LAG play early in MTT???

Hi all.

Probably not the best time for me to be putting together this post - I`m going through a bad run for the first time in months.

However, te glass is always full and it has got me thinking.

When I play MTT`s (up to about $20 buyin) I normally play tight early on, see where I am, then pla whatever after that.

What has happened recently is I have been almost card dead, so I have never got a start and eventually I whimper out, pushing with about 10 bb left with A9 in middle position to find someone shows a better ace, AA, etc, etc.

What I am going to do, and I`ll update, is play real aggressive early in tourny to build a stack or go bust.

Has anyone or does anyone play this way and what happens???

BTW, by LAG I will mean getting my chips in when 51/ 49 fav at least, not going stupid with 72o.

Thoughts guys???

Ronaldadio said:

Hi all.

Probably not the best time for me to be putting together this post - I`m going through a bad run for the first time in months.

However, te glass is always full and it has got me thinking.

When I play MTT`s (up to about $20 buyin) I normally play tight early on, see where I am, then pla whatever after that.

What has happened recently is I have been almost card dead, so I have never got a start and eventually I whimper out, pushing with about 10 bb left with A9 in middle position to find someone shows a better ace, AA, etc, etc.

What I am going to do, and I`ll update, is play real aggressive early in tourny to build a stack or go bust.

Has anyone or does anyone play this way and what happens???

BTW, by LAG I will mean getting my chips in when 51/ 49 fav at least, not going stupid with 72o.

Thoughts guys???

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My opinion is that you should stay with your LAG strategy and avoid the the temptation to donk out. You've had a spell of the randomness of the deal going against you. I'm assuming this happens to all of us. I know it does to me. I have discovered that if I "endeavor to perservere", things eventually balance out.

I agree to an extent, but I sometimes think if the dealer is not going to help you need to try to make something happen.

I don`t know if this is flawed thinking, but remember, I`m talking about pushing when about 50/50 early on, rather than what I normally do, which is tighten up and wait till I`m a big dog - this is in most cases - if there is a chance to bluff I will, obviously.

Having a strategy before sitting down and evaluating the other players is going to hurt one's game, imo. The only pre-play strategy, imo, should be based on payout percentage and blind/ante structure.

How aggressive are you thinking of playing? Because this is something I'm thinking of doing in MTTs, not just for when I'm card dead, but because I think your going to build a bigger chip stack earlier. I know a lot of the strategys for MTTs suggest tight early, then loosen up when the blinds increase, but th way I see, it's hard to loosen up when you have no chips This invariably leads you to the point where you're in shove or fold mode, with no guarantee you'll get your money in good and double up.

So, back to the original question, what are your starting hand requirements going to be?

Please keep us updated, this should be an interesting read.

I like to open up and play suited gapped and ungapped connectors if your in a tourney with a deep starting stack ( like 3000 chips with 10/20 blinds to start) and try to win small pots or flop monsters. Position is really important tho. I don't really advocate for this at really micro buyins or sngs, but its definitley a strategy I like to use when the cards arn't coming or if I am at a pretty donkish or tight table.

Gotta steal more blinds. If yo uare starting tight, after a couple levels you should be able to steal alot of blinds if it gets folded around to you in late position. Raise any 2 from teh button if you haven't opened alot. You'll get the folds. Or cbetting that with air probably takes it down too.

PLay weaker holdings in position and outplay people postflop.... EAT THE WEAK. You are right, you can only wait so long.

GeoffLacey said:

How aggressive are you thinking of playing? Because this is something I'm thinking of doing in MTTs, not just for when I'm card dead, but because I think your going to build a bigger chip stack earlier. I know a lot of the strategys for MTTs suggest tight early, then loosen up when the blinds increase, but th way I see, it's hard to loosen up when you have no chips This invariably leads you to the point where you're in shove or fold mode, with no guarantee you'll get your money in good and double up.

So, back to the original question, what are your starting hand requirements going to be?

Please keep us updated, this should be an interesting read.

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I`m playing a lot of PL O8 at moment. But, in NLHE speak, I would say happy to push/ reraise with any pair 88 +, AJ+, KJ, KQ - if u get the idea.

If a real rock pushes then I re evaluate

Ron, I recommend you get a copy of "The Poker Tournament Formula" by Arnold Snyder.

The theme of the book is that Snyder argues that the traditional "tight is right" advice is not necessarily appropriate for all tournaments, depending on their structure. He discusses alternative approaches extensively. Just what you are looking for, I would say.

Egon Towst said:

Ron, I recommend you get a copy of "The Poker Tournament Formula" by Arnold Snyder.

The theme of the book is that Snyder argues that the traditional "tight is right" advice is not necessarily appropriate for all tournaments, depending on their structure. He discusses alternative approaches extensively. Just what you are looking for, I would say.

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Thank you my friend - sounds great.

my usual formula in MTTs is to play it tight early on and then start using position to help build my stack as well as good hands i get, its always an idea to play your suited connectors even gapped ones if the blinds are low and its not costing much because it can pay off well, but don't get too attached to your draw (as always).

it also help playing tournys with 12 or 15 minute blind levels as opposed to 5 or 8 minute, this means you get more time to pick up chips through small pots instead of gambling all in to get a huge pot early on

Nice

bonflizubi said:

PLay weaker holdings in position and outplay people postflop.... EAT THE WEAK. You are right, you can only wait so long.

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I am a professional poker player who ran across this forum article via google;

This is exactly correct, you can only wait so long. If you are carddead, you need to build your stack somehow. Find the weakest plr @ table and lean on that player HARD! No matter what you have, and because carddead you have a tight image- it helps steal blinda.

My approach to any MTT is tight tight very early, connectors cheap in pos, don't be foolish to fold cheap. Lag when blinds raise only to medo stacks and passive players IN POS trying to keep a tight image. Next depends on my stack size, but I turn into a maniac ALL IN! ALL IN! On bubble. (This builds a HUGE STACK or kills a ya) I need a way to build a very large stack so my chances of reaching the final table are better.. so the bubble is usually where I go to get that... blind stealing only gets so much PEOPLE FOLD ACES ON BUBBLE! (Not everyone tho) after bubble, I'm on a TAG approach until final table.

Enjoy life. Have fun. And don't get upset because of a bad river.

Ronaldadio said:

Hi all.

- I`m going through a bad run for the first time in months.

When I play MTT`s (up to about $20 buyin) I normally play tight early on, see where I am, then pla whatever after that.

What has happened recently is I have been almost card dead...

What I am going to do, and I`ll update, is play real aggressive early in tourny to build a stack or go bust.

Thoughts guys???

Click to expand...

If you've had months of a good run and now just beginning a down swing one of two things it's normal poker variance or you have regulars that have figured you out.

I agree in general with tight early and I play aggressively. But early with deep stacks in my live tourneys we often have 4-7 players call even with a 3x raise so in late position I limp/call with hands that are monsters when they hit and trash when they miss. (Small pairs, suited connectors, one gap suited connectors, etc).

Agree with attacking the weak, but not too often.

On being card dead I have a nominal range for each position and I simply open the range a little bit and steal a little more when card dead. If I'm on a heater I'll tighten the range a little and reduce the bluffing and stealing. Overall if I'm getting it right I'm playing about the same number of hands per hour on average regardless of hot or cold.