How to adapt UB play to Party Poker- I got killed

[RoyalSampler]

I bought into Party Poker for the first time and I got slapped!!! /images/graemlins/mad.gif /images/graemlins/confused.gif

I have won $500 at UB in the last 2 months playing 50c/25c NL and $10 SnG's. But lost $125 on my first shot at PP.

*Insert bitch about my cards here* Aces, pffft

I think I was on tilt, with my confidence shot, I made some bad calls. I kept thinking, "2+2 says they are fish, so he is probably going all in with xxx, I can call with a xxx". So first mistake, underestimating the opponent. Second, In ring games I think I played too many drawing hands, it seems to me these are less valuable on PP with only 50 times the big blind buyins.

The same thing goes for SnG's (yes this is a SnG thread) the big blind started at 15 for an 800 stack. So drawing hands are weaker. But with the blinds bigger and stacks smaller (than UB), shouldn't I be a little looser at the start, with non-drawing hands? E.g. when would I play AJo from mid position and when from early? When do I get agressive? UB I think I usually do around 60/30 blinds.

And with the shorter stacks I found I was often pot committed as below.

Blinds 15/30 (8 players), button limps, SB complets and I check with A10, 600 stack. Flop comes 10,7,2 rainbow, SB checks I bet pot, button calls. So the pot is now 270 I have 510, a queen comes on the turn. Well because these stacks are so short I either give this hand away or push. I think giving this away would be extremely weak, so I bet and ran into Q10. So now I'm pushing with a pair of tens top kicker on only the second level!? Did I miss something?
If this is the way things have to be I'm happy to accept a smaller overlay in exchange for faster games. I love the idea of a 45 SnG! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif I just want to know if I'm totally of mark.

End result is I'm playing $5+1 until I get my confidence back. Can anyone who know's both sites help?

Also, is it just me or is Party Poker the worst interface online? When multitabling, at each table I am located in a different seat!? Without cards in front of my I can only see where I am by searching for my characters name!!!!?!???
The button is the same color as the red chips and hard to see at a glance (maybe I'm blind). It's truely terrible and ugly. But I vow to stick with it because I want to be able to play at multiple sites; a) for the challenge; b) for options.

Thanks /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

flame away if I'm just a dumbarse, I know some people are just compelled to flame /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[parappa]

I just bumped the draft sng faq. There's good info about beating party sngs in there. Perhaps you could add some about strategy for the other sites where you start with longer stacks!

[RoyalSampler]

Yeh thanks that's a good idea, I've skim-read it before, but I think I should take a good look now. Funny thing that there should be two posts on UB->PP at the same time! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I really think I just made dumb calls, because I had it fixed in my mind that the players were far inferior to my usual opponents. I called with 2nd two-pair, because I honestly thought I was going to see the bettor turn TPTK!!! Look what I have become. /images/graemlins/cool.gif I'll be right, just need some confidence back... and to play my A-game (which means rereading the SnG faq).

But just does anyone have an opinion on whether I should be slightly tighter, the same, or slightly looser on drawing hands and then the same q'n for big cards? Or is the difference in stack size just psychological and should I jsut be sticking to my game unchanged?

[Potowame]

I still play tight, I have been playing a mainly UB now, but started out a PP, for about a year on the 5-1, 10-1 sngs.
No reason to push marginal hands out of position at PP, you will have plenty of callers on your monsters.

[wuwei]

I don't have anyting particularly insightful to add, but I do have a few encouraging words. I'm in the same boat as you (started playing Party about 10 days ago after doing all my playing at Prima previously). Heard so much about the fish, that I figured I had to step over and try things out.

Started with the micro limits, and everything I'd heard was true! Double up my initial deposit, and decided I'd venture over to the sngs and see if everyone was also right about how easy there were at the 10+1 level.

Well, I struggled. Played a half dozen or so, didn't make the money in any of them. Went out early on a couple bad decisions, took a couple bad beats, tried to tighten up a lot and got blinded out.

After that, I went back to the micro limits and started reading up on the sng here. Found this post (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=602767&page=&view=&sb =5&o=) to be a huge help, and adapted it to my game. The two most important things for me are to play fairly tight early - get a read on the players around you and let them beat each other up while you wait for premium hands. Once you get down to about 6 players, get aggressive. Steal blinds. Keep building your stack. Read the short-handed forums too, this helped me a lot. SH play is one of the worst parts of my game, and that's part of the reason I'm playing the sngs... need to work on that. It's definitely helping.

It's a very small sample, but I've rebounded and currently have roughly 40% ROI in my party sngs. I doubt that will continue too long, but I mention it to say that you can come back if you keep working and get a feel for the games. The shorter starting stacks and the interesting breadth of players at those levels takes some getting used to.

good luck /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Robert Ezzo]

Yeah, assuming your opponents have crap cards early in the tournament is a mistake, generally. I play uber-tight in the first 3 blind levels, since there are so many maniacs willing to push you on marginal calls. Let them knock themselves out early, as there isn't much reason to steal blinds at that stage.

Practice your shorthanded game - it is more crucial at PP than just about anywhere else (especially at the lower limits) - there are usually 5-6 players going into the 5th blind level, and if you aren't used to play like that, you'll get creamed.

As far as multitabling on SNGs... a simple solution that has worked for me. I chose a seat position early on (I prefer Seat 2), and I pretty much stick to it - just moving on to another table if it is already taken. Makes it much easier to track action at multiple tables that way. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[RPatterson]

RoyalSampler, I'm in the same boat, I play at UB and just cannot win at party sitngo's. Their software is horrible anyways.

[slogger]

Honestly, I don't think you'd giving up anything (or at least, not much) if you never chased a draw in the Party NL SNGs. Sure if you have the top of an open-ender and you're closing the action getting 12 to 1 because some jack*ss can't help but mini-bet with his 2-pair, take one off and try to bust this guy. But calling off any substantial portion of your stack on a draw is just not worth it.

There will be so many opportunities to get in with the best of it that don't need to play as many drawing hands. Just think of it this way - even when your draw gets there, your opponent (or you) rarely has (have) a deep enough stack to really punish him.

If I could say one thing about these games, it is that barring unusual circumstances, you should be the one betting; let your opponents do the calling. This is especially true when dealing with weak to mediocre opponents on the bubble. Don't call raises because you know they're stealing. Call raises if you have a great hand. Otherwise, wait for your turn to be the initial aggressor.

[Potowame]

yeah, and you have to prepare to have your 70/30 preflop all-ins busted more often. Just because they are willing to call with the 30 most of the time. This is of course good, but it does increase your varience quite a bit.

Exp. You push AJos utg with T880 blinds 100/200

Co 1850 Calls with QJS flushes out on you.

can never understand these calls, Like I would push all-in with less than q-10 from utg. lol

Basically what I am saying is that they will call your all-ins even if they think they are behind by a big margin.

[RoyalSampler]

"Their software is horrible anyways." Isn't it just! Thanks for the advice and encouragement guys. Well I had my fall, but I'll get back on and keep riding. She'll be apples mate! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Deelah]

Hi Parappa, what FAQ are you talking about?

Thx /images/graemlins/wink.gif