Playing bad against bad players - Please advise

[Revid]

Just got back from a 18 player home game and would like some advice.
Here is the structure:
-$30 buy-in with unlimited $30 re-buys for the first 1 1/2 hours.
-20 minute rounds.
-starts 10/20, 20/40, 40/80, 50/100, 100/200 break and end of rebuys then 150/300 etc.
-No add-ons (which does not help me since I play tight).

Players are from really bad to decent. Out of 18 there were probably 4 decent players. I feel I am the most skilled player but I concentrate on limit so sometimes I have a hard time adjusting to tourneys.

I was getting horrible cards and actually only saw 3 good pockets; KJo, 77, and AKo. KJ was the only hand that I saw the flop with and it didnt improve. I was going to play 77 in middle position but the guy behind me raised the 100 bb to 500 out of turn so I folded without having to put money in the pot. A 7 flopped and he went all in against someone, they both had nothin and I would have won the pot. (I told them that I had pocket 7s and they couldnt believe I would fold that) I feel that I was calling 500 cold so I had to fold my middle pair. Any thoughts on this?

The last good hand was AKo and I went all-in UTG hoping to just pick up the blinds when the guy to my immediate left called exclaiming he had nothing and just "wanted to double up". Everyone folded and he flipped over 9To. I was pissed cause I had a feeling he was going to outdraw me. BTW, we both had about 1400 in chips with 150/300 blinds. Flop was 78x and he had an open ender. He made his straight with a J on the River. I was disgusted and left immediately after saying goodbye.

It seems the more I study the game the worse I get at home poker tourneys. Should I loosen up considerabely or just keep playing smart and figure my luck will turn around? Its not like online where the swings are counted in minutes to hours, it is about 2 weeks between games so it seems like I should be getting in the money once a month.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
-Thanks

[LethalRose]

I go to OSU and i see a lot of these games..generally the kids who play these kinds of tourneys have no idea how to play..

of the best hands you had..77 i would go all in with over the other 2.

With 77 in middle position, with this field I probably raise all in. your opponents could have anything..ive seen people go all in with every hand, people raising preflop 70% of the time..all kinds of crazy stuff. I play in these games since their fun, but playing online or in casinos where you can actually read people is where id prefer to play.

plus i get tired of explaining exactly what "outs" are..

just keep playing well, you had a bad run of cards. how many hands did you see?


I generally get 1 playable hand for every 10.

[iRoD]

Well generally, in bad games you have huge calling stations so you wait for monsters and let everyone call you down to the river drawing dead. However, in tournaments, you need to "change gears" and losen up from time to time. takeEspescially on that 77 hand, there is no reason to believe that anyone has a better hand than you. Bad players will raise a lot worse hands than 77. Anyways, in tourneys blinds go up, so change gears, which will not only vary your play (making you harder to read), but it will also increase your chances of winning tournaments.


Later


Pat

[MyssGuy]

I have an issue with coming in with the 77. Whether he raised or limped to anticipate the raise, I believe the guy behind him would call either way. Now if the flop comes with no 7 and over cards (which it will most of the time), how do you play this. A flop of 8 9 2 may seem ok versus a decent player, but these guys may have just flopped pair. Another thing, is they will bet out if they have it or not. So I agree with the fold.

My personal opinion is that you should wait for better spots. Get a hand and let them bet it fold you or you can go over the top of them. Like I've read earlier, bet more than you would normally to get these players out. You may bet pot on a flush draw board and they will call with the draw. They are not getting the odds, but they're going to the river for it. Bet 2 (or more) times the pot and they will think about folding more often. Scare them.

Disclaimer: I haven't tried this yet, as my next home tournament is tonight, so I'll see how it goes.