A few talkings points about tournaments

[aarono]

If you are finding it hard to cash well in a tournament lately (online especially with medium-big fields) here are a few things I noticed when I hit 2nd in the $5+1R+1A tourney on Sunday. The payday was good as I only invested $15, if I can remember right it was give or take $300.

There were only 160 players I do believe, not a large field by today's standards but still it was a long haul as the tournament took over 3 hours. Here are a few things I noticed in the tournament.

As the blinds got high and my M was around 8 or so I would usually be pushing all-in with any two cards on the button or cutoff. I did get caught one time with 10-7 suited by Q-J suited. I believe it was a bad call on his part as I pushed in for 9k as the blinds were 500-1000, and he had 16k with 500 out there as his SB. Luckily I spiked a 7 to double up.

This was the only time where I got very lucky in the tournament. Most other hands I usually bought or had a hand, but not suckouts.

Another thing too was getting paid off. You will have to slowplay some hands, they may get cracked, but you gotta risk that to slow play for someone's whole stack. For instance, I have Qs-Qd on the BB. Aggressive player min-raises in late pos. I triple his bet and he calls. Flop is Qh-7d-3s. I bet, he raises, I call. Turn is a 8 of spades. I bet he calls. River with a 7 of spades. I push all in, he calls with a king high flush.

So he was making incorrect calls against pot odds on flop and turn, and he thought he was golden with his flush on the river but luckily I caught my boat and was chip leader for the rest of the tournament after that hand until the final 5.

When it got down to the final three tables it felt like I didn't need luck to win this from this point on. To me a tournament feels like this:

Early: No-little luck
Middle: Some luck
Late: Good deal of luck + stealing to stay alive (gotta get chips to survive high blinds)
End: Play/strategy dominates final table as chip stacks are pretty big.

That's just a few views on my online tournament cash.

I have been so many online tournaments lately and not doing to well. Even when I get down to making a cut or close to the money I make some stupid play or call and ruin any real chance I might have had. I would really love some pointers on how I can improve. Help? Thank you.

ArronTredo

Originally Posted by aarono

If you are finding it hard to cash well in a tournament lately (online especially with medium-big fields) here are a few things I noticed when I hit 2nd in the $5+1R+1A tourney on Sunday. The payday was good as I only invested $15, if I can remember right it was give or take $300.

There were only 160 players I do believe, not a large field by today's standards but still it was a long haul as the tournament took over 3 hours. Here are a few things I noticed in the tournament.

As the blinds got high and my M was around 8 or so I would usually be pushing all-in with any two cards on the button or cutoff. I did get caught one time with 10-7 suited by Q-J suited. I believe it was a bad call on his part as I pushed in for 9k as the blinds were 500-1000, and he had 16k with 500 out there as his SB. Luckily I spiked a 7 to double up.

This was the only time where I got very lucky in the tournament. Most other hands I usually bought or had a hand, but not suckouts.

Another thing too was getting paid off. You will have to slowplay some hands, they may get cracked, but you gotta risk that to slow play for someone's whole stack. For instance, I have Qs-Qd on the BB. Aggressive player min-raises in late pos. I triple his bet and he calls. Flop is Qh-7d-3s. I bet, he raises, I call. Turn is a 8 of spades. I bet he calls. River with a 7 of spades. I push all in, he calls with a king high flush.

So he was making incorrect calls against pot odds on flop and turn, and he thought he was golden with his flush on the river but luckily I caught my boat and was chip leader for the rest of the tournament after that hand until the final 5.

When it got down to the final three tables it felt like I didn't need luck to win this from this point on. To me a tournament feels like this:

Early: No-little luck
Middle: Some luck
Late: Good deal of luck + stealing to stay alive (gotta get chips to survive high blinds)
End: Play/strategy dominates final table as chip stacks are pretty big.

That's just a few views on my online tournament cash.

I totally agree with the ending strategy. So true.
The blind cut off thing, I tend to do also the same. It is a huge bummer when you do get caught.

Thanks for the post Aaron.

[aarono]

Originally Posted by ArronTredo

I have been so many online tournaments lately and not doing to well. Even when I get down to making a cut or close to the money I make some stupid play or call and ruin any real chance I might have had. I would really love some pointers on how I can improve. Help? Thank you.

ArronTredo

I used to think I was playing tight, then I re-evaulated my tournament game. I was gambling when I was behind, and not laying down the hammer hard enough when I was ahead.

You really need to stop and play your game. I was playing other people's games. I'd watch Dario Mineri on WSOP and see how well he could make chips and unfortunately lose them and I'd imitate his style without the correct image. I'd end up just busting out being frustrated by my opponenents "bad calls".

Play very tight early on, no need to steal blinds yet, no need to gamble. There is just no value for it. You will notice as the tournament progresses a few select players will succeed as they are loosening up their starting requirements while everyone else is being blinded out. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BUST OUT. If you are making a move and get caught be happy you busted out and were shooting for first instead of aiming for 19th and your money back.