09-02-2001, 08:48 PM
Guys (meant --
I'm 22 years old and have been playing poker for a little over a year -- so yes, i'm certainly less experienced than most. But, I'm a voracious reader (have been through Jones' Low-Limit book, Skansky's Adv. Hold Em book, several times) and have been playing three or four times a week, now in the medium limits (5-10 with a kill or 10-20 w/1/2 kill) with consistent success.
My question here, though, is about tournament strategy. I would definitely classify myself as a tight-aggressive player in live games -- i'm not afraid to fold, am very selective about the hands I play and avoid marginal situations -- i'm attracted to the game by the prospect of showing a profit, and so I avoid situations where I don't have the best of it most of the way.
Initially, I had a very impressive tournament record -- placed top 3 or better in 5 of my first 7 tournaments (either limit or n/l hold em, all of them) but unfortuantely I didn't keep a good record of HOW i played -- and I'm thinking that perhaps I played looser then, when I was less experienced ...
basically, of late, I've hit a dry run in tournaments, and in most cases, I feel that it's because I'm not playing ENOUGH hands -- which I feel is an odd statement to make about poker in general. Do you guys who have consistent tournament success, find yourselves playing more loosely in the early going to gather chips? In the last tourney I played (mon. night limit at Foxwoods), I felt like I busted out, but never really got beat on a hand that cost me a lot. More like I got blinded out over the course of two and half hours, if you know what i mean. Specifically, i'm wondering if I should be as quick to lay down middle-pair (particularly in short-handed pot), for example, which I would not hesitate to do in a ring game. Of course, if the pot is shorthanded, that usually indicates a raise pre-flop, so middle pair is probably worth even less ... But how about small suited connectors? or laying down a medium pair (8s, 9s, etc) with an overcard on board and action in front?
I think you guys probably know what I'm getting at - just wondering if I'm thinking the wrong way, or the cards aren't coming for me ...
thanks, sam
I'm 22 years old and have been playing poker for a little over a year -- so yes, i'm certainly less experienced than most. But, I'm a voracious reader (have been through Jones' Low-Limit book, Skansky's Adv. Hold Em book, several times) and have been playing three or four times a week, now in the medium limits (5-10 with a kill or 10-20 w/1/2 kill) with consistent success.
My question here, though, is about tournament strategy. I would definitely classify myself as a tight-aggressive player in live games -- i'm not afraid to fold, am very selective about the hands I play and avoid marginal situations -- i'm attracted to the game by the prospect of showing a profit, and so I avoid situations where I don't have the best of it most of the way.
Initially, I had a very impressive tournament record -- placed top 3 or better in 5 of my first 7 tournaments (either limit or n/l hold em, all of them) but unfortuantely I didn't keep a good record of HOW i played -- and I'm thinking that perhaps I played looser then, when I was less experienced ...
basically, of late, I've hit a dry run in tournaments, and in most cases, I feel that it's because I'm not playing ENOUGH hands -- which I feel is an odd statement to make about poker in general. Do you guys who have consistent tournament success, find yourselves playing more loosely in the early going to gather chips? In the last tourney I played (mon. night limit at Foxwoods), I felt like I busted out, but never really got beat on a hand that cost me a lot. More like I got blinded out over the course of two and half hours, if you know what i mean. Specifically, i'm wondering if I should be as quick to lay down middle-pair (particularly in short-handed pot), for example, which I would not hesitate to do in a ring game. Of course, if the pot is shorthanded, that usually indicates a raise pre-flop, so middle pair is probably worth even less ... But how about small suited connectors? or laying down a medium pair (8s, 9s, etc) with an overcard on board and action in front?
I think you guys probably know what I'm getting at - just wondering if I'm thinking the wrong way, or the cards aren't coming for me ...
thanks, sam