Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
Poker Orifice
FoolsTilt
Platinum Level
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
I guess that counts me out.... sigh....
Agile Beauce
Rock Star
Silver Level
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
I guess that counts me out.... sigh....
You didnt get 8 wins on your signature line without having some good strategys
.I invite you personally to give your best shot here and I look forward to your post!Share one or more of your secrets :joyman:
Snow
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
Taking a break!
I took today off from Poker, other than reading and posting a bit on CC.
Why would I take time off when things seem to be going well for me?
I firmly believe that your mind needs rest and periodic breaks from the game.Some of my worst downswings to my bankroll was when I played to much and didn't recognize that I wasn't playing my best game and also using my bankroll unwisely.
So I wanted to share some thoughts and guidelines that work for me, minimizing my loses during times when it seems everything is going against you.Yes,I have bad runs just like everyone although I do everything possible to avoid them,and I havnt had one in a while.
When things are going against me, I reduce the limit that I am playing and play fewer tables.If I continue to run bad then I will usually prefer to get away from the game. but if I really want to play, then I enter one $1 tourney and experiment with different playing styles.Even when I was 12 tabling $5.50 sngs, I could feel when my play and luck just were working against me,I would take a break for a couple of days or play $1 maybe $2 tourney.
I know good players that raise the stakes they play trying to get back to even or just get upset and keep losing more and sometimes all their money they have online.
You have to have self control to be a long term winning player imo.
Take regular breaks from the game and especially if your account is dropping.I use to write down my wins and loses after every session just to keep very close track of my bankroll.When you do that you can see whats happening,then its a matter of self control.
When you are mad or have something that you are worried about,these are great reasons to save your bankroll for when you feel fresh and sharp.I wrote in another post that playing tired is extremely bad for the bankroll.
I will substatute reading about poker instead of playing sometimes also.
I really think its best to get away,but limiting your risk is 2nd best!
Snow
I took today off from Poker, other than reading and posting a bit on CC.
Why would I take time off when things seem to be going well for me?
I firmly believe that your mind needs rest and periodic breaks from the game.Some of my worst downswings to my bankroll was when I played to much and didn't recognize that I wasn't playing my best game and also using my bankroll unwisely.
So I wanted to share some thoughts and guidelines that work for me, minimizing my loses during times when it seems everything is going against you.Yes,I have bad runs just like everyone although I do everything possible to avoid them,and I havnt had one in a while.
When things are going against me, I reduce the limit that I am playing and play fewer tables.If I continue to run bad then I will usually prefer to get away from the game. but if I really want to play, then I enter one $1 tourney and experiment with different playing styles.Even when I was 12 tabling $5.50 sngs, I could feel when my play and luck just were working against me,I would take a break for a couple of days or play $1 maybe $2 tourney.
I know good players that raise the stakes they play trying to get back to even or just get upset and keep losing more and sometimes all their money they have online.
You have to have self control to be a long term winning player imo.
Take regular breaks from the game and especially if your account is dropping.I use to write down my wins and loses after every session just to keep very close track of my bankroll.When you do that you can see whats happening,then its a matter of self control.
When you are mad or have something that you are worried about,these are great reasons to save your bankroll for when you feel fresh and sharp.I wrote in another post that playing tired is extremely bad for the bankroll.
I will substatute reading about poker instead of playing sometimes also.
I really think its best to get away,but limiting your risk is 2nd best!
Snow
Maid Marian
RIP Baby BooBoo
Silver Level
Thanks once again Snow for your fantastic thread. I read every item & try to fit it into my own game. I know it will take me time to become a truly good poker player, but I am totally willing to let time take me in hand. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is the player that I wish to be! Keep up the great work...but take the time you need to refresh yourself. Take care! MM
A
AAChipMagnet
Visionary
Silver Level
Great thread! I would just like to re-emphasize what Snow said about playing in 9 person SnGs. Playing in these and learning to place or even win consistently is invaluable when you hit the final table. Also, rest is very important and being fresh and not intoxicated is some of the best advice I've heard yet on this site. Don't forget that it is also very important to limit the number of things you have going on during a tourny. Many have animals or children or both that can definitely interfere with concentration. Many also watch TV or listen to music while playing. If it works for you, great. If you think you are being distracted too often during play and it is affecting your results, you should do something about it such as set aside time for play or getting all your chores, etc. done before the game begins.
PC69
Legend
Silver Level
Well Iam gonna keep plugging away.. Every MTT lately Ive got this thread in the backround. Iam using everything Ive been reading and its improving my game.. Just wish in the bigger ones I could get a little farther. But thats ok. Ill keep plugging away. Posting this to say thanks to snowmobiler for helping me impove. The first is the screeny of how i went out.. We got it in preflop and I think being the bottom stack on the table I have to shove this here. Cant win every race.
PC69
Legend
Silver Level
C
cesarrr88
Rising Star
Bronze Level
I have a question
Usually i play really tight in the begining of a tournament and wait for a premium hand. I usually double up and do great or the blinds move up and by the time i catch AK or AA most players will call with any two cards and im still under chip average?
How loose should i be playing in the begining should i call all in PF with
AJ and 10 10
Usually i play really tight in the begining of a tournament and wait for a premium hand. I usually double up and do great or the blinds move up and by the time i catch AK or AA most players will call with any two cards and im still under chip average?
How loose should i be playing in the begining should i call all in PF with
AJ and 10 10
Worak
Legend
Bronze Level
You won't get an easy answer here because it depends......
Calling all ins should only be done when you're quite sure you're crushing opponents range in the early stages, preferably heads-up.
AJos rarely dominates any hand willing to shove - 1010 is better but you will often only be marginally ahead in a near coinflip situation (against AK, AQ, AJ, KQ, KJ, QJ or crushed by AA,KK,QQ,JJ)
There are more things to consider, but it's 1 am here an I'm too tired so someone else will have to answer.
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
Playing to tight in the beginning and letting your chipstack dwindle is a common mistake,and calling all-ins with pocket 10s or AJ is usually a mistake also unless he cant hurt your stack or you are so short that you need to play.Other than that fold those hands pre-flop to an all-in.
You cant let yourself blind down much before you need to start winning some pots.
Snow
StormRaven
Cardschat Elite
Silver Level
Snow, I wanted to post again to let you know of a few things:
I am still following this thread and enjoy it.
I find myself inspired to try new styles yet again.
I've told you this before (in pm's) but I wanted to publicly say that I am impressed with your thought processes. If every player thought this deeply in each hand they played, then there would be a lot more tougher competition out there!
Keep up the good work!
I am still following this thread and enjoy it.
I find myself inspired to try new styles yet again.
I've told you this before (in pm's) but I wanted to publicly say that I am impressed with your thought processes. If every player thought this deeply in each hand they played, then there would be a lot more tougher competition out there!
Keep up the good work!
SavagePenguin
Put the win in penguin
Bronze Level
What is your definition of premium?
Hand values change according to position, and the action you've seen in the hand, and the action likely to happen after you. That is, you might muck A/J under the gun, but open with K/T from the cutoff.
Chips have value in the game because they give you power and options.
However, your tournament life has significant value as well. So while it's often worth risking chips to get chips, it might not be worth risking your tournament life to get chips. That is, I either need to be desperate or feel that I have a significant advantage before I'll go all-in.
If you have any skill advantage on your opposition you want to be around to use that advantage over and over again. Coin flips deny you that advantage.
A/J is almost always worse than a coin flip when anything but a short stack shoves pre-flop. At low limit games, T/T might be even money.
So fold that crap unless a desperate short stack, or a maniac made the shove.
In the early stages of a tournament your stack to blinds ratio is high, and there are still a lot of not-so-good players in the game. These players will overplay their top-pair'ish hands. These two factors combine to make drawing hands more valuable. So if I can get in cheap (opening to 2.5 bb's or calling 3 bb's or whatever) I'm opening or calling with any pocket pair, hoping to hit a set or maybe take it on a raggy flop that's likely to help the villain.
As the blinds become more significant in relationship to your stack, prospecting with drawing hands becomes less profitable. But when you become a short stack (fold-or-shove mode) these drawing hands become playable again (as semi bluffs) because you're hoping for a fold or to get lucky.
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
Make one of your goals to focus on the ideas in this post and look for opportunitys to use this valuable information.
Excellent Post imo!
Snow
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
I really think this is a very well done post and with StormsRavens ok I wanted to link it.Handleing tilt is critical to having a good bankroll! Thanks Storm!
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/tips-dealing-tilt-162461/#post1312435
Snow
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/cash-games-11/tips-dealing-tilt-162461/#post1312435
Snow
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
Another weekend and a ton of tourneys,
I was late in a tourney,final table and the following hand happened.
I was UTG with a chip stack of 7000 with blinds of 300/600 ante 25 and am dealt pocket 8s.As happens often late in tourneys there is pressure to win pots or blind out.With an M of 6 it is a typical place to push and I did.
The person behind me pushes his stack in without hesitation and the next person pushes their stack in.I was pretty sure the 3rd all-in hand was AA or KK and knew I needed help on the flop.The 3rd all-in had pocket 9s.With an all-in raise from 1st position and a reraise from 2nd position,and several people to act behind,I really thought the pocket 9s were a fold.There is very likely a bigger pair or at a minimium a bunch of overcards.Even with a low M (6) you should pitch this hand in this situation.You will just bust far to many times.Beware of raise and reraise all-in from early positions.
Snow
Snow
I was late in a tourney,final table and the following hand happened.
I was UTG with a chip stack of 7000 with blinds of 300/600 ante 25 and am dealt pocket 8s.As happens often late in tourneys there is pressure to win pots or blind out.With an M of 6 it is a typical place to push and I did.
The person behind me pushes his stack in without hesitation and the next person pushes their stack in.I was pretty sure the 3rd all-in hand was AA or KK and knew I needed help on the flop.The 3rd all-in had pocket 9s.With an all-in raise from 1st position and a reraise from 2nd position,and several people to act behind,I really thought the pocket 9s were a fold.There is very likely a bigger pair or at a minimium a bunch of overcards.Even with a low M (6) you should pitch this hand in this situation.You will just bust far to many times.Beware of raise and reraise all-in from early positions.
Snow
Snow
SavagePenguin
Put the win in penguin
Bronze Level
^^^ Yeah. According to the gap concept, the 9/9 isn't typically good enough there.
The Gap Concept: A player is likely to have a good hand to bet, so if they bet you should have a hand *better* than what they are likely to have.
As we've mentioned earlier in this thread, hand ranges for early positions are narrow (very good hands), and get wider (with so-so hands) in later positions.
So... if someone opens under the gun, they are likely to have a very good hand. If someone re-raises them, they are likely to have an excellent hand (because of the gap concept). If someone re-raises that, they should have a K/K or A/A because those are really the only kind of hands that are likely to beat the other two players.
I guess if the 4-better is really short and not in a bubble situation he can shove with a wider range because as he's looking to get lucky.
The Gap Concept: A player is likely to have a good hand to bet, so if they bet you should have a hand *better* than what they are likely to have.
As we've mentioned earlier in this thread, hand ranges for early positions are narrow (very good hands), and get wider (with so-so hands) in later positions.
So... if someone opens under the gun, they are likely to have a very good hand. If someone re-raises them, they are likely to have an excellent hand (because of the gap concept). If someone re-raises that, they should have a K/K or A/A because those are really the only kind of hands that are likely to beat the other two players.
I guess if the 4-better is really short and not in a bubble situation he can shove with a wider range because as he's looking to get lucky.
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
Getting Owned:
I played a tourney recently and had a player to my right that had my # all day.It seemed no matter what I did,they were one step ahead of me in strategy,and really made my tourney difficult and they eventually busted me.
Alot of the plays,They hit really big hands and played the hands slow,checking to me and calling when I bet.The curious thing is this player has won alot of pots off me,making pot sized bets and me laying down decent but not great hands.Now that I know they are checking or check/raising their big hands,I can assume that they are betting their hands that missed or caught a small part of fairly often. I am going to start playing back strongly (raising big) with my TPGK (top pr good kicker) or my big draws when they lead out with a bet on the flop.
The battle is on and I look forward to this challange.They are now very much on my radar and I will be concious to watch how they play whenever I get a chance.To observe more closely,I will pull thier tables up to get as much info on thier tendancy as possible.
If they continue this pattern,I will start cleaning up with this player!
Using the hands that you get to see at showdown can give you many clues to what someone is doing.Once I understand how they play,then I can make adjustments to take advantage of it,and then I will see if/when they make adjustments also.
Snow
I played a tourney recently and had a player to my right that had my # all day.It seemed no matter what I did,they were one step ahead of me in strategy,and really made my tourney difficult and they eventually busted me.
Alot of the plays,They hit really big hands and played the hands slow,checking to me and calling when I bet.The curious thing is this player has won alot of pots off me,making pot sized bets and me laying down decent but not great hands.Now that I know they are checking or check/raising their big hands,I can assume that they are betting their hands that missed or caught a small part of fairly often. I am going to start playing back strongly (raising big) with my TPGK (top pr good kicker) or my big draws when they lead out with a bet on the flop.
The battle is on and I look forward to this challange.They are now very much on my radar and I will be concious to watch how they play whenever I get a chance.To observe more closely,I will pull thier tables up to get as much info on thier tendancy as possible.
If they continue this pattern,I will start cleaning up with this player!
Using the hands that you get to see at showdown can give you many clues to what someone is doing.Once I understand how they play,then I can make adjustments to take advantage of it,and then I will see if/when they make adjustments also.
Snow
Snowmobiler
Legend
Silver Level
Sitters in the freerolls:
There are ez chips to get if you watch who is sitting out.
I saw people going to showdown with sitters and losing pots that should be uncontested.You have to watch what is going on at the table if you expect to win!
Bet into sitters on flop if you didnt raise them pre-flop!
I was rolling and flopped 2 pr in the BB in a limped pot and got all the chips in before the turn only to have him make an inside straight on me.Thats poker,and Ill get ready for the next tourney tonight!
Gl all,
Snow
There are ez chips to get if you watch who is sitting out.
I saw people going to showdown with sitters and losing pots that should be uncontested.You have to watch what is going on at the table if you expect to win!
Bet into sitters on flop if you didnt raise them pre-flop!
I was rolling and flopped 2 pr in the BB in a limped pot and got all the chips in before the turn only to have him make an inside straight on me.Thats poker,and Ill get ready for the next tourney tonight!
Gl all,
Snow
Maid Marian
RIP Baby BooBoo
Silver Level
Sitters in the freerolls:
There are ez chips to get if you watch who is sitting out.
I saw people going to showdown with sitters and losing pots that should be uncontested.You have to watch what is going on at the table if you expect to win!
Bet into sitters on flop if you didnt raise them pre-flop!
I was rolling and flopped 2 pr in the BB in a limped pot and got all the chips in before the turn only to have him make an inside straight on me.Thats poker,and Ill get ready for the next tourney tonight!
Gl all,
Snow
This was what you told me today about the sitters. I played as hard as I could today...your encouragement helped me come back...how many times? A million?? LOL.
I always pay attention to what you've written here & incorporate the ideas into my strategies. Today just wasn't my day though. Stepping in my cat's poo at break didn't help...I think that was my death card! LOL.
Storm's advice on 'tilt' is very good too. I'm glad you link yours with hers. They are both very valuable to me.
I still have a long way to go, but I know I'll win someday soon!