What do you like better in a MTT Lose early or play for a while?

My question I think applies more to small BI MTT's and to value added or private freerolls. And it does not apply to "professional" poker players.

I wonder what most people feel about it. Is it best to lose early, get out of there, move on, play an other game, "don't waist your time"?

OR

Play for a while, even if you will not win, at least get some play time for the money, get a chance to chat with friends, make new friends and more important to learn some more poker and enjoy the game.

I guess - it would be fair for me to post how I feel

Of course I am real disappointed either way.
But if I lose out real early - say first 30 minutes or less - I really feel horrible.
For one thing - I will reg to an other game and as such I am putting up more of my bank roll to the challenge and this is with me feeling that "luck" is not on my side, or that I made some huge mistake and I am down on myself. No matter even if my loss is due to clear bad beat - I question my ability especially when it happens several times one after the other.

If I lose somewhere deep in the game - I feel that at least I did get to "play poker" for my Buy-in. There probably had been some hands that I feel good about my play and some not so good but at least there are SOME GOOD ONES too. I am more willing to accept that it is variance and not just lack of skill - or "unique bad luck". I feel that I need maybe to improve my game some - but it is not hopeless - and yes I will get there next time.

I believe some people much rather lose early - and move to an other game. Is this due to confidence or lack of confidence in own skill?

freerolls with 5000ppl yes u wasta time but smaller freerolls like cardschat are ok and they have normal play level

If you will play with lose range you will have a very small advantage over your opponents because many villains will too play with light range....

The best strategy is to play tight game, you will practically always ahead against range opponents...

I don't leave myself open at the start.
Blinds are small & everyone thinks they are a winner.
To easy to ship too many chips.

kozikpro said:

freerolls with 5000ppl yes u wasta time but smaller freerolls like cardschat are ok and they have normal play level

Click to expand...

I agree with you. When i am playing some freeroll with thousands of players i usually play lose, going all in pre flop with Ax and pp to try to double my stack. But if you play some tournament freeroll with 50-100 players i prefer to play more tight.

I prefer to play for a while because its all experience and fun

i let the other do the first move
and if i feel i can win i call

I want to play as long as i can if i can get to first break i will do an add on if i dont have a good stack

Any buy in MTT, I try to play as long as I can and gain as much information on the players and put in their player notes that I can to hopefully use against them down the road in MTT or cash table.

Bummer when your AA gets cracked in the first hand!

I always feel so much better if I at least last to the first or second break.

I occasionally add on or RB but as a rule I try not to.

If I goof up and run low on chips it probably isn't my day so I shouldn't be doing any RB

I don't think anybody really likes to lose immediately in a tourney but it goes the way it goes. IF I get my AA cracked hand 1, it's out of my hands, the alternative is folding everything preflop until I've lasted such and such time, which is never happening. So hope to last a little bit, if not cash or even bink it, but if you go out in 10 minutes because the deck was cold for ya, shake it off and join the next. If losing early tilts you, don't join another, walk away, take a 30 min break, read, do anything else. But try not to let losing early in a tourney tilt you. In the long run it happens very rarely, unless your game needs a lot of work.

For me, I am a fan of loose aggression early to build a stack... in the lower levels... if I am playing in a 50 or abvoe I want to play and pick my spots because the loose players will give me their money.. in the lower level it is a crap shoot until the late reg ends... so lower stakes be aggressive,, and in higher stakes pick ur spots becasue you will get rewarded... minus the unluckyness...

You play poker to play poker! The longer you are in the game the better imo.
If I'm out early I would only look for a new game because I want to play more. So staying in the first game and going as deep as possible is best.

I am not a lag Player , so yes like to stay Long n Play deep.

hi!
its a good strategy if you try to build a big stack early in tha tournament
play very aggressive and if you loose try another one..
its better to aim high than to try to finish in the money

I would much, much rather lose quickly. because yes, the chatting can be nice, but in the end you feel you've given 2 hours of work for no gain.

Take a freeroll I played today. there were 869 people in it. prizes start at 50. I placed 52nd after about 2 and a half hours because i ran really really card dead. having things other than poker in my life, I would love to have my 2 hours doing something else or have an opportunity to come up with something (not that i didn't have fun). It also feels so much worse knowing you were close and couldn't come up with it than being struck down early IMO

If I'm not gonna cash, please take me out early.

Real interesting how we are so different.
We all love the game, but we have such different priorities/preferences. It is interesting to know and keep this in mind when we play, I think it can help with managing our pain when we get KO'd.

Much much prefer longer games, 1500 stack, 10 minute blinds are so common, not fun.

Early Stage I recommend to play conservative, later on you have to open your game and mix a bit..

I play tight early.

It depends on the buyin and/or payout.

If freeroll, have to gamble a bit and move on if lost early.

If substantial buyin or good payout, have to stay long as much as possible.

I afford to "hooligan" and play very loose occasionally, if freerolls goes one after another or their structure is too fast.