Tournament Poker Help

I will start this by saying I do not play a lot of poker. I actually have not played in about 6 years. I just started back up again and looking to see how I can become a better player.

I always seem to be short stacked from the beginning while several players jump out to massive stacks before we even get to the first break. I do not find myself getting enough good hands to where I can pf raise with and don't seem to hit my hands when I do get something worth playing.

I have changed my style of play to where I used to be too tight to one of a more lose player and still not seeing any better results. Ex. If I get a hand like QT off suit in middle position and there is a pf raise to about 7 times the bb. I fold the hand only to see a flop come to where I should have called. Was this too tight of a fold or did I make the right move?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

flipnit said:

I will start this by saying I do not play a lot of poker. I actually have not played in about 6 years. I just started back up again and looking to see how I can become a better player.

I always seem to be short stacked from the beginning while several players jump out to massive stacks before we even get to the first break. I do not find myself getting enough good hands to where I can pf raise with and don't seem to hit my hands when I do get something worth playing.

I have changed my style of play to where I used to be too tight to one of a more lose player and still not seeing any better results. Ex. If I get a hand like QT off suit in middle position and there is a pf raise to about 7 times the bb. I fold the hand only to see a flop come to where I should have called. Was this too tight of a fold or did I make the right move?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

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Hi, I'm pretty begginer, but I think it was good to fold. I would have paid only if the player who opened was very loose. But you still have other players behind that can put you in trouble.

Q10o, middle position & you fold to a 7x raise & after watching the flop, you decide you should have called, yikes. You didn't say what sort of buy in the tourneys you are playing in have, but if it's free rolls or low buy ins, you are going to find that many, not all, but many of these early big stacks seldom if ever cash. Playing tight, watching the play of hands you aren't in & taking notes on what & how your opponents are playing, instead of just sitting there thinking about what if's, will in the long run gain you valuable experience , that will eventually result in better decisions & more cashes. Be concerned about how you play & why you make the decisions you do, not on how you finish. The steady cashing comes with experience & planning.

Thank you for your response. Just trying to get back in the swing of things and learn to be more patient.

flipnit said:

Thank you for your response. Just trying to get back in the swing of things and learn to be more patient.

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I prefer to look at it this way...

The whole tournament should take approximately 4 or maybe 8 hours to finish (whatever time it takes).

I plan on being there for the whole time!

So, I am not in a hurry to chip-up. But, I am always looking for spots to win a pot.

One of the posters is correct also, if you look at the big stacks by the 2nd break - check to see if they made the final table.

Stick to your game, sharpen your skills and find some aspect of your game to work on...


Good luck !

download some push-fold training software so you start knowing when it is push and when it is fold, riding large boats on the flop if good games is not profitable, we flirt 1 in 3 times on the flop.

I’m in a very similar situation as you — I came back to the game after a 5 year break and prior to that, another 6 years. I think I’ll stick around now though, as I have a bit more time to play now.

My suggestion is to read up a bit. The game has changed a bit. It used to be that playing a good TAG will win you more often than not. Now, with antes being introduced from the get go, it shortens the amount of time you have before you have to go aggressive if you do it. If you wait too long, you lose too much fold equity to control the action.

Personally, I’m trying to adjust my play to play a smart LAG via small ball, not necessarily large bluffs to try to get people to lay down good hands. In micro tourneys, I don’t think that the long-ball style works as people seem to be willing to show down two pair with a flush draw on the board and calling all-in pre flop with questionable hands.

Also, try not to let hindsight (in terms of flops, etc) dictate your play. It’s hard not to when I see myself form a set off of really crappy hole cards on the flop... but it’s important to learn to play well using all of the tools you have at your arsenal - pot odds, implied odds, fold equity, etc. Me, I’m still trying to work out the rust in my game due to the long break but trying to add in different strategies as I go and slowly integrate them in so that I become unpredictable in the eyes of others while maintaining a solid game plan myself.

Play well according to the odds and your reads of other players (and what people think you have based on your betting patterns) and assume that luck will even itself out in the long run.

Good luck.

As stated before, you're not necessarily trying to get a massive stack from the beginning. On the Q10 hand, that was a great fold. Why would you call so much for such a mediocre hand. You cant think results only. That gets your headspace in a bad area. Do your best to figure out the right play. The chips will follow and with a bit of luck, some good crashes. Gl hf