Live tournaments

So I was on a spring break this week and I got to try out a couple live tournaments.

I might have been playing overly tight and then punching it when the blinds were getting too big. So I guess do I open up my starting hand range since the blinds are raising with less hands being seen due to the slower pace of actual shuffling and dealing?

For instance I was being dealt to by a very new dealer and she was slow. Maybe got through one rotation and the blinds raised. Don't think I played a hand but then we got a dealer switch and there was a noticeable increase in speed, which got me thinking the pace affects it.

I realize I left out lots of information so I guess I will just try and keep it simple. Anybody with more live experience have any advice or insight?

Starting stack, blind structures and hands dealt per level are a huge part of how you need to play a live tournament. Most of these will play like a turbo where you have to play any big hand hard & fast and you can't afford to play a drawing hand. Developing the ability to read your opponents quickly will also be huge here. Post some situations and we can discuss them. Remember to include (as best you can remember) stack sizes, blinds (+antes if any), positions, reads and payouts.

Both tournaments were same structure and starting stacks of 1500 and blinds started at 25/50, increased I think every 15 min. One was a bounty tournament and the other was a satelitte to their annual main event. I think about 70 players in each with payout like top 8 for each.

Most players call with anything and what I learned the hard way is all in with premiers.

Bounty first hand I got involved with was AKo UTG first level, 3bet got 4 callers, dont remember flop other than I had TPTK and I don't think any draws were possible 3rd to act bet ~300 I think into a ~700 pot, everyone folds.

Continue the bounty tournament, hadn't played any other hands voluntarily raised 300 with AQo in late position, BB goes all in for little over 1000, think about it for a little bit, my stack is a little over 2000, think he probably doesnt have me beat and at best its 50 50 and Ill knock him out for his bounty. He flips over AA and I need some serious help, catch a queen on the flop but need runner runner for flush, no help. Correct call?

These are the equiv of Super Turbos online (M=20 to start), you will have very wide swings in them, you'll be shoving wider and calling lighter.

As for the last hand played, standard for this tournament type.

Ahh nice to know haven't played in those kind of tourneys ever before.

Well then I busted out later with A8o, went all in with 2 callers in front of me for a little over 1000 blinds at 150 and AA guy from earlier goes all in for less than me with QJo and 55 calls and so does lady to my right, flop was Jxx and they 55 guy goes all in and lady folds, so im still alive and need an A but dont find one 5 on river guys takes out both of us. So even though I didn't win the hand that felt more right than the last hand I described.

15 minute blinds and the dealer only got through one round? Geez, that is slow - but then again, I was playing with auto-shuffler's this weekend.

I dont have much to say in the satelitte one othher than I made a good fold at level 3 or 4, where guy to my right raises to 650 and I have like ~2000, thought about going all in with AKo but it wasn't suited so I just called. Flop is 777, he raises about 1000 and has about 300 chips remaining, didn't understand why he kept the chips but thought about it and figured I was not going to win with a call or an all in over the top, so I fold and flip over my cards and he shows QQ.

very next hand limp with Q10s and theres about 5 players, flops like 7d4d6c so I opened for 300 and get a caller and then a reraise to 750, so I pretty sure I am pot committed, short stacked and have lots of outs, shove all in for like 1000 more on top. Well I get 2 callers and they all have diamonds that are lower but the one guy flopped a straight with 8d5d and the other girl had like 6d 9d or something. Turn is blank blank, "gg gl everyone"

So I guess any advice or tweaks on these few hands or lower level tips for these super turbo type tourney would still be appreciated.

arahel_jazz said:

15 minute blinds and the dealer only got through one round? Geez, that is slow - but then again, I was playing with auto-shuffler's this weekend.

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Yeah she had just moved from the floor games to the poker room the day before. Started out by telling us this and then saying have patience, she wasn't very familiar with NLHE or probably any poker games. Very slow to recognize the winner and what not even with the whole table helping her out. But I guess that is why they were busting her in at the Wednesday night tourney

LLCoolSway said:

I dont have much to say in the satelitte one othher than I made a good fold at level 3 or 4, where guy to my right raises to 650 and I have like ~2000, thought about going all in with AKo but it wasn't suited so I just called. Flop is 777, he raises about 1000 and has about 300 chips remaining, didn't understand why he kept the chips but thought about it and figured I was not going to win with a call or an all in over the top, so I fold and flip over my cards and he shows QQ.

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Jam pre, whether it's suited or not.