Best strategy playing MTT

vox1er

vox1er

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Hi,
What is the best strategy playing a tournament?. I often find it difficult raising on early positions with hands like KTs, QTs, etc...When I play its a fold until I have premium hands and just fold majority of the time. Do I have to be aggressive in order to be good or what?

 
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fundiver199

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In general it is profitable to open hands like KTs or QTs from early position in a game with antes. But there is nothing wrong with just taking off such marginal spots, until you are more comfortable with your postflop game.

Also if you have a lot of calling stations or aggressive 3-betters behind you, its fine to tighten up, until stacks are so short, that you can just go all in. In that way at least nobody can outplay you postflop.
 
MishkaZL

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I rarely play aggressively. I think it is best to be patient. You have to wait for good cards, use the position at the table and avoid mistakes. Only then you have a real chance to go to the final table.
 
iwont20

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I don't think there is one winning or best strategy for MTT. I believe, in order to be really successful MTT player you have to learn how and when to switch different strategies, and this depends on the stage of the tournament, effective stack, difference between your stack and effective stack at the table, ICM and how important pay jumps in the particular tournament matter to you / other players, final table strategies, what kind of players are on blinds / later positions and so on.

But there is always a recommendation first to study tight-aggressive style / strategy and learn how to play in a few spots, so you are able understand how to change your default strategy depending on the factors above. But it also depends on the limit, there will always be games where TAG or even nit style will pay off in long term, there are examples even on this site.

As for openings in the early positions, it's almost always (in different stages/stacks) rather tight range, 11-14% and suited broadway is a standard opening. But I agree with Fundiver199, if you doesn't feel comfortable or the table doesn't look right, you can play tighter sometimes and fold these hands.
 
FoxMS

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In my opinion, everything depends on the temperament of the player. Therefore, for each player, this strategy will be different. Personally, I like to use different strategies but in most cases it depends on my opponents at the table.
 
tauri103

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everything depends on your table and the level of play of your opponents. you have to try to adapt and take what they want to leave you. because it is always the one who makes the least mistake that has the best chance of achieving his goal. stay focused on the game even when you're not in the game. Normally when you are a good player you must play at least 1 hand out of 5 or 6. If you have more difficulty handling some hands then it is 1 hand out 8. Personally for KT and QT in UTG1 in general I fold.
 
Alex Sentsov

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Yeah, I probably would. I showed my best results when I played with a wider range of cards.
 
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gatinhoAK12

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If you can not get started chips, with KTs and QTs, can you when then? Playground. Well, I believe the steps are: position in tune with the game be aggressive LAST LETTERS We can very well go out with AA 4bet or more, we get two or more coll (for me it's headache start), on the flop comes KTT, BEING KT OF CUPS. For this always position and aggressiveness and learn to fold strong hands. Good evening and thanks for the opportunity to interact.
 
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I rarely play aggressively. I think it is best to be patient. You have to wait for good cards, use the position at the table and avoid mistakes. Only then you have a real chance to go to the final table.
I would definitely agree, patience, persistence, and psychology play a crucial role for me. Knowing when to play small and patient when you have big cards can place you as the chip leader easily. It depends on your style as well. There are players who are aggressive but successful as well.
 
Katie Dozier

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In general it is profitable to open hands like KTs or QTs from early position in a game with antes. But there is nothing wrong with just taking off such marginal spots, until you are more comfortable with your postflop game.

Totally agree with Fundiver’s advice here!

Also wanted to say that OP may enjoy reading Pearljammer’s tournament book series, “Winning Poker Tournaments One Hand at a Time.” I read the series back when I was first transitioning from SNGs to MTTs and found it to be a well done book series with a lot of useful info. [emoji4]
 
SAKhur

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Good day

Hi,
What is the best strategy playing a tournament?. I often find it difficult raising on early positions with hands like KTs, QTs, etc...When I play its a fold until I have premium hands and just fold majority of the time. Do I have to be aggressive in order to be good or what?


KTS, QTs in the early position does not have enough strength. The fact is that you do not have enough information about the strength of the opponents ' hands behind you. This hand should be dropped when the stacks are equal. Even when you act aggressively, the opponent may be such as AQ or AT and you lose the kicker.
 
kowrip

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You need to figure out an appropriate balanced range based on the blinds/antes and the other players' playing styles. For example, let's assume it's the beginning of the tournament with stack sizes of 200BB and an average (not super loose, not super tight table). You might use an UTG opening range of 99+, AQo+, ATs+, JTs+ (suited connectors). Later in the tournament when there are antes and the average stack size is down to around 50BB, maybe expand the range to 77+, KQo+, KTs+, 98s+. Also, don't tie your raises to your hand strength. Open with the same standard raise whether you have AA or 72s. If you don't have hands like KTs or suited connectors in your ranges, it will be very easy for other players to exploit you. They will simply fold to your bets when they miss the flop and take your stack when they hit a set.
 
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gustav197poker

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In tournaments the first objective is to stay alive. Therefore, in the early stages, it is advisable to start with the highest possible hands.
As the tournament progresses, we must make the openings with the best ranks, but always with an efficient management of our stack, making payments that are profitable for us, either by the capital we have in hand or by the information we can obtain. That depends on the elapsed time of the tournament.
The more time passes, the more likely we are to have more accurate information about the characteristics of our rivals' game.
In a poker tournament, the aggression factor is crucial to becoming winners.
Aggression does not always mean bluffing, but taking advantage of the opportunities that arise to put our rivals in a difficult situation to resolve.
For example, we are at a table with a large stack of 140 bb, we open 2bb from UTG and we are face to face with a CO player who plays very tight.
The flop does not represent a problem for us, because there are no projects and there is only one high card (A). Then we make a continuation bet of 1/3 and the opponent discards his hand.
In this type of situation, although we do not bet hard, little by little we are gaining chips and imposing a solid style of play.
But in the final stage of a tournament you have to play conservatively, because an error can leave you out, since the blinds are of great value.
Anyway, in a poker tournament you will have to be very lucky to reach important prizes.
Skill is necessary, aggression is essential, but luck will be a determining factor, which will often make the difference between finishing close to the prizes and collecting important amounts.
Greetings.
 
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I play mostly cash Switching to MTT I learn
- be patient. It’s a long haul and you have to be prepared to sit until the end. Need ways to relax and concentrate until the end. It’s easy to get tired at the later stages and make mistakes
-I like to set a goal to eliminate roughly 1/9 of the entrances to get the final table So don’t try to be a hero and get involved in too many hands. One of my weakness was when I was getting tired and losing focus I would play too many hands and risk more chips( this was also a bad habit in cash games)
- if I win a few pots early I tend to target the small stacks
-if I lose a few pots early then I try to avoid the big stacks.
This is just self preservation. Need to aim to get survive and get as deep into the tournament as possible
-blinds not really worse stealing early. be prepare to steal later on though
-be more aggressive stealing blinds when table become shorter and there no one replaces there seat.
Sometime eliminate or breaks happen there is 6-7 players at the table rather than full table then stealing from the CO or D position is more likely
- if you are deep stack. Pay more attention to short stacks as level of play become more risk aversion or risk taking as they are blinding out You can play accordingly ie. push against scared short stack
and wait for reasonable big hand for all or nothing short stacker
-if you are short stack, you are really limited hoping to doubling up against middle and deeper stack and cant really play past the flop
-if you are short stack against another short stack you might be able steal binds but that if you can get past the larger stacks between you and the short stacks in the blinds. Otherwise the strategy is again limit to try to double up on the preflop or flop
Short stack play sucks but you win a few in a row you are back in play It this point I am looking just for AA or AK before I get desperate
-ultrashort stack- if my stack size is about 10xBB sized I looking to go all in with any reasonable face cards and want one caller
I find that below 8x BB stack there is going to be multi-way callers and chances to win a pot is much less as whole table tends to gang up and felt the ultra short stack
 
dimon4ik89

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A good poker player must constantly change his strategy. You can not always keep the same strategy, if you want to achieve a result. It all depends on the structure of the tournament, on the stage of the tournament, on the size of your stack, on opponents who play against you and many other factors. You should be watching and feeling the players and the game. If you constantly play the same way, then opponents will know your range and then you will have little chance of winning.
 
sharipov8090

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Time to learn you have a lot of a lifetime to learn opponents of their strategy game and you will not always win but patience and endurance at the table will lead to results.Good luck
 
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I usually play like you. I try to be patient, fold all garbage or medium hands. Call good ones and raise premiums. My goal is to get paid in every game. Research for effectiveness in your poker strategies.
 
azforlife

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I rarely play aggressively. I think it is best to be patient. You have to wait for good cards, use the position at the table and avoid mistakes. Only then you have a real chance to go to the final table.
I think you meant to play Tight Aggressive because if not, being patient,.maybe too patient & playing passive, calling/limping under 15bbs seems to be the perfect recipe to not make the final table or making it & not cashing. Speaking from experience. Shove/fold strategy is usually what you should concern yourself with unless you're 50 Bb+
The word tight is a better alternative to patient I guess when it comes to poker lingo. Cheers
 
azforlife

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Better to concern yourself with how to play stacks, BBs not just speculative hands, just fold email until you learn how to play email :)
 
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Well for me the best strategy for MTTs is just to play patiently,and with calmness aswell.Thats because,as soon as i start to feel anxious,i start to play stupid.
 
xpvictor1

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Best strategy is .................. ya, that's about all I know.
 
mariale_1990

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I do not think it is necessary to play aggressive, maybe if you should do it to take advantage of some opportunities that are presented to you with some players, I think everything will depend on how you feel playing aggressive or very calm
 
micalupagoo

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I would say patience, position and players styles/stacks.
when Utg utg+1-2 I fold more often unless I’m ready to pay for 3bets/shoves
So why bleed out chips if the action on your table has aggressive players
Position is very important, the more people that act before you gives you that much more info which may loosen my calling range, again based on the players tendencies who are in the hand.
I shy away from really big stacks and agro players unless I’m willing to get them all in.
Also watch for passive players that fold too much and with position im happy betting any two cards, but avoid them when they’re raising a hand.
Mtts are a long game so go slow and wait for the spots which give you the best odds vs the least amount of players
 
pirateglenn

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Hi,
What is the best strategy playing a tournament?. I often find it difficult raising on early positions with hands like KTs, QTs, etc...When I play its a fold until I have premium hands and just fold majority of the time. Do I have to be aggressive in order to be good or what?


Hi Vox,

Take a look at this link for some solid advice with regards to MTT strategy, the early part of any MTT is the crucial phase, being disciplined/patient/knowing what hands to play and in what position.

https://www.pokerlistings.com/multitable-tournament-strategy-early-blind-levels-6716

Good Luck
 
zwbb

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Strategy MTT tournaments in the middle stage involves making non-standard decisions to get the maximum benefit. If there are a lot of aggressive players at your table, then you need to use a counter strategy against them, giving them the opportunity to gift you their chips.
 
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