins to think when it gets to me.


I do like the idea of keeping your head in the game from not looking, but it really could be just as effective by looking.

It could give you extra seconds to realize maybe you should lay down the A10 even though you have been card dead for some time because you notice how antsy UTG was to throw his chips in.

Its all relative. I say do what works for you.

Click to expand...

it's just advice from someone who primarily plays live. take it or leave it but to say it doesn't matter because everyone would be looking at everyone all the time...that's a weird and untrue point. It is precicely because many weak players look at their cards that this becomes valuable information.

if you think you'll need the extra time to decide what to do, go ahead and peek early. I got the impression the OP already knew how to play poker, how to play preflop starting hands and he was just looking for live tips.

I actually use not peeking as a little game. I'm watching the action unfold, no clue if I have AA or 23. As the action proceeds I am trying to work out what each player still in is holding. I am simultaneously defining my range for myself.

"I'll flat with 22-88. I'll re-raise with 99+ I'll flat with AQ I'll re-raise with AK I'll fold everything else" something like that....I customize it each hand based on the action that is developing. It keeps my head in the game. most of the time I look down at something I'll easily fold, occasionally I look down at something marginal like KJ suited and it helps me that I've already worked out what I'll fold and call with and so I have made my decisions actually easier with trap hands by NOT peeking early.

Watching your opponent instead of watching the flop is classic live advice. watch some live events on youtube and see where the world's best players are looking when the flop comes.

Carl Trooper said:

I disagree.

Click to expand...

But he's right.

To answer OP's question, the only way you're going to get over that fog is to play more live tourneys. Soon you'll be the shark. It won't take long. Just keep at it.

-

Thanks for the advise guys. playing another today and will employ these techniques and post results. I already feel more confident so I expect to make a deep run

Karozi615 said:

Thanks for the advise guys. playing another today and will employ these techniques and post results. I already feel more confident so I expect to make a deep run

Click to expand...

Good luck!
Where you playing?
casinos in CT? Seabrook,NH?

seabrook ^ rake is crazy but it seems like a nice room with friendly people

Don't loose you hope, that's all I can say to you bro.

That's great experience to play in a live tourney! I feel it's a lot more challenging to your mental and physical stamina because you see lesser hands as compared to an online tourney.

Unless you're playing with seasoned tourney players, it's good to be looking around and watching other players and their body language when they're in a hand. I'd say I agree with missjacki's advice on not looking at the cards first and immediately checking or folding when it's first dealt out. Everyone's mostly eager to see their own cards so when they do look at theirs, you can watch for reactions and tells and gauge the strength of their hands.

Hope you enter more live tournaments and gain more experience!

So I just got back from todays tourney and I have mixed feelings.
I started out well and doubled my stack by playing very efficiently
Then things started to go downhill: quickly.
I had JJ and a guy that just got hurt bad was tilted and shoved with A6. I snap called him and he hit his card on the river.
I held 77 against the same player TWO HANDS LATER.
Flop: 7 2 3
He goes all in and I snap call. He shows KJ for the flush draw and hits it, ON THE RIVER

Want to here how I busted out?
I had 88 and it was folded to the guy to my right. He makes it 2500 and I call.
FLOP: 789
I raise, he reraises, I push, and he shows Q10
turn brings a JACK and everybody at the table gasps.
The good news is today was much different from last week, I felt really really confident at the tables, like I was in control. I just felt like I was so much more skilled than everybody else. I was the guy who was raising in all the right spots, applying pressure where it needed to be applied, and throwing away KK on the flop (accurately). I was in control of things, but I can only put myself in good spots. I can't control the turn and the river. That's what i'm trying to tell myself. I feel like im supposed to be tilted but im not- its almost the opposite, I downright outplayed my opponents tonight and they got lucky, I put myself in all the right spots and the cards didn't fall my way.
What can you do?

Karozi

Well played! You should feel good about your play...it can't always work out even when you play the hand perfectly.

How did you feel about the "live" aspect? Easier? Able to pick up any tells?

I find that nowadays usually once per tournament I'll pick up a pot I didn't deserve based solely on a tell. Usually a small or medium pot, but those are important and you can't really do that online...

Karozi615 said:

So I just got back from todays tourney and I have mixed feelings.
I started out well and doubled my stack by playing very efficiently
Then things started to go downhill: quickly.
I had JJ and a guy that just got hurt bad was tilted and shoved with A6. I snap called him and he hit his card on the river.
I held 77 against the same player TWO HANDS LATER.
Flop: 7 2 3
He goes all in and I snap call. He shows KJ for the flush draw and hits it, ON THE RIVER

Want to here how I busted out?
I had 88 and it was folded to the guy to my right. He makes it 2500 and I call.
FLOP: 789
I raise, he reraises, I push, and he shows Q10
turn brings a JACK and everybody at the table gasps.
The good news is today was much different from last week, I felt really really confident at the tables, like I was in control. I just felt like I was so much more skilled than everybody else. I was the guy who was raising in all the right spots, applying pressure where it needed to be applied, and throwing away KK on the flop (accurately). I was in control of things, but I can only put myself in good spots. I can't control the turn and the river. That's what i'm trying to tell myself. I feel like im supposed to be tilted but im not- its almost the opposite, I downright outplayed my opponents tonight and they got lucky, I put myself in all the right spots and the cards didn't fall my way.
What can you do?

Karozi

Click to expand...

Great job! Good to see you feel more comfortable and confident. That didn't take long.

All you can do is play your best, avoid making mistakes, and get your money in good. The cards will fall as they will. In those examples, the majority of the time the pot will be yours.

missjacki is right on - especially when you are just starting to play live. You can gain so much information from watching the other players as the action moves around the table. AND you can prevent good reads on yourself by waiting to look at your cards until it is your action. This is a very early piece of information that any pro player will give you as advice and will pay dividends on both fronts of being able to get tells from someone else and not giving any up on yourself. GL at Seabrook - I have played there a few times and also at Rockingham in Salem. I would advise that you will soon realize that there are ALOT of regs playing there so watching everyones play against each other, as well as against you will get you some good information about styles of play!! Have fun.....

I have played at Seabrook a few times! This is neat, what a small world. Poker players talking about poker so close by. I am from Vermont, but live in New Hampshire now. Have played in a few rooms in New Hampshire.

A lot of these comments are right on. Now that you know that players are less willing to fold pre-flop to raises(especially here in NH) then position is key. Keep the pots small and play in position. And, I think it is ok to over-bet your KK or AA, especially if there are a few limpers in the pot.

Take your first game experience, add it what you learned and keep at it. If I am ever playing in Seabrook again, maybe you will see me over-bet my AA!

See you around the tables!

experience with theory is very important not only in poker, also in life .. good luck.

Another thing to look for live is if you get moved to a new table and don't have any knowledge of the other players....if there are antes look for who has most the ante chips... Usually 1 or 2 players accumulate then. There is your active player...maybe they're stealing a lot, maybe they're on a heater but stealing is far more likely. It's a useful little tip if you find yourself in a close spot with one of them when you first get moved.