Coming in the money in online MTT's is more than just about lucky cards or coincidence....
From my own experience in playing hundreds of these online tourneys, one thing is a constant...about 2 out of every 3 tourneys I make my way to the cash...
I have taken some advice from numerous pros, but mostly, I have used my own experience to find the winning formula....here are some of my tips to make the cash consistently for newer poker players....
1. BE AGGRESSIVE- This one idea alone can get you in the cash-I very rarely just call when I come into a pot...If I'm playing a hand, I go in expecting to win it...even if I miss the flop completely, I make a continuation bet about 80-85% of the time...Most opponents will fold right there or, if they play back at you, then you have your info-they have usually hit their flop and you can fold without further losses...
2. PLAY LOOSE, THEN TIGHT, THEN LOOSE AGAIN- Usually if I'm knocked out in a tourney it's in 2 areas-The beginning, or the end...I will use the loose-aggressive play to build a nice stack in the beginning-or get bad beated quickly and exit...once I build up a comfortable stack, I'll tighten up my starting requirements to play only premium hands-pairs, aces with kickers, or sometimes smaller suited connectors as well as late position raises to take down blinds against weaker opponents...This kind of strategy usually gets me in the cash...Now once I get in the cash, then I go back to loose aggressive again and continue on to the final table or close to it usually...
3.KNOW YOUR OPPONENTS- If I'm playing against an aggressor, I take it into account and will usually only play quality starting hands. However, if he is giving me too much respect, then be advised that it usually will work betting into him...Against passive players, I play my loose-aggressive style more freely, as they will usually just fold against a bet or come back over the top, exposing that they have a real hand and then I will just fold or call, If I have an opportunity to make my hand...The third type of opponent is a caller/checker- I don't have too much respect for these types of players as they tell me by calling or checking that they have/do not have a hand-just play your game and you will win out over these types of players easily...
In summary, playing with an aggressive style will ALWAYS win out over passive, but if you are reading this, you already know that...At different times of these tourneys though, know when to pour on the gas, and when to hit the brakes and your MTT "cashout" WILL increase dramatically...
One final note "The Professor" Howard Lederman said that the only people he feared at the poker table was the raisers and bettors, not the callers or checkers....remember that advice and who knows, maybe I'll see you in Vegas as well....?
MrLimpitt
© Copyright 2009
7 comments
I dont believe you that u make the money 2 out of every 3 times.
The best online players in the world, (AJKHoosier1, pbdrunks, etc.) only cash about 20-25% of the time.
But if you do, congrats, that is amazing.
I'd be interested in knowing your online screen names cuz I'd really like to check out your results cuz I've never heard of anyone being ITM 65%+ ever!! Congrats.. that is a huge accomplishment. Just now I'm reading PearlJammed, Rizen & Apestyles new book (not that new.. but pretty new) and they are nowhere near that. Have you honestly been ITM in online mtts to the tune of ITM 65%+ with a sample size being in the 'hundreds of tourneys'. I want to stake you sir for the Monday night $1k on Fulltilt!!!
Oh yah.. the A-8s from utg short-handed table. Depends on where I'm sitting in it, how big the blinds are (are they going to crush my stack) what my table image is, what my opponents are like, who's on the blinds, have I been raising/shoving approx. one time per orbit, or have I made a move on the pot a few times recently. Have I shown any hands down?.. or has it all been mostly raise - fold, or raise re-raise fold preflp play? What are the stack sizes of the other shrtstaks...what's going on on the other table. Am I in jeopardy here? If so, then it's a SHOVEY here by all means, I need to get it in there while I've still got some fold equity. Unless.. the players on the blinds have loose calling ranges and have me way outchipped.. otherwise I'm getting in there NOW!!
Oh yah.... I prefer 'PearlJammed's style of play as opposed to the LAG style. With playing LAG style it's important as you know to try to acquire some chips early by playing small pots, etc. I prefer to keep it pretty tight after the start of the first level, waiting to pick my spots and my opponents who I figure are going to be paying me off (usually the LAG's).
Dear Atateconst,
Thanks for the comment on my blog...Listen to the parameters of my statistics-In the last couple of years I have WITHDRAWN hundreds of dollars from these online sites...and deposited NONE of my own funds...how is that for starters....Most of the games I play ARE in fact freerolls, as I am the consummate risk specialist (why risk ANY of my own cash?)...When I reach a $100 or a couple hundred dollars, I withdraw and start over...My favorite poker site is Party Poker and right now my balance is over $100...none of which I have deposited...Tell me how much you have deposited and/or withdrawn?
I NEVER lose... whether the stat is 2 out of 3 or 1 out of 3, I win EVERY time due to the fact I'm freerolling most of the time and none of the cash I do use in money tourneys was deposited by me....So if you want to get technical, my win percentage is in fact 100%...lol!!!!
WOW!!!!... this totally explains it then. Dude.. I believe buddy up above there (and me anyways) are referring to real tourney players,.. you know... the guys playing the $26, $55, $75, $165, $216, & up tourneys.
'Freeroll style'.. and playing amongst some real competition is like two different worlds.. two differnet solar systems. Get the picture?
Good for you that you're doing well in freerolls. I've spent some time in 'freeroll mania' myself, probably winning around $300 from them but I don't even consider them to be 'playing poker'. There's actually been a couple of restricted entry freerolls I've played in that are quite good (the Ironman 30K on Fulltilt for one) where the players are 'real' players. Other freerolls aren't even a forum for judging one's game (barely....not sure if you're getting this or not.. trying to spell it out for ya.. nicely).
In 'real' play,.. for a player to be playing the mtts and to be ITM of higher than 20% is exceptional (something also to be taken into consideration is how deep the individual goes in those cashes,.. are they just playing to make the money,... letting themselves get blinded out in the process,.. OR are they trying to win the tourney (often depends upon their own goals, size of bankroll etc.).
Fortunately (for you) there are no tracking sites that register'freeroll wins'... I guess they figure it isn't worth it. I wonder why??
Way to go on your 'freeroll' successes. I think the member above was doubting your success rate of 2 out of 3 in the cash cuz he was referring to 'real' poker,.. and not freerolls. Still,.. cashing ITM 65+% in freerolls is VERY HARD to believe,.. too bad you can't provide evidence to back this up.
Incidentally,... what is your online screen names on the sites you play at? it'd be easy to back up what you say about turning freeroll cash into bigger cash in 'real' tourneys just by clicking a few buttons. Ready to take the litmus test,... fire away with your screen names,.. I'd love to see the awesome ratings on ya!!