garibe
Rock Star
Bronze Level
I had the same problem when I started studying,
The first thing is, dont focus on freerolls even if you play them the majority of the time (which is what I do, due to the lack of time I have).
Strategies for MTTs is what we need to focus, because applying the basics IS having a freeroll strategy = play sound basic mtt poker.
Basic MTT strategy:
1 - Learn about the different phases of the tournament:
- There are early stages, mid and late. You need to adjust your game based on it for the next steps.
2 - Learn about Opening Ranges:
- In the beginning, it was terrible for me to understand. But, thinking ranges make you start your game better.
- Ranges are based on positions. There are variables that will make you change your flop approach depending on the villains actions pre-flop. That helps a lot.
- Stack based ranges (needed to adapt during the different tournament stages).
Now you have two basic steps to start your studies:
- MTT structure and how to apply your starting ranges there.
I am assuming that you are very new to MTTs, so that is my suggestion where to start.
From this point, you can start gathering more info on it to study. Like I said, playing sound basic poke in freerolls puts you ahead on the game but it wont make you win.
Then, after being used to ranges you will have a base to improve your flop plays and more complex situations. It is basically being patient. Studying the situations that happens the most with you and definitely review hands that you felt uncomfortable playing or did not know how to play.
Hope it helps, I was completely lost when I get back on playing online.
The first thing is, dont focus on freerolls even if you play them the majority of the time (which is what I do, due to the lack of time I have).
Strategies for MTTs is what we need to focus, because applying the basics IS having a freeroll strategy = play sound basic mtt poker.
Basic MTT strategy:
1 - Learn about the different phases of the tournament:
- There are early stages, mid and late. You need to adjust your game based on it for the next steps.
2 - Learn about Opening Ranges:
- In the beginning, it was terrible for me to understand. But, thinking ranges make you start your game better.
- Ranges are based on positions. There are variables that will make you change your flop approach depending on the villains actions pre-flop. That helps a lot.
- Stack based ranges (needed to adapt during the different tournament stages).
Now you have two basic steps to start your studies:
- MTT structure and how to apply your starting ranges there.
I am assuming that you are very new to MTTs, so that is my suggestion where to start.
From this point, you can start gathering more info on it to study. Like I said, playing sound basic poke in freerolls puts you ahead on the game but it wont make you win.
Then, after being used to ranges you will have a base to improve your flop plays and more complex situations. It is basically being patient. Studying the situations that happens the most with you and definitely review hands that you felt uncomfortable playing or did not know how to play.
Hope it helps, I was completely lost when I get back on playing online.
eetenor
Legend
Platinum Level
Thank you for posting
You are missing a card on the table A792_? If your opponent won that last card is a 7 or 8
Hope this helps
eetenor
Legend
Platinum Level
Thank you for posting
Step 1 preflop hand charts position by position. Free online just google search for them.
What cards do we open and what cards do we call or raise an open based on the above charts.
This is your foundation for beginning poker work hard on this and post flop becomes much easier.
There are threads here on C C for playing free rolls look for the common mistakes type threads and avoid those mistakes.
Hope this helps
Akuana
Rock Star
Silver Level
Thanks! Yes, I already learned about preflop positions and how to act depending on the cards received and the position.
I think the next step is to study the style of play at different stages of the tournament, following your advice.
In the late game, I usually get scared of big bets and start folding a lot, losing my chances.
Luan
Legend
Bronze Level
eetenor
Legend
Platinum Level
Good job sharing more info.
"I usually get scared of big bets and start folding a lot"
Fear blossoms when knowledge is missing.
This once again indicates that working on ranges and how to refine them post flop will help you.
If you have a strong estimate of what ranges your Villains may have you will know better how to respond to big bets by them. The more you let data guide your actions the less fear will effect your actions.
Take the time to look at 40bb 25bb 15bb GTO charts for all positions.
If you have access to the hands you folded out of fear look at them specifically with the charts.
Hope this helps
Fanat001
Rising Star
Bronze Level
I know things like kicker, but here's another position I don't uI have K3 at opponent KQ on the table 7KK9A and he wins although in my opinion the win is divided equally because Kicker ace on the table. Or am I wrongnderstand
Akuana
Rock Star
Silver Level
Thank you. I think I'll get to it. I don't want to spend a lot of money on the game just yet and I'm just getting into the basics for now. But a little later I plan to definitely try myself in cash games and buy-in tournaments.
Good job sharing more info.
"I usually get scared of big bets and start folding a lot"
Fear blossoms when knowledge is missing.
This once again indicates that working on ranges and how to refine them post flop will help you.
If you have a strong estimate of what ranges your Villains may have you will know better how to respond to big bets by them. The more you let data guide your actions the less fear will effect your actions.
Take the time to look at 40bb 25bb 15bb GTO charts for all positions.
If you have access to the hands you folded out of fear look at them specifically with the charts.
Hope this helps
Thank you. I will definitely study the GTO charts for the different stages.
But preflop, I get it. It is not entirely clear how to proceed postflop. I didn't find clear instructions. Calculating your winning percentage every time is too difficult.
It's not clear how much to risk if the flop hits top pair, for example, but there's a chance your opponent will hit a flush or straight.
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PatriceM915
Visionary
Bronze Level
Hello Friend.
In free tournaments there are a huge amount of players who risk their chips to double up right at the beginning. One strategy is to go when you have a game and analyze your opponents before having action at the table. Playing calmly helps too.
In free tournaments there are a huge amount of players who risk their chips to double up right at the beginning. One strategy is to go when you have a game and analyze your opponents before having action at the table. Playing calmly helps too.
nuttea
Visionary
Bronze Level
Determine your opponents' playing style There are two main types of opponents: loose and tight. Loose players often enter the game, their range includes both premium hands and marginal and marginal hands. Tight opponents use the starting hand chart and play exclusively on it, which shifts their range towards very strong hole cards. They can be aggressive or passive in the way they play. Aggressive players enter the game exclusively by raising and 3-betting, while passive players prefer to limp and call.Tight ABC play will help you start making money at the micros. But in order to move up the limits, these basic tactics are not enough. Even at medium stakes, your opponents will easily read you and will not let you win.
eetenor
Legend
Platinum Level
Thank you for responding
As top the above first
K3 finishes with the hand AKKK7
KQ has AKKKQ the Q plays
As to why a Player would have K3 vs KQ preflop that has to do with ranges and why we would be folding K3 not calling with it or raising.
Hope this helps.
eetenor
Legend
Platinum Level
Thank you for responding.
Using ranges preflop then allows us to refine ranges post flop. Again only as a baseline as some players play any two cards
Example
UTG opens for 2.5bb on a 25bb stackwe are in BB and call with xx
The flop is 542R we check and UTG bets.
Using a standard GTO chart preflop range we know that the UTG has no sets or straights on this board and no 2 pair.
We however have all the sets and all the straights and 2 pair hands on this board based on our BB GTO call range.
Therefore the UTG best hand is an over pair only. That means we attack the UTG bet using GTO range as our guide.
Our hand does not matter as long as theUTG is not a calling station they will fold more often even AA if we XR then Jam Turn.
That is why knowing the preflop range is soo important to how we play the rest of the hand.
Even if the UTG checks to protect AA we can lead turn or check raise jam turns on many cards vs a skilled player because of how strong our range is vs UTG on this board.
If you take the time to look at hands you have played for review and have the GTO charts open you will better understand how those charts effect post flop play.
In the above example if we make a set or straight and we know the UTG is a solid player we know that we cannot just jam and get payed. That is based on ranges as well.
We also know a good player may min bet flop check back turn so we know not to over slow play the nuts as we will not get a turn bet. So ranges help us to know how to play our hands post flop as well.
It is hard work to learn to think about range interaction and Villain actions but it is what pays off in game.
Hope this helps
M
moularaki
Visionary
Bronze Level
if you want to learn on how to play see the advices on CC and play real money MTT and not freerolls
your game will improve a lot by learning from your mistakes and one more thing, don't slow roll you good hands because anyone can follow you and win it
your game will improve a lot by learning from your mistakes and one more thing, don't slow roll you good hands because anyone can follow you and win it
T
TomCj
Rock Star
Bronze Level
Play Tight
My best advice for beginners is to play very "tight",
meaning don't play weak hands, and
wait for premium hands to come
fold to big bets unless you have a huge hand or "the Nuts"
You will occasionally miss a win when folding low cards
Don't get sucked in to burning your stack
trying to hit these occasional low wins
Also resist the urge to go all-in preflop
unless you have Aces or Faces, paired
These can also be beat,
so you have to decide whether to take the "coin flip"
You will want to wait
until you have a stack established to take the risk,
so you aren't completely busted if you lose
Pay attention to other players actions
to see if you can pattern them,
and take advantage of a bluff when you are holding "the Nuts"
Stay focused, play tight, and, with luck,
you might make it to the money, or even win!
TC
My best advice for beginners is to play very "tight",
meaning don't play weak hands, and
wait for premium hands to come
fold to big bets unless you have a huge hand or "the Nuts"
You will occasionally miss a win when folding low cards
Don't get sucked in to burning your stack
trying to hit these occasional low wins
Also resist the urge to go all-in preflop
unless you have Aces or Faces, paired
These can also be beat,
so you have to decide whether to take the "coin flip"
You will want to wait
until you have a stack established to take the risk,
so you aren't completely busted if you lose
Pay attention to other players actions
to see if you can pattern them,
and take advantage of a bluff when you are holding "the Nuts"
Stay focused, play tight, and, with luck,
you might make it to the money, or even win!
TC
Akuana
Rock Star
Silver Level
Thank you for responding.
Using ranges preflop then allows us to refine ranges post flop. Again only as a baseline as some players play any two cards
Example
UTG opens for 2.5bb on a 25bb stackwe are in BB and call with xx
The flop is 542R we check and UTG bets.
Using a standard GTO chart preflop range we know that the UTG has no sets or straights on this board and no 2 pair.
We however have all the sets and all the straights and 2 pair hands on this board based on our BB GTO call range.
Therefore the UTG best hand is an over pair only. That means we attack the UTG bet using GTO range as our guide.
Our hand does not matter as long as theUTG is not a calling station they will fold more often even AA if we XR then Jam Turn.
That is why knowing the preflop range is soo important to how we play the rest of the hand.
Even if the UTG checks to protect AA we can lead turn or check raise jam turns on many cards vs a skilled player because of how strong our range is vs UTG on this board.
If you take the time to look at hands you have played for review and have the GTO charts open you will better understand how those charts effect post flop play.
In the above example if we make a set or straight and we know the UTG is a solid player we know that we cannot just jam and get payed. That is based on ranges as well.
We also know a good player may min bet flop check back turn so we know not to over slow play the nuts as we will not get a turn bet. So ranges help us to know how to play our hands post flop as well.
It is hard work to learn to think about range interaction and Villain actions but it is what pays off in game.
Hope this helps
Thanks for the extended answer.
I will follow your advice.
So far, even many terms are incomprehensible to me and I have to google a lot.
I tried to play like this in tournaments. But this often ends up with me rarely being dealt good combos and eventually my entire stack vanishes.
Is it useful, probably in cash games? Does this apply in tournaments when the stakes go up?
Thank you. I myself am still playing with the chart of starting hands. It's the only thing I actually use in the game so far.
I understand, thanks.
I will try to switch to micro limits. Although with my tiny bankroll it's dangerous.
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N
nutself
Rock Star
Bronze Level
Because in freerolls there are a lot of light all-ins, we need to play more hands such as suited connectors that might survive multiple opponents' attack and became the big stack, then we can have an easier time playing.
eetenor
Legend
Platinum Level
If you have a tiny bankroll and are at the stage of having to google what we are referring to then staying in the freerolls is fine. You can play in a lot of freerolls here on CC and you can build your bankroll to 1k doing just that. It takes more time but as you are in the beginning stages of learning time is your friend.
C
Clutchdenier
Rock Star
Bronze Level
Most have covered the main points - dont apply freeroll players as part of your analysis of hands and your playing style - There is no cost to playing like a maniac when their is no cost for the loss.
You should be using a strategy for any format of poker - the more in depth you get about concepts such as position, ranges, equity, no. of players per table and so on - you will start to realise what you are effective at and what needs improving
You should be using a strategy for any format of poker - the more in depth you get about concepts such as position, ranges, equity, no. of players per table and so on - you will start to realise what you are effective at and what needs improving