Lethal mistakes in poker tournaments

[tipejo767]

Many of us have had the happiness of participating in tournaments and few to be among the last 10 winners, what mistakes do you consider lethal, that every player should avoid them?
considering that the pot has an excellent prize for the first 5 places

 

[flail1]

Playing really well and making the money bubble but then abandoning your game plan and overplaying hands to what - try and win it all. So many players go nuts, it seems, and push a lot after money bubble has burst.

 

[DS3]

Playing really well and making the money bubble but then abandoning your game plan and overplaying hands to what - try and win it all. So many players go nuts, it seems, and push a lot after money bubble has burst.

This.

If I can extend that back further so to speak with the mistake a min cash is not worth the time and trouble- you have to go for it all period.

I have mentioned this often but one of the best recommendations I have ever seen was to get into the habit of cashing, making min cashes. If you are cashing regularly you give yourself more opportunities to make deep runs and final tables. You will be regularly 'earning'. However, if you take the all or nothing approach, a major score will not consistently cover the buys ins - especially if you play aggressively with a go for broke attitude. You will literally go broke.

I am hyper aware of exactly where I stand in the field way before the bubble and adjust accordingly. If I am not running well then the goal becomes to min cash- that is an absolute priority.

There is always an argument this is too conservative an approach but then other general goals can be set. For example, of the cashes, at what per cent are you making final tables? If you set a target then naturally you can adjust your aggression regarding post bubble play.

The other thing is to keep records diligently. I record every single cash no matter the size (it can be cents) and believe this beneficial on two fronts. One, the act of recording is reinforcement you accomplished something (a positive feedback loop) and secondly, you are always aware of your bankroll and where it stands, the fight and work it took to build it.

You make the money with increased regularity you will then give yourself more opportunities to practice and develop the post bubble game, its as simple as that.

 

[Damian Baez]

Answer

avoid the tilt that losing a hand is just that losing a hand and trying to maintain concentration and good game to recover

 

[toni_brasco]

When you try to bluff a bully chip leader on the table.

 

[David Gibson]

I find myself constantly chasing the straight or flush. I know I shouldn't, but it looks so promising. If I don't check myself and stop chasing it ends up killing my game. It sucks to lose doing this basic no no. Especially on the final table. I have won a lot with the chase, but only out of pure luck.

 

[passat1600]

It is my mistake to call players who go all-in with low cards and I often lose with AK or AQ against 68 or 39 ... this is a shortcoming of the random number generator.

 

[jesuisjesus]

Angry at the opponent who wins you with 72 and other similar situations, rejoice because poker is alive while there are such opponents.

 

[mariale_1990]

I think that overconfidence can be fatal, I am not saying that a person should be indecisive, but I have seen many players who are chips leaders in tournament and overdo bluffing and plays that in my opinion they should not and that's when they start to lose and lose

 

[GDubs13]

If you only knew how much this is going to help me. Game changer.

This.

If I can extend that back further so to speak with the mistake a min cash is not worth the time and trouble- you have to go for it all period.

I have mentioned this often but one of the best recommendations I have ever seen was to get into the habit of cashing, making min cashes. If you are cashing regularly you give yourself more opportunities to make deep runs and final tables. You will be regularly 'earning'. However, if you take the all or nothing approach, a major score will not consistently cover the buys ins - especially if you play aggressively with a go for broke attitude. You will literally go broke.

I am hyper aware of exactly where I stand in the field way before the bubble and adjust accordingly. If I am not running well then the goal becomes to min cash- that is an absolute priority.

There is always an argument this is too conservative an approach but then other general goals can be set. For example, of the cashes, at what per cent are you making final tables? If you set a target then naturally you can adjust your aggression regarding post bubble play.

The other thing is to keep records diligently. I record every single cash no matter the size (it can be cents) and believe this beneficial on two fronts. One, the act of recording is reinforcement you accomplished something (a positive feedback loop) and secondly, you are always aware of your bankroll and where it stands, the fight and work it took to build it.

You make the money with increased regularity you will then give yourself more opportunities to practice and develop the post bubble game, its as simple as that.

I screenshot and book marked this thread for this post. I am pretty new to poker, I've been playing for almost a year steady now, I have read a couple of books, and try my best to always find new material to read and learn more about the game. I have never heard this before and it is also something I have no way ever thought about, but I seriously think this post, this little piece of advice is going to be a game changer for me and the amount of success that I have. I am always so focused on the win, and at least final table, that it can really hinder me, and really hinder my bankroll as well. I am really going to try and focus on this and return to this thread frequently to keep it in my mind moving forward! Game Changer!

Thank you DS3 this is some advice I really needed!:deal:

 

[DS3]

I screenshot and book marked this thread for this post. I am pretty new to poker, I've been playing for almost a year steady now, I have read a couple of books, and try my best to always find new material to read and learn more about the game. I have never heard this before and it is also something I have no way ever thought about, but I seriously think this post, this little piece of advice is going to be a game changer for me and the amount of success that I have. I am always so focused on the win, and at least final table, that it can really hinder me, and really hinder my bankroll as well. I am really going to try and focus on this and return to this thread frequently to keep it in my mind moving forward! Game Changer!

Thank you DS3 this is some advice I really needed!:deal:

Thanks for the positive feedback GDubs 13, appreciated !

I took that advice when I first started playing - I believe it was from the pro Alex Fitzgerald. It struck a chord with me! I believe it is plain common sense. When playing MTTs we know full well we cannot always cash let alone hit a final table. But, scraping into a cash when low-stacked is a reward unto itself and I don't believe anything which should be dismissed!

The simplest way to look at it just developing good and consistent habits. It's easier to cash than to run deep (one goal) easy to run deep than hit a final table etc.

Good luck on the felt!

 

[63burner]

Loding focus, not caring.

In a MTT, discipline and luck are needed.
After getting decent luck, combined with good discipline, a player may get close to, or ITM. Once ITM, the easiest flaw is playing anything and everything. For example, every hand with a face card is playable, especially if you get KQ, and up. Anything suited, etc.
If a player keeps their focus, and discipline when ITM, they deserve that extra bump up the ladder, they earned it, sticking with their strategy, not playing wild and crazy.

 

[fundiver199]

Hopefully no mistakes in poker tournaments are lethal, since that means, we are getting killed. Getting actually shot, because we made someone angry at the table by cheating or angleshooting or whatever, is hopefully mostly a thing of the past, where people were playing in illegal games in the wild west

As for which mistakes will hurt our results in tournaments, thats an extremely broad topic. To do well in tournaments you need to have a solid fundamental game and good understanding of strategy for each phase of the tournament. There is no simple answer like "avoid a" or "avoid b", that will suddenly turn a mediocre player into a tournament crusher.

 

[Risto234]

Many of us have had the happiness of participating in tournaments and few to be among the last 10 winners, what mistakes do you consider lethal, that every player should avoid them?
considering that the pot has an excellent prize for the first 5 places

Most lethal mistake is actually playing that particular tournament.

 

[GDubs13]

A different perspective as well

Thanks for the positive feedback GDubs 13, appreciated !

I took that advice when I first started playing - I believe it was from the pro Alex Fitzgerald. It struck a chord with me! I believe it is plain common sense. When playing MTTs we know full well we cannot always cash let alone hit a final table. But, scraping into a cash when low-stacked is a reward unto itself and I don't believe anything which should be dismissed!

The simplest way to look at it just developing good and consistent habits. It's easier to cash than to run deep (one goal) easy to run deep than hit a final table etc.

Good luck on the felt!

Thank you again for some more solid advice. I know I was struggling for some time and have had points where I felt extremely frustrated because I only would feel like I played well in a MTT if I got to final table or even won it. Which of course I have only managed to win and or make final table a handful of times. I realize that I had been looking at it all wrong! I mean very wrong! I know it has cost me the ability to cash many times when I know I should have. Not only that but like I said it caused me a lot of headache and frustration when I should have been congratulating myself and feeling good about how I did.

Its so funny to look back at it now. This is some wisdom I really needed 4 months or so ago! But I'm so glad to have heard it at all. It has certainly struck a cord with me! It is something I desperately needed to hear. Seriously thank you!

 

[GDubs13]

Ooooo something I would also like to add to this thread though, that was a killer for me starting out is the need to be patient!! For me that meant to stop playing so many hands!! Also do not be afraid to fold the hand! I would be looking down at top pair thinking I've got this guy he's got nothing.... I would grow to learn I was mistaken ha

 

[arsenalcho_1]

hi

I make a lot of mistakes, such as payments that I have to fold or fold where I have to pay

 

[1nsomn1a]

when drawing a hand, there is no way to retreat, you should always leave a chance to continue the game.

 

[GRIN281289]

I think it's a mistake to bluff often and not be able to hold back after a lost hand and tilt.

 

[garibe]

Personally I am still trying to keep a good solid game after the money bubble.

Usually, i get nervous and start play less hands and more conservative. Stop getting spots that I should and adapt to be playing ICM game instead of Chip EV.

 

[AllOut]

Overestimating your position and hands so I put over pressure with weak hands on some players. Or if I don't get a hand or can't win a pot for over 15+ hands then I start play out of range-position which won't end up well. I usually don't get bored actually, when I play these freerolls I've always have something else to be busy with it so meanwhile I play them on the background. I'd suggest you to play music so you won't tend to make those mistakes because I think it all comes from boring especially when it's freerolls or low stake tourneys.

 

[MAGICUZ]

I don’t even know what mistakes I'm making. It all depends on the situation and the importance of the tournament.As for important tournaments, I hardly make mistakes,in such tournaments I can only get knocked out by a coin)))

 

[Bhzrd588]

I think bluffing or the tendency to steal blinds in finals always brings problems and sometimes the pressure to keep the same amount of blinds since most of the chips are eaten by blinds.

 

[Recreationalplayer]

Failing to understand ICM implications can mean losing lot of EV when playing Tournaments.

Also failing to adjust ranges as per stack size can be bad.

 

[nuttea]

Many of us have had the happiness of participating in tournaments and few to be among the last 10 winners, what mistakes do you consider lethal, that every player should avoid them?
considering that the pot has an excellent prize for the first 5 places

Don't complicate the game Another point that I would like to know at the start of my career is that most of my opponents are actually not as smart and cunning as I thought they were. They can be successful doctors, lawyers, scientists, or just generally smart people in life. But put them at the poker table and everything changes. I am leading to the fact that most of your "cunning moves" will simply fly past their understanding. This is especially true when playing against recreational players.For example, as I discussed in the Psychology of Fish chapter in my book Crushing the Microstakes, most recreational players see big bets as bluffs. And many players still make the mistake of continuing to bet little or no slow play with their strong hands. You need to play straight against the fish, no matter how silly at first glance it may seem
Don't play too many tables Some people play too many tables at the same time. I myself, in my time, constantly sinned with this. Although it looks cool to skate on 20 tables at once, it works very ineffectively today. It is much better to reduce the number of tables and focus more on table selection and making better decisions during the game.