When you are a chip leader early phase should i be playing nitty?

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blacknight92

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Yesterday at bounty MTT, I had quite nice stack early phase compared to 2nd ranker. I had 47k chips while 2nd ranker had 30k chips with hour left for reg end. unfortunately I was running dry with all bad hands and if I get decent hand like KJo, QJo it was out of position and if try to play with limp or raise some gets better hand or re-raise me. Believing it to be steal, i played few times only to end up loosing chips since they had AA or Good pockets.

What should I be doing in such situation where I am running dry with no good cards popping up. I have bluffed and steal blinds in position. Sometimes lost chips while doing that as well.

And when reg end I noticed that first and 2nd ranker had almost same amount of chips that I had an hour back. So made me wonder should I be playing very nitty and make sure I don't loose chips here and there till middle phase once I get good stack. Would like to know strategy people use once they are big stack in early phase.
 
Minus272c

Minus272c

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You should use your stack to get more stack :D

As i see it, the problems came when you lost your patience and played
medium hands against raises and reraises.
Best thing you can do is to respect the signs your given that other players
have a strong hand. When you play speculative hands, be sure to enter
when its cheap and leave when it get expensive. And also try not to
enter at ton of hands out of position just because you got stack.

Playing more hands to the right price in position would be my best advice ;)

note - you dont have to feel obligated to play more hands just because you have
big stack, its also perfectly fin to play nitty if thats were you feel comfortable.
 
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maximmaxim

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I remember how I played in the tournament for 7 hours, in which there were 5,000 people ... and I was the leader with a monstrous amount of chips 487bb, and in second place was 100bb .... in short, the average bank was 10 bb, 20 bb. . .. and what do you think? we were at the same table with the second, I bet with my jj cards against his AA, he doubled ... then unsuccessfully bluff ... .... and then became 200bb ... started playing very carefully and took 12th place
 
Luvepoker

Luvepoker

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You really just need to play your normal game. So many big stacks are so worried about keeping the big stack or trying to run over the table they start to make mistakes that cost them. Just play smart hands always trying to be in position and you will be fine. One this I would say is never worry about what the other stacks are doing. The gut who now had about what you once had may have doubled up over you at some point or lost a tin of chips then got very lucky to triple up. The thing is it does not matter what you or anyone has early in the tournament. Look at the wsop, Every year some guy is the monster stack in day 2 and first over 1 million in chips. How often do you look the next day and you cant find them on any list? Its rare for some to have an early chip lead and actually win the event.
 
pirateglenn

pirateglenn

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This is definitely the biggest skill in poker in my humble opinion, i agree that stacks should be used and when you are chip leader or well stacked, players will bet into you if they are holding a good hand..some even with lesser hands also.
I often see players bleed out because they run dry, its a fine balancing act as i feel you need to be active and pick spots to play, utilising position and targeting players who you regard as weak, nitty or who like to regularly see flops cheaply.
I had a similar experience last Sunday in the mini million and can recall a bunch of hands where upon reflection, i could have played either better or have entered into a pot with.
People dont agree with me but i still say its harder to maintain a big stack then it is to accumulate one.
I agree with last post about remaining consistent but opening up your range is the luxury of a big stack and one that many players are scared of doing...premium cards are not common so that tells you all you need to know..
 
TeUnit

TeUnit

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Think you need to be constantly looking for ways to grow your stack. Pay attention and try to find out who defends their blinds and who is fit or fold on the flop.
 
mtl mile end

mtl mile end

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"When you are a chip leader early phase should i be playing nitty?"

When I am chip leader in an early phase of a tourney, you can play any way you want.
 
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duson

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If you have the big stack, you should be bullying your table regardless of what hands are coming. Just play hands you feel like you can work with post flop, raise 2-3x pre with medium/strong hands to get walks, and just be prepared to let hands go.
 
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