Final Table Play

[nicholswfu]

I'm new here and was hoping for some advice:

Last night I played in the Poker Pages Free NL Texas Holdem Tourney. I was pretty happy to make it to the final table where I was initially the chip leader. However, I found that my chips started dwindling away as the play at the table was actually kind of boring - by the time 6 of us were left the rounds went like this - deal, one person goes all in, everyone folds. Repeat.
I told myself to be patient. Finally after many rounds as above I was dealt T,T. I realize that this is not a great hand, but I was in late position with only 6 of us. I went all in as everyone else had been doing (by this time I had the least # of chips) and this time someone called me. That person had J,8 but a J came on the flop and so I was out in 6th place (out of 400).

Clearly my play declined at the final table as I went from 1st to 6th. What was my mistake? Not patient enough? Not aggressive enough?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Nottom]

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Clearly my play declined at the final table as I went from 1st to 6th. What was my mistake? Not patient enough? Not aggressive enough?


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From how you described it, you were almost certainly not aggressive enough. Stealing the blinds is an important part of final table play, and if you weren't getting your share then you will quickly see your chips dwindle away given the stack sizes in a typical online tourney.

[nicholswfu]

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From how you described it, you were almost certainly not aggressive enough. Stealing the blinds is an important part of final table play, and if you weren't getting your share then you will quickly see your chips dwindle away given the stack sizes in a typical online tourney.

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Thanks for the advice.

Is there just more pure bluffing involved? If you are in mid to late position with 4,3o and everyone has been calling - would you go ahead and bluff it? Or do you always hold something reasonable before trying to steal?

I know these are basic and somewhat common sense type of questions but I am still interested in experienced players input. Obviously, if there is a big chip leader who calls every time that is different than a table that always folds. I had been very comfortable with my play until that last table. And then my inexperience came through.

I looked up the players who finished #1-5 and all of them had done pretty well in the tournaments that they had played previously. So at least I felt like I was playing with decent players. I am eager to graduate to some microlimit (and then higher).

How does microlimit compare to free? Random free tables are a poor place to learn - i literally see people go all in with garbage. Because they don't care - its play money. Is this reduced in microlimit games? I am eager to start playing for real but want to warm up and gain some experience. In the late stages of the free tournaments from what I can tell people play to win and aren't overly eager to be kicked out for going all in with a 7,2o.

Thanks again.

[Nottom]

In some cases, it really doesn't matter what your cardsa re if the situation is right, so yeah you can raise with 43o and expect to take the blinds sometimes. If people are calling with garbage, then pure steals are going to be less successful, but you should be opening with more hands simply becasue your hand is better than theirs. Don't be afraid to put someone all-in with a hand like A9s if you know they will call with trash.

[Nottom]

In some cases, it really doesn't matter what your cardsa re if the situation is right, so yeah you can raise with 27o and expect to take the blinds sometimes, but usually you want a hand that at least has the potential to flop something good if called (suited connectors might be a classic example of this).

If people are calling with garbage, then pure steals are going to be less successful, but you should be opening with more hands simply becasue your hand is better than theirs. Don't be afraid to put someone all-in with a hand like A9s if you know they will call with trash.

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How does microlimit compare to free? Random free tables are a poor place to learn - i literally see people go all in with garbage. Because they don't care - its play money. Is this reduced in microlimit games?

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Well early on in tourneys you will often see some crazy stuff, even at somewhat high limits but by the time you start approaching the money (even in a micro-limit type event) people usually have their A-game on.

[nicholswfu]

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Don't be afraid to put someone all-in with a hand like A9s if you know they will call with trash.

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I know I sound cautious- and I think I was at the final table - but if I have what I believe is a strong hand I call or raise as appropriate.

One of my favorite moments in the tourney last night as we got fairly late but not yet to the final table (maybe 100 people left) was a person who kept going all in making everyone fold. He was making a fortune but also disrupting the game. I got A,Ks and called. I knocked him out of the tournament.

I plan to play again tonight. I will start playing for money next week.

I really appreciate your feedback.