Played My First Live MTT, It Was WAY Different Than Expected

L

louaylouay

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 22, 2015
Total posts
28
Chips
0
So, I've been playing online for about 6 months or so, and I've been taking it pretty seriously. I'm constantly studying, going over previous hands, watching streams, watching hand breakdowns, reading articles etc. etc. etc.
Either way, I found the courage to play in my first live MTT earlier this week, and it was weird.. really weird.


I need some help adjusting from online to live, I guess I just couldn't figure it out? I played in a $50 Buy-In, 1k GTD MTT at a VFW hall. Definitely not a wsop tournament, but it was my first tourney so I looked for the cheapest buy-in local tourney to try it out.


I felt like I played fine, as far as my first live tourney goes. I had no trouble following hands or calculating the pot, but I feel like nobody played anywhere near the way I am used to playing. There were multiple times someone would raise a pot and showdown J9o or something weird that they played to the river with a paired 9 on the turn. This was not just ONE or TWO people playing like this, it was the entire table, relatively deep into the tourney. I actually want to share the hand I got railed on, because I don't think I'd play it differently if I came into the same spot again, but I was dominated way worse than I could have imagined.



9-handed
20/70 remaining, top 9 cash.
Hero on BTN
Blinds 500/1k
Hero stack 22,000


Dealt AhKd


UTG limps
UTG +1 limps

UTG +2 folds
UTG +3 folds
HiJack limps
CO limps



Hero Raises to 4,000
SB Fold
BB Fold
UTG call
UTG+1 fold
HiJack fold
CO fold


Heads up with UTG, Flop comes AdKhJs


UTG Checks
Hero Bets 9,000
UTG Calls





(I'm thinking 910 suited? MAYBE J10? Weak Ace that he can't let go of? K7-K9 with a wide limp? His limping range, from what hands I saw, was pretty small compared to his mile-wide open range. He was opening with really really strange hands in a couple instances)




Turn 6c


UTG checks
Hero shoves all-in for 8k I think it was? I was covered.
UTG calls




UTG Turns up JcJh


River comes Jd


Lost to the quads, which I would have lost to trips anyway. He ends up winning High-Hand jackpot with it, either way.




My problem is, I have no idea how in the world I am supposed to read that hand? I feel like we were past the point of people limping Jacks at that point in the tournament, and I had seen him raise K10o UTG so I thought I was dominating his limping range. I was really mad, to be honest, because it just didn't make sense to me.


My actual questions is


-Was I playing at a low enough stake to just be a gamble fest? That's what it felt like. Almost like everyone just wanted to see 5 cards while their money was in the middle because it was exciting for them or something lol. I figured, going into it, that $50 was enough for people to play somewhat standard because there was real dollars on the line; but as far as "standard poker" goes, I couldn't find it within a mile. Weird limps with monsters and early raises with trash into calling stations, I couldn't pattern anything.


-As for that specific hand I got knocked out on: any pointers? I thought it was the correct play based on the info I had, and as I go over it, I still think it was. I can use some help.


- Any quick tips or tricks for live games vs online? I was really nervous at first but I won a few hands that I played to the script, and I gained my confidence and calmed down pretty quickly. Apparently that was not enough haha.


Any other questions about my experience, feel free to ask! I'll give as much info as possible.
 
Last edited:
F

formertroll

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Total posts
297
Chips
0
-Was I playing at a low enough stake to just be a gamble fest? That's what it felt like. Almost like everyone just wanted to see 5 cards while their money was in the middle because it was exciting for them or something lol. I figured, going into it, that $50 was enough for people to play somewhat standard because there was real dollars on the line; but as far as "standard poker" goes, I couldn't find it within a mile. Weird limps with monsters and early raises with trash into calling stations, I couldn't pattern anything.


- Any quick tips or tricks for live games vs online? I was really nervous at first but I won a few hands that I played to the script, and I gained my confidence and calmed down pretty quickly. Apparently that was not enough haha.


Any other questions about my experience, feel free to ask! I'll give as much info as possible.

my experience is two casino 50 dollar buy MTTs but 2-3 nights a week of bar poker 10 dollar buy ins with cash games to follow for a year. the biggest difference ive seen is that for most in non-casino settings they will play basically freeroll quality play. if you play tight you'll find it better than playing loose and gambling with them. just play top hands, play them well and reap the benefits of their over-aggro play. i was beneficiary of having 4 all ins in front of me when i woke up with aces (against two donk hands and two small pocket pairs). you'll see that kind of stuff alot.


the guys (and ladies) who were consistent winners folded a lot, but talked a lot, and had fun. you'll end up short stacked sometimes because the blinds will go fast but just play normal strategy for your M or whatever you'd do online and you'll be fine.
 
D

DeadRev

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jun 20, 2016
Total posts
20
Chips
0
I find live games to be softer than online and variance to be higher online. Miss casino games.

As far as the hand posted. I don’t think there’s much you could do their but go bust. That’s a hard lay down. Good game but sometimes shit happens.

Edit:
The more I think about the hand maybe you could get away from it since there’s three to a straight out there but he could be shoving with a weak Ace. But folding 2 pair is pretty nitty.
 
Last edited:
K

karl coakley

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Total posts
853
Chips
0
You played the hand fine. I doubt many people would have gotten away from that flop. You just got the bottom end of a 50/50, not a big deal. The only thing I personally would have done differently is because the game is so slow live and you get fewer hands I wouldn't have bet 4k into a 5.5k chip pot. I certainly would have went with about 8k and tried to end the hand. We know it would have ended the same, but just a thought.

I play local games like you are talking about because, as you saw, the people just aren't that good. It would be easy to say just play TAG but because the game is so slow and the the fields are so short you need to open your range up some from the beginning.


From how your game ended, I would suggest to play the same. If you get to 9 with 22 BB you played a good game, just got unlucky which can happen at any final table. Next time it will go your way.
 
playinggameswithu

playinggameswithu

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 7, 2017
Total posts
2,250
Chips
0
When I saw AKo as your hand I was immediately taken back to how badly that hand plays against any pair. It is really just ace high with benefits. The pairs have set stack wipeout against you, 7% flip edge, immediate draw, super strong hand (a set), full house draw with it. Id rather be dealt deuces than AKo or suited. Trouble hand when things get all in hold'em still a good hand but it has like a crash point where your paired opponents really got you.
 
PuMa8818

PuMa8818

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Total posts
176
Awards
2
Chips
0
Very interesting everything is written) Everything was done correctly, do not stop! In tournaments, the live did not play, played cash and there, I tell you, scumbags are much more))
 
luiaguila

luiaguila

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Total posts
332
Chips
0
the thing is that from what I've seen live is used to play a little more loose and as you say he can have anything but with that flop I would have played slow to control it as it was very dangerous for your two pairs the thing remember that two pairs are not a big hand many times VS set or stairs fall
 
Organize a Home Poker Game
Top