What would you do in this situation?

I recently experienced a very interesting situation in a 300 man MTT. Within the first 20 minutes of the tournament, so the second level of blinds, I entered all-in in a huge 6 way pot with AKo. I ended up winning the pot and as a result I had an M of 324 and was chip leader by a mile. My question to you is, what would you do with so many chips? I had no idea how to play the middle and late stages, so I'm interested in how you would play this. My plan was to only play 99+ for a long time because I saw no reason to unnecessarily risk my chips. Let me know what you think!

With that stack i would play more cheap hands in position
You could also use it to put more pressure on the other players in hands
and maybe get them to fold more.
Just dont overplay it, and dont be careless with your chips.

One thing is for sure, you should put your stack to work

Big pocket pairs lose value, big aces TPTK loses value small pocket pairs have a massive increase in value and LAG sneaky 1 gapper suited go up in value. I'd play any pair not just 99+.

Such a big stack from the beginning, gives you the opportunity to play more daring and more bluffing. It is not right to be satisfied or to reduce attention with a big stack because you have the chance to play more comfortable, and rise it more.

All good points. No matter your chip stack, it's a tournament, so it's long. With a huge castle-like stack, punish those who would try to rise to it and prosper from those who dare come close.

raise the blinds

I'm such a gambler that a big stack tends to make me raise the blinds with good starting hands enough to push weaker hands off preflop.

A chip lead stack would expand my range. But within reasonable limits, of course. The options that you chose also have the right to exist. But if luck favors you, why not take advantage of it !?

I'd play nlhe tournament poker.

What that means is... the answer would be just about as long as your typical MTT nlhe book you can pick up from the store. (there's sooooooooooo much to put into an answer for a question as vague as this one.... my answer is the only way I can think of even beginning to answer it)

like:
How do I win a poker tournament?

I would first of all forget the fact i was chip leader or focus on how many chips i had as many players over focus on that at the detriment of their game.
I would remain consistent, if you know your strengths, play to those, having a large stack affords you the luxury to pick even more spots cheaply, what will happen is that players with premium hands will look to overbet you, get into pots and their play will actually help you with identifying their hand ranges in time.
The large stack affords you the luxury of overbettting, for example you have AQ suited - you reraise AK off..you are losing but having opportunities here..
Resist the urge to play/enter pots regularly, you are early into the tournament so afford yourself the luxury of an extra break, i often play my blinds and will nip out for a few minutes. I see really good players do this often when they have amassed a stack...its not as bad an idea as it seems.

playinggameswithu said:

Big pocket pairs lose value, big aces TPTK loses value small pocket pairs have a massive increase in value and LAG sneaky 1 gapper suited go up in value. I'd play any pair not just 99+.

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You should still play 99+. It's pretty silly not to, especially top hands like KK+, AK. While the value of big pairs do go down in value when deep stacked, there is still value in playing that. You just have to play with a lot more pot control.

I would handle more marginalals and also push more semi bluffs. Reraise at the right time can also bring something. but let go of action hands the fingers away!

And maybe nuts play slowly. And always build pressure in position.

Poker Orifice said:

I'd play nlhe tournament poker.

What that means is... the answer would be just about as long as your typical MTT nlhe book you can pick up from the store. (there's sooooooooooo much to put into an answer for a question as vague as this one.... my answer is the only way I can think of even beginning to answer it)

like:
How do I win a poker tournament?

Click to expand...

Amen Brother Preach the Truth, Really this Is an answer that's precise and accurate, FYI PO wasn't making fun of you or mocking your post but wants to push you Into a more logical sense/approach to Posting topics In regards to such a Vast topic, As you're expecting anyone on CC for a matter of fact to be able to tell you a "1 Trick that fits the bill for all players In your tourney (@That current day and time after the 2nd level of the game), do you know see how odd It would be to give a definite answer to such a vague and vast topic? So you Just know for future reference, when making topics, don't pick vast topics, from my experience over the years @ CC vast topics don't really get the "Cream of the crop (Replying), but get everyone out of the woodwork replying"!


2) Ask questions regarding areas of the game where you're having difficulty, so basically many players tend to have Issue with (M.P) Stages or (S.S) play during bubble or having Issues freezing up nearing pay Jumps and etc. I recommend these types of posts to A) Hel0 yourself get acquainted with Posting In regards to "Certain and direct difficulties which you're having In your own game", and also because when you post subjects that aren't vague and vast you get responses that are direct to the point and this way over posting for countless of months you would have already had a better understanding of your over all MTT game approach by posting more topics overall to get a better overall picture.

I hope this helped

In such cases, I continue to play as well as playing, not forgetting with the growth of the blinds to shift gears ))

the good news and the bad news increase the gamblers with the chips I want to steal!

if you only intend to play 99+, that in a certain way can bring you problems, how often will those cards reach you? I think you just have to try to read your opponents well and follow your instinct, it has happened to me that I have played tournaments and they never give me that kind of cards, so if you stay waiting for you will not get very far, try to steal and control a little your table, take advantage of the chips

I think you did the right thing in this situation. Since you don't know how to play you then it is better to keep the stack from losing chips and play on a good map. If you had the experience of playing the game would be like all the people here suggest - aggressive.

I would definitely widen my range in certain areas, it would be wasteful to not use the situatin you've found yourself in to your advantage. Other players should be more wary of you which creates opportunities.
I would be looking to steal more blinds while still taking into account opponents' stack sizes and any reads I had on them. I would be more inclined to call or open-raise with a wider range too - lower suited connectors, higher unsuited one or two-gappers, lower pocket pairs. I would play more hands from early position.
It is important, however, to closely observe if and how your opponents react to your large stack and subsequent style, as some would expect you to be doing what I've suggested and adjust their play accordingly.

many chips

when this is happening to me.....and i could say not very often....
i take the approtunite to see more flobs.... and play more cool ...
but i am trying to keep the distance from the others players
wlthout takeing many riscks

Minus272c said:

With that stack i would play more cheap hands in position
You could also use it to put more pressure on the other players in hands
and maybe get them to fold more.
Just dont overplay it, and dont be careless with your chips.

One thing is for sure, you should put your stack to work

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Agree 100% I've finished ITM to a handful of freerolls in the past few months since I got more serious about online poker. This was how I did it. Pressuring opponents with a huge stack forces your opponents to only play their very best hands and opens up your range quite a bit. Don't go too tight just because your stack is way above average atm. Several other players are going to catch up quickly and you want to stay ahead of the pack as long as it's feasible. I'm new so maybe I was lucky but this seems to work for me.

It is extremely rare luck, to win such a stack at the beginning of the tournament, then of course you can put pressure on opponents a little more than usual. I would style more often than usual. But you need to play carefully, all players want your chips

Ovuvuevuevue said:

I recently experienced a very interesting situation in a 300 man MTT. Within the first 20 minutes of the tournament, so the second level of blinds, I entered all-in in a huge 6 way pot with AKo. I ended up winning the pot and as a result I had an M of 324 and was chip leader by a mile. My question to you is, what would you do with so many chips? I had no idea how to play the middle and late stages, so I'm interested in how you would play this. My plan was to only play 99+ for a long time because I saw no reason to unnecessarily risk my chips. Let me know what you think!

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If you end up having a lot of chips at the beginning which is what you have, you have to keep being aggressive and act like your large stack should not deter you from acquiring more chips.

Of course be smart aggressive not play any two for the sake of it.

Playing suited connectors, lower pocket pairs and decent hands in position such as Q10 or K9 should be played as cautiously aggressive to build up your equity and stack.

basically you have a license to become a total pest! play every hand you can in position with min raises, you get to bet into flops you didnt hit, pressure everyone and everything. with that said, you do not want to get involved in a really big pot without the nuts, and endanger that big stack, you want to steal and steal, and pressure from position.

Honestly i had a situation like this the other day where i was 3x the 2nd place in the tournament , i find best was is the play and OK level hands if the price to get in the hand is cheap, then just play quite passive and let others make the pushes , if somebody seems to over bet and you got decent equity in the hand i normally then go all in as you stack is so much larger than every bodies that 9/10 they just fold cause they don't want to risk going out so early.

Ovuvuevuevue said:

I recently experienced a very interesting situation in a 300 man MTT. Within the first 20 minutes of the tournament, so the second level of blinds, I entered all-in in a huge 6 way pot with AKo. I ended up winning the pot and as a result I had an M of 324 and was chip leader by a mile. My question to you is, what would you do with so many chips? I had no idea how to play the middle and late stages, so I'm interested in how you would play this. My plan was to only play 99+ for a long time because I saw no reason to unnecessarily risk my chips. Let me know what you think!

Click to expand...

Apply pressure on opponents when you both have bad cards most of the time
Not to loose though as big stacks dwindle fast when up against good hands.