theANMATOR
Legend
Bronze Level
I play in the Turbo10 100gtd on ACR nearly every evening. It is a fast structure event that wraps up in about 3 hours, so its a great event to get into and have wrap up before bed time.
ACR has several of these events - at different buyin levels. I play the (used to be 0.55) 0.25 buyin, 100gtd.
The structure is 5 minute blinds with 18 levels of late registration. Antes kick in on the very first hand dealt. Field size is approximately between 500-1200.
10k starting stack.
A common piece of advice I hear tossed around a lot is to play opposite of your opponents, and the field. So when the majority of players are hyper aggressive it is a good strategy to play tight. When players are tight it is a good strategy to loosen up and increase aggression.
Although I do not disagree with this sentiment, in this particular event this strategy doesn't seem to produce the, better than average, winning results I have experienced playing this strategy in other events.
I have won this event several times, the most recent coming early this past winter, when I had a good run making the final table 4 times in 8 days.
Prior to that hot streak - I had made deep runs, making the final table 2-3 times per month and winning the event outright 3-4 times.
Since that time I think I may have made the final table twice. I have placed in 2nd and 8th, but I find myself not making it as deep as often, and I think this is due to the overall hyper aggressiveness of the field.
The hyper aggressiveness nature, some could classify it as maniacal, of at least half of the field in this event has become increasingly more difficult to battle against.
Although I feel comfortable and confident in my strategy - I thought I'd create a post to see if I could get some advice on how to improve my play in this specific event.
Here are a couple examples of the hyper aggressive play to provide context:
I raise from UTG+2 with A/J suited, MP player shoves for entire stack (on the 5th hand) of play (10k) SB calls, I fold, MP player turns over A/6 off suit. SB turns over pocket 55s.
at 30/60 ante 15, 6x open from UTG+2, I call with pocket TTs from LJ, CO 3bets, SB calls BB 4bets, UTG+2 calls, I fold.
UTG+2 has A/9 off, CO has pocket 88s, BB has A/Q suited.
I open UTG with pocket QQs, 3bet comes from MP, Btn 4bets, I call.
Flop A/J/8 two spades. I have one spade. I (check or cbet here - depends) MP jams, Btn calls. I fold MP turns over A/5, Btn turns J/9.
There are several players who shove whenever they have ANY playable hand when they are facing an open raise in front of them. Special players. Q/J, A/6, K/T, 55, any playable hand.
Any paired Ace is OFTEN shoved on the flop. A high % of hands are shoved on the flop that hit top pair, regardless of kicker.
A high number of players preflop shove ANY suited Ace from any position, ANY pocket pair (yes even 22-66) from any position, regardless of how many big blinds they have or how many opponents are left to act.
Even though this is a (relatively) deep stack event (10k) It is almost a freeroll mentality - but with rebuy ability.
I abhor the use of the 'rebuy' as a crutch to play shitty luck based poker. I'm not against the rebuy option in events. I understand it is a need in order to meet/exceed a guaranteed event, however I think it is abused and regarded by a large swathe of players at the micro level as a crutch to play a strategically bad, luck based game.
Playing against this field - I've found that playing a tight game puts me at a disadvantage because while loose players are sucking out with pocket 44s and lucking into two pair by shoving A/T off suite from EP, effectively doubling/tripling/quadrupling up there stack, playing a tight game I am left with a middling chip stack.
When antes start to become noticeable, 500/1000 - 1000/2000 FINALLY nearing the close of late registration I'm often in the 30-120 range of players, battling against MONSTER stacked players who have been playing fast and loose. I'm comfortable playing against bigger stacks, but when these players can 5-8x open every pot - it is quite difficult to continue with any had that isn't A/Q+ or 99+ from any position other than LP.
Playing suited connectors beyond the flop - or attempting to set-mine with a pocket pair below 99s is nearly impossible. Getting to rivers without playing for entire stacks is,,, rare.
So while other players are shoving ANY pocket pair - I'm trying to play solid, tight poker. I will 2.5-3x open 88s. Get shoved on or 3bet 8x - with two callers and I have to fold because those players are representing a better hand.
I have loosened up my overall game in this event at times in the past - and have found - marginal success, however when I do that - I really feel like I'm not playing my game. It feels like I'm playing similar to the field, a luck based strategy - and hoping A/Q, or pocket 88s from MP holds vs 2 other shove happy players.
Rather than playing opposite of (the majority) of the field - it feels like I have to play along to compete. Feels kind of --- wrong.
It is possible to reach the final table playing a tight aggressive game in this particular event, I have proven that, but the increase in hyper aggressiveness of opponents who use the rebuy as a reliance crutch to play crappy maniac poker makes it very difficult.
It seems to me - a lot of the micro events on ACR (under 5.00 buyin) are degenerating into this kind of ultra loose maniac play style.
How to battle these hyper aggressive fields that rely on the rebuy ability to play a super aggressive loose game? We can't sit around and wait for the premium hands to be dealt, and I don't.
ACR has several of these events - at different buyin levels. I play the (used to be 0.55) 0.25 buyin, 100gtd.
The structure is 5 minute blinds with 18 levels of late registration. Antes kick in on the very first hand dealt. Field size is approximately between 500-1200.
10k starting stack.
A common piece of advice I hear tossed around a lot is to play opposite of your opponents, and the field. So when the majority of players are hyper aggressive it is a good strategy to play tight. When players are tight it is a good strategy to loosen up and increase aggression.
Although I do not disagree with this sentiment, in this particular event this strategy doesn't seem to produce the, better than average, winning results I have experienced playing this strategy in other events.
I have won this event several times, the most recent coming early this past winter, when I had a good run making the final table 4 times in 8 days.
Prior to that hot streak - I had made deep runs, making the final table 2-3 times per month and winning the event outright 3-4 times.
Since that time I think I may have made the final table twice. I have placed in 2nd and 8th, but I find myself not making it as deep as often, and I think this is due to the overall hyper aggressiveness of the field.
The hyper aggressiveness nature, some could classify it as maniacal, of at least half of the field in this event has become increasingly more difficult to battle against.
Although I feel comfortable and confident in my strategy - I thought I'd create a post to see if I could get some advice on how to improve my play in this specific event.
Here are a couple examples of the hyper aggressive play to provide context:
I raise from UTG+2 with A/J suited, MP player shoves for entire stack (on the 5th hand) of play (10k) SB calls, I fold, MP player turns over A/6 off suit. SB turns over pocket 55s.
at 30/60 ante 15, 6x open from UTG+2, I call with pocket TTs from LJ, CO 3bets, SB calls BB 4bets, UTG+2 calls, I fold.
UTG+2 has A/9 off, CO has pocket 88s, BB has A/Q suited.
I open UTG with pocket QQs, 3bet comes from MP, Btn 4bets, I call.
Flop A/J/8 two spades. I have one spade. I (check or cbet here - depends) MP jams, Btn calls. I fold MP turns over A/5, Btn turns J/9.
There are several players who shove whenever they have ANY playable hand when they are facing an open raise in front of them. Special players. Q/J, A/6, K/T, 55, any playable hand.
Any paired Ace is OFTEN shoved on the flop. A high % of hands are shoved on the flop that hit top pair, regardless of kicker.
A high number of players preflop shove ANY suited Ace from any position, ANY pocket pair (yes even 22-66) from any position, regardless of how many big blinds they have or how many opponents are left to act.
Even though this is a (relatively) deep stack event (10k) It is almost a freeroll mentality - but with rebuy ability.
I abhor the use of the 'rebuy' as a crutch to play shitty luck based poker. I'm not against the rebuy option in events. I understand it is a need in order to meet/exceed a guaranteed event, however I think it is abused and regarded by a large swathe of players at the micro level as a crutch to play a strategically bad, luck based game.
Playing against this field - I've found that playing a tight game puts me at a disadvantage because while loose players are sucking out with pocket 44s and lucking into two pair by shoving A/T off suite from EP, effectively doubling/tripling/quadrupling up there stack, playing a tight game I am left with a middling chip stack.
When antes start to become noticeable, 500/1000 - 1000/2000 FINALLY nearing the close of late registration I'm often in the 30-120 range of players, battling against MONSTER stacked players who have been playing fast and loose. I'm comfortable playing against bigger stacks, but when these players can 5-8x open every pot - it is quite difficult to continue with any had that isn't A/Q+ or 99+ from any position other than LP.
Playing suited connectors beyond the flop - or attempting to set-mine with a pocket pair below 99s is nearly impossible. Getting to rivers without playing for entire stacks is,,, rare.
So while other players are shoving ANY pocket pair - I'm trying to play solid, tight poker. I will 2.5-3x open 88s. Get shoved on or 3bet 8x - with two callers and I have to fold because those players are representing a better hand.
I have loosened up my overall game in this event at times in the past - and have found - marginal success, however when I do that - I really feel like I'm not playing my game. It feels like I'm playing similar to the field, a luck based strategy - and hoping A/Q, or pocket 88s from MP holds vs 2 other shove happy players.
Rather than playing opposite of (the majority) of the field - it feels like I have to play along to compete. Feels kind of --- wrong.
It is possible to reach the final table playing a tight aggressive game in this particular event, I have proven that, but the increase in hyper aggressiveness of opponents who use the rebuy as a reliance crutch to play crappy maniac poker makes it very difficult.
It seems to me - a lot of the micro events on ACR (under 5.00 buyin) are degenerating into this kind of ultra loose maniac play style.
How to battle these hyper aggressive fields that rely on the rebuy ability to play a super aggressive loose game? We can't sit around and wait for the premium hands to be dealt, and I don't.
as you describe.