My MTT Strategies

[Snowmobiler]

Yesterday (Sunday),was a normal day. No, I didnt win any tournaments ,in fact I didnt even cash.

My 1st tourney of the day was to be the $400 OFC tourney we won,which I really look forward to.The only problem was I worked out in the yard and garage and missed almost the 1st hour,and come in to find out I had blinded down to 540 chips .I rarely miss a tourney I plan to play.

Ok,The situation i find myself in,540 chips and as soon as my table pulls up I see my Pocket Rockets fold,how disappointing.There was a day when I would have got upset,maybe just clicked off and said "fudgeget about it"
(yes Fudgeget is a word and no, its not in the dictionary)

This time I sat down and analyzed my position and prepared my strategy to get back into the game.I look the table over and there were 3 other sitters.Just the break I need to gain chips over the next few rounds and try to build my stack.

With blinds at 50/100, My M was 3.5 or so (desparate).When Im in this situation,I need to win 1 pot per round of blinds at a minimium.If I can maintain this until I hit a decent pot,then I can get back in the tourney.

Soon,everyone folds to me on the button and I have KJ diamonds and a sitter in the sb.KJ is not normally a hand I want to play all-in but givin my situation,it looked like a great spot to gamble.The BB calls and i win and have 950.A little breating room,but not much. My M is up to 6 (desparate still)

Within a few hands I get AK,and the table folds to my raise.Then I get pocket 6s and table folds to my raise.I now have 1450 chips (M of 9) but I look to the tourney lobby and blinds are going up in less than a minute.My M is shrinking again,back to around 6.

I pushed in with a hand I can't remember and lost a flip and was out (yes Im getting older and forgetful)

Short stack play,and not giving up are critical ingrediants to fighting your way back into a tourney.This one didnt work out in my favor but sometimes it will.

I then played 1 of My favorite tourneys,the sunday night FT $5.50 buy-in.I love the structure,and my wife plays which I enjoy.

My wife and I are seated next to each other,which is rare that we are at the same table.I had kinda thought that the software was keeping us apart,but maybe not.

Some players (that I consider friends) give us a hard time,about weather we are in the same room or sharing info.I assure you we play each other as hard or harder than we play others.Someone wanted us to send a picture of our computers in different rooms,And I said in the chat "get pifan to send pictures in,he is the one that got her chips".

I had worked my way up to around 4500 chips when the following hand happened.1st position who had played pretty solid raises from 200 to 600 with a stack of 8000 and it folds to me (near the button) and I look down to find pocket Jacks.If I call,Ill have 3900 chips and position throughout the hand, but most flops are going to look bad to me.I can fold and wait for a better spot but that isnt going to win alot of tourneys.I could reraise and put pressure back on him,since the money bubble was approaching soon and he might fold to perserve his cash that he likely has in the bank.

I Push,He tanks and eventually He called with KQ and the flop had 2 Qs,so I had 2 outs on the turn and river.He wins the pot and the tourney (Big Congrats)

Im hoping he will respond in this thread what was going through his mind and get his perspective on things.Im going to PM him and see if he wants to participate in this thread.If not no biggie.

I didnt really feel sharp and was a bit tired from my day working in the yard,so I saved my bankroll and just railed a few people for a while and called it a day.Down $5.50 for the day,had a lot of fun!

GL in your tourney Lark,and enjoy yourself!



Snow

 

[ace2daface]

I had worked my way up to around 4500 chips when the following hand happened.1st position who had played pretty solid raises from 200 to 600 with a stack of 8000 and it folds to me (near the button) and I look down to find pocket Jacks.If I call,Ill have 3900 chips and position throughout the hand, but most flops are going to look bad to me.I can fold and wait for a better spot but that isnt going to win alot of tourneys.I could reraise and put pressure back on him,since the money bubble was approaching soon and he might fold to perserve his cash that he likely has in the bank.

I Push,He tanks and eventually He called with KQ and the flop had 2 Qs,so I had 2 outs on the turn and river.He wins the pot and the tourney (Big Congrats)

Snow

yeah, i was at your table for this hand and my thoughts were this...

I figured that you had a decent stack and were not pushing with anything less than QQ+ and AK (i thought JJ was very bottom of your range there 2b honest) because you did not need to and must admit i was surprised with the call by villian.

Question? ... exact same situation and you look down and see QQ, KK, AA

Are you playing post -flop poker instead?

 

[plainluck]

Where to begin????????? I too was in the $400 OFC freeroll yesterday. Had a fair stack. Got pocket jacks. Flop comes 9xx. I raise the pot. I think villain re-raised. (Memory problem). Turn comes up a blank. No straights, flushes, etc. in sight. Villain puts me all in. I expected at least a higher pocket pair and figured I would lose but took the chance. Imagine my surprise when he turned over A9. Thought I had it nailed. Of course an ace game up on the river (haha big surprise). My problem is not the ace on the river (well yes it is, but this is a constant), but how villain could go all in with a pair of nines when I either raised or called every bet. ALL IN WITH A PAIR OF NINES??????????????? What would you have done?

 

[Snowmobiler]

yeah, i was at your table for this hand and my thoughts were this...

I figured that you had a decent stack and were not pushing with anything less than QQ+ and AK (i thought JJ was very bottom of your range there 2b honest) because you did not need to and must admit i was surprised with the call by villian.

Question? ... exact same situation and you look down and see QQ, KK, AA

Are you playing post -flop poker instead?

I vary my play at times,as I sit here and think about this question now,I think I would of:

AA- I think i make it 1600 to go.I want to commit him as much as I can, to doubling me up,and this raise seems about right to me.He would only have to put 3000 more chips in the pot post flop, and I think it might of been a tough fold with any kind of hand.I am definately putting my stack in post flop regardless.

KK- I really dont like giving a weak ace a chance to flop top pair,and would find it very tough to fold if I made the same raise as with aces.I more than likely shove and make him decide what to do.

QQ- This is my hardest choice of the 3,The most likely holding of initial raiser is AK (due to the amount of ways to make AK and the likelyhood someone raises from 1st position with it.If I call,and no ace/king comes,I can push after the flop.I also can push my stack in pre.The only thing Im not going to do is make the raise like I did with aces and give them a chance to out-flop me and have me commited to putting the rest of my chips anyway.Stack sizes,player image,blinds ect will make my decision.
I think my final decision would have been to push with the QQ but it is close.I really like to take a pot down post flop with an overpair to the board, and keep overcards from getting me on the turn or river.I think he lays down if no A/K flops but I thought he would of laid down KQ pre-flop to my all-in,so Im not even sure he folds post flop when he blanks.

JJ was the very bottom of my range here,correct.

Great question Ace!


Snow

 

[Snowmobiler]

Where to begin????????? I too was in the $400 OFC freeroll yesterday. Had a fair stack. Got pocket jacks. Flop comes 9xx. I raise the pot. I think villain re-raised. (Memory problem). Turn comes up a blank. No straights, flushes, etc. in sight. Villain puts me all in. I expected at least a higher pocket pair and figured I would lose but took the chance. Imagine my surprise when he turned over A9. Thought I had it nailed. Of course an ace game up on the river (haha big surprise). My problem is not the ace on the river (well yes it is, but this is a constant), but how villain could go all in with a pair of nines when I either raised or called every bet. ALL IN WITH A PAIR OF NINES??????????????? What would you have done?

Ok,you got unlucky,not the end of the world.These things happen.Shrug it off and go get them again.

As for the situation we are kind of light on facts so I am going to approach this from a general point of view.

Stack sizes and blinds are very important here and could cause me to go anywhere from fold to all-in.Pocket Jacks are tricky to play (maybe the trickiest hand).
When I raise with pkt Js (pre), and I get re-raised this is cause for great concern.If I have a nice stack and like my table I am going to let them go quite often (fold).I am usually no better than a flip here and often dominated.This really is a pot odds decision and game situation decision.

Hang in there and you will end up with the chips in that exact situation quite often!



Snow

 

[plainluck]

Ok,you got unlucky,not the end of the world.These things happen.Shrug it off and go get them again.

As for the situation we are kind of light on facts so I am going to approach this from a general point of view.

Stack sizes and blinds are very important here and could cause me to go anywhere from fold to all-in.Pocket Jacks are tricky to play (maybe the trickiest hand).
When I raise with pkt Js (pre), and I get re-raised this is cause for great concern.If I have a nice stack and like my table I am going to let them go quite often (fold).I am usually no better than a flip here and often dominated.This really is a pot odds decision and game situation decision.

Hang in there and you will end up with the chips in that exact situation quite often!



Snow

OK. I understand the jacks thing and I was willing to take the chance obviously, but I guess my real question was would you have gone all in with a pair of nines on the turn?

 

[Snowmobiler]

OK. I understand the jacks thing and I was willing to take the chance obviously, but I guess my real question was would you have gone all in with a pair of nines on the turn?

I just dont have enough information regarding position, chip stacks,blind levels,raising ranges ect. to give a honest answer.As I said,I could fold,go all in,or bet something inbetween.

Thanks for your question,and I dont really think i can answer it any more thoroughly.



Snow

 

[plainluck]

I just dont have enough information regarding position, chip stacks,blind levels,raising ranges ect. to give a honest answer.As I said,I could fold,go all in,or bet something inbetween.

Thanks for your question,and I dont really think i can answer it any more thoroughly.



Snow

I don't remember all the details you need, but thank you for trying.

 

[JoeShowdown]

I then played 1 of My favorite tourneys,the sunday night FT $5.50 buy-in.I love the structure,and my wife plays which I enjoy.

My wife and I are seated next to each other,which is rare that we are at the same table.I had kinda thought that the software was keeping us apart,but maybe not.

Some players (that I consider friends) give us a hard time,about weather we are in the same room or sharing info.I assure you we play each other as hard or harder than we play others.Someone wanted us to send a picture of our computers in different rooms,And I said in the chat "get pifan to send pictures in,he is the one that got her chips".

Snow

I was only kidding with you snow. To get this back on point of strategy: I also limp in with big pairs on occasion in the early levels. I noticed you did this and won a very nice pot to get to 3k real quick. However, you took it to another level because someone already limped in front, then you with QQ also limp, I think someone with AK raised it and it goes back to you headsup out of position and you called it. Smooth move

 

[Snowmobiler]

I was only kidding with you snow. To get this back on point of strategy: I also limp in with big pairs on occasion in the early levels. I noticed you did this and won a very nice pot to get to 3k real quick. However, you took it to another level because someone already limped in front, then you with QQ also limp, I think someone with AK raised it and it goes back to you headsup out of position and you called it. Smooth move

Tx Joe,

I remember the hand well,as the guy that pushed all his chips in after missing his straight draw on the river decided to berate me for my limp with QQ.I ask him to post here in a nice way,but he didnt yet.

I dont like limping Aces and rarely Kings.

Qs and any other pair,especially from an early position are a potential limp hand.I really like to see what action I get behind me and can weigh what to do when the action returns to me.In this case I had a couple of newbies and a couple of strong players right behind me and a couple of unknowns.The limper in front of me,I had determined that I could likely stack him.So I decided to disguise the strength of my hand.

The AK raises and it folds back to me.I think the blinds were 15/30 and he raised to 150 or so and I call .The flop was pretty good for me,all undercards to my pair so I check to the raiser and he makes a bet of 320 I believe, and I call.The board was J 10 3 rainbow i believe.I really felt that his turn action would tell me where he was at in the hand.I checked and he checked.I was sure I had the best hand and when a 2 came on the river,I was sure i had the winning hand.Now, How do I get the most out of him.I played the hand so weak I thought he could easily bluff the river since he C-bet the flop.Low and behold he shoves and I insta-call and double up.

I LOVE when they make a bad play and berate me in the chat,big LOL

I use this play to mix things up and not necessarily often.I like to raise my pairs pre-flop,but as always,I like to use the information at the table to my best advantage.

I really played this hand conservatively pre-flop,and maximised my winnings post flop with the least amount of risk as possible.
1 for the good guys!

Regarding teasing of me and my wife,there are several that do it and i take it in stride and as a joke.I assume if someone really thought we were doing anything against the rules,we would get reported.



Snow

 

[8Michael3]

Nice thread Big Dawg... I'm going on holiday soon and wont be playing poker for about a month (no internet). When I get back I'm sure there will be more great advice in this thread.

I do have One Question though: What do you consider before you three bet as a re-steal? What kind of minimum range do you need before you do it and against what kind of opponent? Ive only played a handful of games with ya but I have yet to see you three bet without AA or KK.

Thanx dude.

 

[Snowmobiler]

Nice thread Big Dawg... I'm going on holiday soon and wont be playing poker for about a month (no internet). When I get back I'm sure there will be more great advice in this thread.

I do have One Question though: What do you consider before you three bet as a re-steal? What kind of minimum range do you need before you do it and against what kind of opponent? Ive only played a handful of games with ya but I have yet to see you three bet without AA or KK.

Thanx dude.

I rarely 3-bet steal.It is a low probability play imo and in tournaments is a bad play in low level tourneys.Late in a tourney if it folds to the small blind and he raises,I will occasionally (with no one else left to act behind me) re steal.Again,its a high risk low reward play at the levels I play at.

Thanks for the question and look forward to chatting when you return from your holiday!


Snow

 

[Snowmobiler]

I would be curious to have Joe ShowDown talk about his strategies as far as shoving his stack in MTTs.

What do you want to share Joe?



Snow

 

[Kenzie 96]

Hey Snow, very nice thread. I'm going to be playing very little, if at all until after the 15th, but when I get back am looking forward to giving this a serious read. That's assuming, of course, that by then you haven't blown your roll & given up the game. https://www.cardschat.com/images/smilies/smile.gif. Continued success to you & see you down the road.

 

[JoeShowdown]

I would be curious to have Joe ShowDown talk about his strategies as far as shoving his stack in MTTs.

What do you want to share Joe?



Snow

I do shove a lot and there is a method to my madness I don't like being reraised so I put them allin to begin with. This way they realize they will have to win the showdown and can't get me to fold my reraising. I figure that some people will fold hands like kq, middle aces, low pairs that they otherwise would have called or shoved with. Say I'm in late position and have 10 bb. I'd rather shove allin with acequeen or something than raise 3bb and get put allin by any hand because aq isn't ahead of much.

I really go crazy when everyone folds to me in the smallblind. I'll shove with a ton of hands rather than calling or folding if either myself or the bb has 6bb or less. I'll go allin with any hand I assume to be better than a random hand so I'll shove with qhigh or jack9suited.

The bubble time is my favorite part of the mtt especially if I have more chips than the 2 people to my left. Then I can put them allin knowing that they will fold a ton of hands. For example, last night in a bodog tourney I was chip leader at my table and 2 more had to get eliminated before the cash. 11 left and 9 paid. I was shoving allin every SINGLE hand lol. I went allin with 58off and got called by the blind's KK. Flop 58ace and my hand holds. I didn't hear the end of that one until I busted out 6th and closed the table lol.

 

[Snowmobiler]

I do shove a lot and there is a method to my madness I don't like being reraised so I put them allin to begin with. This way they realize they will have to win the showdown and can't get me to fold my reraising. I figure that some people will fold hands like kq, middle aces, low pairs that they otherwise would have called or shoved with. Say I'm in late position and have 10 bb. I'd rather shove allin with acequeen or something than raise 3bb and get put allin by any hand because aq isn't ahead of much.

I really go crazy when everyone folds to me in the smallblind. I'll shove with a ton of hands rather than calling or folding if either myself or the bb has 6bb or less. I'll go allin with any hand I assume to be better than a random hand so I'll shove with qhigh or jack9suited.

The bubble time is my favorite part of the mtt especially if I have more chips than the 2 people to my left. Then I can put them allin knowing that they will fold a ton of hands. For example, last night in a bodog tourney I was chip leader at my table and 2 more had to get eliminated before the cash. 11 left and 9 paid. I was shoving allin every SINGLE hand lol. I went allin with 58off and got called by the blind's KK. Flop 58ace and my hand holds. I didn't hear the end of that one until I busted out 6th and closed the table lol.

Great post Joe,and shows the power of having chips in a MTT and I completely agree with your push strategys.



Snow

 

[Snowmobiler]

I want to make an extra effort to invite winning MTT players to post successful strategys that you imploy or hands that you found interesting.



Thanks

Snow

 

[pifan]

I want to make an extra effort to invite winning MTT players to post successful strategys that you imploy or hands that you found interesting.



Thanks

Snow

dammit that means i cant add to this thread

 

[Snowmobiler]

dammit that means i cant add to this thread

19 time Challange Champions are included!

Its your lucky day


Edit:all are more than welcome to participate!

Snow

 

[ace2daface]

What do you think of this post by Egon? Personally i think it describes the final stages/table of MTT well. Is it close to the way you play it?

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/tournament-poker-59/

 

[Snowmobiler]

I think this post is brilliant and a must read for MTT players.I had never seen this before now,and wish I had! If you can put this strategy into action at the final table,then you stand a great chance to be standing alone on top!

All of this advice is the basis of what I do in a nutshell!
Thanks to Egon for a great post!


Snow

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/tournament-poker-59/

 

[Snowmobiler]

After reading Egons Final Table strategy post,it fired me up to try to put into words my strategys heads-up.

My style is best described as aggression on the edge.

My top 3 suggestions HU is:

#1. Bet constantly at your opponant

#2. Bet constantly at your opponant

#3. Bet constantly at your opponant

Ok, if you can do these 3 things ,then you are well on your way to winning your share when you get HU.

Why constantly bet HU?

Putting Pressure on your opponant is critical in HU play.I can't tell you how many times I get heads up with someone, and they fold until they get a good hand.This is a big Mistake!

To me HU is like a boxing match.Most of the time the guy that throws the most punches wins the fight.Also though,If you throw alot of punches and none hit there target,then the other guy likely wins.

We have been taught that having the button and acting last is a big advantage and its true.When I get HU I use being out of position (1st to act) as a weapon by raising often.Now how much to raise?

We need to calculate ours and our opponants M. OH THAT AGAIN? YES

When you and your opponants M is greater than 20,then standard 2.5 to 3 times the blinds is a standard raise and you can play aggressive poker.If your M is around 10 or less then I suggest pushing your stack in.

If your opponants M is less than 10,then I push my top 70%- 80% of my hands or so.Hands like 89s or pocket 3s,any 2 suited cards ect.Everytime you can make your opponant fold,then its to your advantage.You are trying to beat your opponant chip stack into the ground .When he finally makes a stand you may be behind,and may have to get lucky the last hand but even if he doubles,you go right back to pounding away.

Will you win every time? -no
Will people call you an idiot? -yes
Will you care that they call you an idiot when you Win -no
Will you win more often than you lose? -yes, as you become proficient in short handed play and gain confidence

When I get HU, often the 1st hand I set the tone for the match with M of 20 or less.When my opponant raises the 1st hand ,I assume they are playing as you are suppose to and raised with a wide range. I push my stack in with any 2 cards and put them to a decision.Most of the time they fold and I have taken control of the match and put there standard raise strategy in a bind. I cant tell you how many times they quit raiseing and start limping and letting me see flops with my junk hands in position.This is a giant mistake on thier part and I gain an incredible advantage.

As always, you have to figure out what your opponant is doing and mess there plan up.I am going to give examples of actual things I see as we go and get into specific hands.

One thing to keep in mind,I am not a pro player or even close.I have developed a style that works more often than not.I am simply trying to give Mtt players a good starting point!



Snow

 

[ace2daface]

Nice post Snow. Glad Egons post (which i thought you wud appreciate) inspired you to write about heads-up.

A few further questions.

Do you take notes on the players you meet in Mtts? (you may have mentioned this in previous posts and im sorry if you have- fish memory FTL)

What about the players you meet on a regular basis in cc tourneys? How do you adapt? Have you ever noticed them adapt to you?


What would the major adaptions you would make(if any) if you were to play one of the big sunday tourneys?

Would you consider yourself patient and how important is patience in the MTT arsenal?

 

[silverfox432]

Limped Q's

I'm the guy who had AK on Sunday.... I think I played it badly... should have just called the river as you've pointed out in previous post, but sometimes we all play the donk

As to me berating you if you thought that I'm sorry, I questioned limping with Q's and made a sarcastic comment ... again sorry if you felt berated

As for the limp I just can't agree that limping with big PP's is a correct move, you could easily have been called by small PP's or A rag who either hit a set or spike an A on the flop you would then have to throw your Q's away, however if you'd have raised pre they may not have called narrowing the number of players in the pot giving your Q's more chance of winning.

I've looked up your stats on Top Shark and it looks like you play alot of SnG is this not a stratagy that would suit SnG rather than MTT ?

Any way well done on the hand... I've made note so I wont get caught again!!

Just a thought

 

[Snowmobiler]

I'm the guy who had AK on Sunday.... I think I played it badly... should have just called the river as you've pointed out in previous post, but sometimes we all play the donk

As to me berating you if you thought that I'm sorry, I questioned limping with Q's and made a sarcastic comment ... again sorry if you felt berated

As for the limp I just can't agree that limping with big PP's is a correct move, you could easily have been called by small PP's or A rag who either hit a set or spike an A on the flop you would then have to throw your Q's away, however if you'd have raised pre they may not have called narrowing the number of players in the pot giving your Q's more chance of winning.

I've looked up your stats on Top Shark and it looks like you play alot of SnG is this not a stratagy that would suit SnG rather than MTT ?

Any way well done on the hand... I've made note so I wont get caught again!!

Just a thought

Thanks for posting Silverfox,

1st,alot gets lost in chat as far as intention of someone.Berate may be a harsh word.Either way,no hard feelings and I welcome your input and consider you a good player.

I use to play alot of sngs,but honestly felt I had learned as much as I was going to and swapped to MTTs well over a year ago.

My stratagies are things that have worked for me.I believe in my post that I said toward the end of it that I will usually raise pre-flop with PP,however mixing up your play and causing confusion to your opponant is critical.If I know how you play,it becomes quite difficult to beat me imo.

Im curious if I raise you with my Qs,do you reraise with your AK?I would enjoy playing this out in this thread with you if you are up for it?

I want opposing viewpoints,not to the point of arguing since there is no right or wrong imo.

Thanks for posting!

Snow