Busting Out

[DaHawk]

You know what really grinds my gears! Busting out of a tournament after spending hours grinding it out. And usually for me it happens late in the tournament where people start to play super aggressive because they haven't got much more than 10 bb. It only takes getting aces or kings cracked a couple times and losing a couple flips to be right in the same spot as everyone else. This always seems to happen to me. All these small stacks chip away at me and I'm losing on premium hands. Do I walk away from the table and float into the money, or do I sit and and continue to try to build a monster stack at the risk of losing it all. Seems as though I always get a slew of huge hands during this part of a tournament. Either I go deep with a huge stack or I get crushed hand after hand and watch my chances dwindle down the drain.

 

[terryk]

Experience is key in poker,,,you have to adjust your game accordingly or suffer the same results,,,it's in your hands. :deal::deal:

 

[Lochika]

I understand that sometimes its sucks, but remember that when you are playing a tournament you will bust out most of the time, and get in the money mostly less then 20 percent.
When you are near the bubble you should consider ICM, but with a big stack the ICM implications will less effect you in the money bubble. In this point the value of your stack is more valuable then just the min cash, so in this stand you should getting even more aggressive to put pressure on the stackes that the min cash is more valuable to them.

 

[angelamsmith05]

I understand that sometimes its sucks, but remember that when you are playing a tournament you will bust out most of the time, and get in the money mostly less then 20 percent.
When you are near the bubble you should consider ICM, but with a big stack the ICM implications will less effect you in the money bubble. In this point the value of your stack is more valuable then just the min cash, so in this stand you should getting even more aggressive to put pressure on the stackes that the min cash is more valuable to them.

Agree completely

 

[GODZZ]

Also remember , it's not a sin to fold a nice hand sometimes . If you have a big stack late in the game , avoid 3 way or more hands and isolate players . And if you have a big stack you can fold to these players with 10-15 BB , why risk double ling them up . You can fold and steal blinds all the way to the final table.


GLGL

 

[Rost]

Apparently, by the end of the tournament, your game should also become more aggressive. I do not suggest you play with junk, however, the range of your hands should increase significantly.

 

[mariale_1990]

This has happened to me a lot, and I agree that it is very annoying, but when this happens I simply try to evaluate my game, what I do wrong, what I do right, what should I adjust in my game, we must be honest with ourselves at the time to evaluate our game to be able to progress and obtain better results and it goes without saying that we have to keep trying, practice makes perfect

 

[theANMATOR]

You know what really grinds my gears! Busting out of a tournament after spending hours grinding it out. And usually for me it happens late in the tournament where people start to play super aggressive because they haven't got much more than 10 bb. It only takes getting aces or kings cracked a couple times and losing a couple flips to be right in the same spot as everyone else. This always seems to happen to me. All these small stacks chip away at me and I'm losing on premium hands. Do I walk away from the table and float into the money, or do I sit and and continue to try to build a monster stack at the risk of losing it all. Seems as though I always get a slew of huge hands during this part of a tournament. Either I go deep with a huge stack or I get crushed hand after hand and watch my chances dwindle down the drain.

I'm sure your not doing this - but if your sitting back waiting for those hands you mentioned - your likely to get them cracked a calculated percentage of the time.
It's not a bad move to widen your range - NOT significantly like the commenter suggested below, but applying calculated pressure to middle stacks is a great way to chip up little by little and keep the pressure on while making your way into the money.
Sure everyone is waiting on premiums and sometimes they get cracked, but if you have a large stack you can apply pressure - in moderate doses - with hands that are not those top tier hands. Medium stacks can't risk playing with moderate hands - and shorties are jamming wide. Just avoid calling down light and you won't be busting as often.
I have to keep reminding myself of this point.

Apparently, by the end of the tournament, your game should also become more aggressive. I do not suggest you play with junk, however, the range of your hands should increase significantly.

Significantly - no - wider range with a big stack - yes - but if you widen significantly - you will be destined for a final placement somewhere not on the final table.

 

[Zirkzee]

Your goal can't just be to get into the prize money. Then you will give away potential because the big winnings are waiting in the final table. You have to find a good mix between survival and building a monster stack. The ICM takes into account, for example, if you are a midstack and win a big pot that you can probably play well into the prize money and thus take a higher profit. So your stack is worth more and you get the right odds for a call.

 

[LFC_yllnwa]

It shouldn't surprise you, when people go all-in with absolutely trash hands to survive.. This is a normal stage of the tournament and it needs to be experienced. You have to be especially careful in these situations and not succumb to quickly double your pot with good hands. I often see, when people play without problems QJ, KJ, KT, JT and other good, but not the best hands. Try to be more selective and be very attentive to your stack. Of course, throwing out QQ, KK, AA is very stupid and should not be done, but, when 2-3 short players are playing, throwing out KQ or AK is sometimes really useful Also, if possible, try to watch the flop and not immediately aggress all-in. Good luck

 

[fundiver199]

All these small stacks chip away at me and I'm losing on premium hands.

When stacks are short, the key to survival is stealing and restealing. So you should also be aggressive and move all in preflop, when the situation is right for it. If for instance it fold to you on BTN, and both players behind have 12-13BB stacks, then shove any decent hand and let them make a decision for their tournament life.

 

[Kenzie 96]

Sounds like you are describing pretty much any poker tournament, or for that matter, any competition. Poker is one of those competitions where study, experience & paying attention will increase your success rate but, it will not eliminate losing. High expectations are good, unreasonably high expectations lead to misery. No doubt you invest time & effort in improving your poker skills, why not put some of the same time & effort into learning to set & manage your expectations? Don't know about you but, most of the "successful" people I know enjoy their lives rather than sitting around complaining,

 

[TeUnit]

This is why ICM is useful to understand, I see players bubble diving every day and wonder why are they calling off with A6 against a tight player when they could do nothing and cash........ and on the other hand I see big stacks folding to short stacks that they should be running over on the bubble.

 

[MAGICUZ]

Change your playing style to a more aggressive one, sitting and waiting for a premium hand is not the case.At each stage of the tournament, you must change your style of play, otherwise you will still stand still

 

[fundiver199]

This session in the 30 day course might help OP and others, who struggle with bubble play. I also recommend watching the two sessions about ICM.

 

[CDNMAN 42]

The same

You know what really grinds my gears! Busting out of a tournament after spending hours grinding it out. And usually for me it happens late in the tournament where people start to play super aggressive because they haven't got much more than 10 bb. It only takes getting aces or kings cracked a couple times and losing a couple flips to be right in the same spot as everyone else. This always seems to happen to me. All these small stacks chip away at me and I'm losing on premium hands. Do I walk away from the table and float into the money, or do I sit and and continue to try to build a monster stack at the risk of losing it all. Seems as though I always get a slew of huge hands during this part of a tournament. Either I go deep with a huge stack or I get crushed hand after hand and watch my chances dwindle down the drain.

I totally understand as I have spent many hours grinding away to finally reach the final table and usually only 7 of the 9 get paid. This is when get a large pocket pair or AKs or such hands and decision time do I call an all in or fold and stick around past the bubble? I guess it boils down to “gambler or not” lol