Your First Final Table

[thepokerjunky]

Hah i liked the touch you added in the end. Nicely put. Your explanation
was very enlightening and painted a general picture of how final
tables are. I have been in a few myself and i totally agree with some of
your points, especially with the need to take the blinds. I find this
extremely easy at this point, especially when i have a fair stack to push.
Sadly it doesnt always work if your playing freerolls or tournies with
small buyins, since a lot of people tend to tell themselves 'what the hell,
its only pocket change', even if they took hours to get where they were.
I suppose this is also due to the fact that they are tired and totally worn
out. Anyway i enjoyed reading the articule and hope to read a few more,
hopefully just as good as this one!

 

[Egon Towst]

This is so well written you should consider getting it published in a poker magazine.

i enjoyed reading the articule and hope to read a few more, hopefully just as good as this one!

Thanks, guys, I appreciate your comments. I would write more, only I have a lot of demands on my time. I only manage to do a serious strategy or hand-analysis thread once every few months. Sorry.

If you are interested, the last couple of big threads I made are here and here.

 

[paumarhas]

BRAVO! BRAVO!
this was truely a magnificent read. at first it seemed too long, but once i started reading had to finish and very glad i had. thank you.

 

[8Michael3]

WOW-Superhero post

Thanks ET. I have only made a couple of final tables in my time and only recently have become more comfortable raising with nothing against "fldrs." 3 Betting is still fairly new to me as well-only after watching the pokerstars videos did I realize that 3 betting is a powerful strategy against aggressive players like yourself.

You sound like a very busy person, so only if you have some spare time maybe you could share your wisdom in a thread I would love some pros to participate in. Harrington on Holdem: the workbook, in the strategy section is something for new players like myself. But hopefully you could share some insight. You dont even have to reread the book-feel free to post one sentence out of context if you feel it can help the newbies.

Thanks again, do you mind if I print this out?

 

[Egon Towst]

Thanks again, do you mind if I print this out?

Go right ahead.

 

[TPC]

Can't believe I didn't see this till now. Nice article Egon!!!

 

[bobsay225]

thank you thank you thank you!!

Mr Egon I read this and in the last 3 days i have 1st out of 4000 23rd out of 5400 and 11th out of 2700 all freerolls ...Nowonly one was a final table but the switching gears helped me and keeps them wondering ty again this is on my favorites list

 

[the lab man]

I had Missed this too Egon....Well written

 

[RA2000]

Well done!
But your play certanly depends on your chipstack and you also need a little luck to win a tournement....

 

[Zorba]

Great Post Egon, I dont know how I missed it all this time, and as said b4 very well writen, I too will be printing this out and keeping it in a prominant position while playing, I already do these thing in a way, but it was always without knowing why, so now that I have it in a stuctured way it will help me no doubt.
Thanks mate.

 

[Egon Towst]

you also need a little luck to win a tournement....

Quite true. Dan Harrington once said that he never reached the final table of any major tournament where he didn`t hit a lucky card at least once.

None of us can ever be free of variance. What we are trying to do, when we study to improve our game, is to reach a level of proficiency such that, on the day we do get that lucky card, we are good enough to sieze the advantage and convert it into a win.

 

[aliengenius]

May I humbly submit that stack size is THE most important consideration in tournament poker...

 

[Egon Towst]

May I humbly submit that stack size is THE most important consideration in tournament poker...

You certainly may.

I like John Vorhaus` ideas on tourney play. You may have noticed that I referenced one of his concepts in my OP.

 

[Tonky666]

OMFG!
this like opened my eyes ..

now i see all my mistakes i mean im new to poker and the best finish is a $2

tourney with 585 people...i was 3rd for $130.

i was 6th in chips going into finale table and practically FOLDED my way there

i played 2 hand ak and kk but picked up blinds which held me up in till top 3

then i had 15k 2nd had 340k and 1st 600k (not precise but more or less)

2nd was running very hot and i didnt get hands with 6-8 BB left and 3 way i

didnt have much time and pushed with kj from BB and obviously 1st called me

and had 15 wich held up..

i didnt mind busting 3rd since it was my biggest win ever by $125!

i was very exited!


but im not good with bankroll management can u please help me with that hahaha

*great thread ,thanx

 

[The Dark Side]

That is a REALLY good read for FT play.

This style of play ABSOLUTELY works!

I can say that with 100% certainty because I do almost the exact same thing with good success so far, as long as Im not on tilt or playing lazy LOL.

 

[shinedown.45]

OMFG!
this like opened my eyes ..

now i see all my mistakes i mean im new to poker and the best finish is a $2

tourney with 585 people...i was 3rd for $130.

i was 6th in chips going into finale table and practically FOLDED my way there

i played 2 hand ak and kk but picked up blinds which held me up in till top 3

then i had 15k 2nd had 340k and 1st 600k (not precise but more or less)

2nd was running very hot and i didnt get hands with 6-8 BB left and 3 way i

didnt have much time and pushed with kj from BB and obviously 1st called me

and had 15 wich held up..

i didnt mind busting 3rd since it was my biggest win ever by $125!

i was very exited!


but im not good with bankroll management can u please help me with that hahaha

*great thread ,thanx

https://www.cardschat.com/building-bankroll-from-scratch.php

 

[Tonky666]

o thanx lol didnt really look hahaha still new and hard to navigate because not used to lay out but thanx anyway ill chek it out

 

[PurgatoryD]

Wow, what a great read! The final table always has a distinct "feel" to it. By that time, people have generally tightened up and you sweat every raise! It's a lot different when you come in as SS vs medium or large stack. Great advice, though. I'll keep it in mind.

-Dave

 

[CAMurray]

Phenomenal post, thank you.

I realize it’s been a couple of years since you’ve written this but it is very informative. You pinpoint my major struggle, which is with final table fatigue. I will implement your methods when next conditions favor.

Thanks again….


arty:

 

[toogood2k]

"Don`t allow yourself to become overly card-dependent. I have provided you with strategies that don`t require cards to succeed. Success at poker is at least as much about psychology, position and relative stack size as it is about cards, and that goes double for FTs."

this is what every poker player need to remember mybe not all time, but basicly

p.s. great read

 

[Egon Towst]

I realize it’s been a couple of years since you’ve written this but it is very informative.

Less than 6 months, actually. I think maybe your watch is fast.

 

[CAMurray]

Sorry E.T. when I read your post a quick glance gave me June 06 and look it as a posting date. My bad

 

[StormRaven]

I missed this article until now. I am truly impressed and thank you for sharing your words of wisdom. I also find myself inspired. Your article is making me think quite a bit about my play in general, not just ft and I am realizing just now that I haven't made a ft in quite some time and it's about time I refocused and did just that. Thank you again!

 

[Poker Orifice]

Great Post Egon, I dont know how I missed it all this time, and as said b4 very well writen, I too will be printing this out and keeping it in a prominant position while playing, I already do these thing in a way, but it was always without knowing why, so now that I have it in a stuctured way it will help me no doubt.
Thanks mate.

First you gotta get there.. add to top of list.. "Stop making Hero Calls on the flop when there's a good chance my MPTK is way behind" lol

 

[Poker Orifice]

You certainly may.

I like John Vorhaus` ideas on tourney play. You may have noticed that I referenced one of his concepts in my OP.

I didn't particularly care much for his books (although did find them helpful for smaller buyin, live, 'fast-structured' tourneys).