What can I do to improve?

Grossberger

Grossberger

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Ok I just went through and calculated my MTT's average finish and average number of players (in tournys I cashed only), based on at least 2000 players I finish in 314 place on average with a average player count of 4648. My best finish being a 13th out of 3436 players based on 79 tournys.

Now I'm a pretty tight player and alot more passive then I should be, if you were to look up my grade on PTR that will tell you I play very passively, and yes I know PTR is cash games but my game is not much different between tourny & cash, although it used to be. I think seeing so many bad beats have made me a little gun shy.

Now I can get deep into a tourny, where I need help is getting over the hump. When I do make it deep into a tourny I'm usually sitting around average chip, and i wait for big hands. Now my first problem is what range and how to play them sitting with an average stack and usually 1-2 HUGE stacks on my left. Do I just open shove with monster hands in any position? Or standard raise? What range should I be playing Q J higher or should it be played like a short handed table where playing K8 or better. This is an area of my game I struggle with the most and just can't seem to get to that elusive final table with alot of players.

Now I have final tabled the 4.40 8 max 1000 cap on stars a few times getting 2nd twice and I have final tabled the 4.40 180 man probably 8-10 times and even have a $12 180 man win. Its just when I get into tournys with more people I just can't sustain enough chips to make it. Also there have been several times in these big tournys where at some point I have been in the top 5 early or around the bubble only to catch a cold deck and just dwindle down to my normal area.

So I guess my main questions here are what range of hands should I be playing with a mid stack and how to play them.
 
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F1johny

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:eek: Sorry if this is newbie post but as a relative newbie I find this is a great question and look forward to the replies...
 
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smellikerurx

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STEAL STEAL and STEAL somemore. Everytime you steal the blinds and antes, that is one more free orbit for you to have to catch a monster hand to 2x up. Most players either steal too much, donk off their chips and bust out. Others, such as you, Steal too little get blinded off and bubble. there is a post on here call Bubble play, or something like that. look at that. when the blinds and antes go up, play your possisioin just as much as you cards. Feel out the players at your table. who is deffending, who is not, who is only playing the top 10 hands. The other thing to consider while you are stealing blinds is the amount you are stealing with. I usually raise 2.5x the bb (this is a highly debated topic). I have found that it is a big enough raise to get people to fold, and you find out the same information as you would with a 3x 4x or 5x raise, and you have saved .5 bb. what ever you decide to raise, just don't make it so much of your stack you are commited with a marginal hand, or you are folding too much of your stack. It is easiest to steal from the button, to the cut off +1. I wouldn't start stealing with compleate crap, widen your range in these possions, mid rage connector, suited cards any blackjack hand 20 or better. these hands, if called you still have a chance of flopping something, and taking down the pot.

the other thing is if you are called, playing post flop. When you are playing in late pos, and it is checked to you, don't be afraid to bet if you have missed. if they are checking odds are that they missed too, take advantage of their check and fire a bet. this might take it down and you have added another orbit with his call. remember when you are making this bet, not to commit yourself, if you bet too much you can lose a larger than you need to part of your stack. I usually will fire about 1/2 the pot, if they call and I am on a stone bluff, it depends on how they are playing on weather I fire another barrel on the turn and river. but that is situational and the board texture to your hand.

there are way better typers on here that can explain things much better than I. the best thing I can tell you is get rid of your fear, scared money doesnt make money.

Good Luck
 
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WiZZiM

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ive watched you play in a cash game a while ago, i tried to sit in with you and a few other CC members but the table was full... i have to say it was extrememly nitty.. i guess you can get away with it on cash, but MTT the blinds will alwasy creep up on you, so accumulation is much more important.. i suggest you study up on "small ball" that has helped my MTT game loads, though im still not that good at MTT, it now feels like im in control when i play.. which is a step in the right direction.. hopefully some MTT specialists will have info for you..
 
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WiZZiM

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ok sorry missed the question.. generalyl mid stack are the most common to play, so youd want to get good at them..

now theres are pretty good video on full tilt acadmamy with allen cunningham about midstack play i think you should check out.. if you dont have an account on full tilt you can borrow one of mine, just PM me...
 
suit2please

suit2please

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"if you dont have an account on full tilt you can borrow one of mine, just PM me..."

You just admitted to having multi able accounts, which is against the rules.
 
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TopDonk

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I find to go deep in a large tourney you need to win a lot of pots without showdown. Target the right players for light 3bets and as said earlier steal alot.

Do you ever 3bet light/bluff (serious question) in the late stages aspecially. You can often double up w/o showdown, say someone MP limps CO raises you put in a decent sized 3bet from position against the right player u will often take the pot down.

When deep make sure you are watching table and keep an eye for aggro players, this all depends on stacks so if u dont have the stacksize to make these moves then your probably plaing to tight around the bubble or just to tight in general.
 
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NYRebirth

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yeh i have the same problem orsometimes when im in the top 5 i try topush off smaller stakcs off of draws and tend to lose chips as they always feel pot commited. Sometimes i just sit out a level just so i dont throw away $$$ if i have a big enough chip lead and close to bubble
 
Epik High

Epik High

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learn cash games man, tournaments are so tilting haha

also maybe get an ebook or some source of good knowlege and mostly just work on your game a lot. put in lots of time and hands
 
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