At mercy of cards?

[IMTheWalrus8]

I've been playing mainly 1-table SnG at PartyPoker and just moved from $5 to $10. I've been streaky, and it seems to depend on a few things:

If I'm at at a table where 3-4 are gone by the 2nd level, I do well.

If I get a strong hand or two in the beginning, and double up early, I normally do VERY well. It allows me to show my cards a few times, and semi-bluffs or bluffs work well in the middle game for me.

If I don't get cards on an aggressive table, I wait and it's a 50-50 proposition. A lot of times someone will make a mistake and I'll double up and get right back in there.

I am horrible on a tight table with no cards.

At a table with a smart-aggressive player and tight table with maybe one other aggressive player, it depends on my cards, but normally I don't do so well. I play back at the aggressive player at all the wrong times, unless I'm sitting on AA or KK.

For example, I won 5 tourneys out of 7 Friday night to Saturday morning this weekend, but on Sunday I didn't make the money in 5 tourneys.

Be happy to share my playable hands strategy, but it's pretty much Cloutier's strategy. I'll play suited connectors if I have a nice stack. Still not sure what to do with A-x suited in the early- to mid-game.

I would really appreciate some advice here. I seem to be at the mercy of the strength of my starting hand.


Thanks,

Joe

[1C5]

You said it is Cloutier's strategy. What is the title of the book and would you suggest it for a beginner as his 1st book to read?

[SlowStroke]

Yes, in the short run, you are at the mercy of your starting hands. Everybody is.

Of course, in the long run, everybody gets the same distribution of starting hands.

So the questions is, can you survive a little longer with no cards than your opponents can? And can you build a slightly bigger stack when you catch good cards than when your opponents do?

Imagine catching no cards, but being able to survive just one more orbit than your opponents would. You get 6 or 7 or 8 extra hands to make something happen. Think of how much money that skill will earn you over the course of your next 100 tournaments.

[oscar057]

Playing AX or suited connectors early could be part of the problem. AX early is often dominated. I don't like small or mid suited connectors because they are speculative hands. You may find yourself calling off your stack on draws that may not make it.

In the early rounds I prefer to play premium hands or limp with pairs. If I hit a flop I will be aggressive to make it hard or expensive for folks on a draw to catch me.

[skirtus]

[ QUOTE ]
For example, I won 5 tourneys out of 7 Friday night to Saturday morning this weekend, but on Sunday I didn't make the money in 5 tourneys.

[/ QUOTE ]

Winning 5 out of 7 and than having a run of 5 OTM is very good results. This is most likely normal variance. I also agree with the others. Tighten up some more in early and middle rounds. Those extra chips can make a difference. The majority of times I reach the 25/50 level I am one of the smallest stacks. Typically by the end of the 50/100 I am one of the largest or I bust out. When you dont build a chip lead early you will need to be aggressive in the later rounds. You are doing well with a chip lead. This is great. Ive seen alot of players blow early chip leads with loose play. Im pretty aggressive when it gets down to 6 or less. It has worked well for me. I read alot of post about bubble play and short stack play. I use to think the strategies touted by the expert players were insane. They seemed like maniacs to me. Ive come to realize that aggression works in later rounds. In fact, Im starting to love this part of the SnG. I use to sit there and wait and wait for cards. If I didnt catch a premium or strong hand I would get blinded down. Now I'm trying to curb my aggression some. My aggression turns to insanity at times. I think its all part of the learning process. You will cross the line and get burned sometimes. You'll put your chips in play and sucked out on the bubble. Just start another one and hopefully learn from any mistakes you made. Tightening up in early to middle rounds and ramping up my aggression in later rounds has paid dividends.

[IMTheWalrus8]

Others may have recommendations - but I love Championship No-Limit and Pot-Limit HOld'Em (Cloutier/McEvoy) and No-Limit Texas Hold'em (Daugherty/McEvoy).

[IMTheWalrus8]

I was limping in with A-x in any position, and that was it. As far as I could tell it was the waste of a BB. I haven't been playing it with a full table lately.

I am understanding position a little better as I play more. My button play has gotten a LOT better, but other positions, especially early ones, need work. I'm even folding A J in the first 2-3 positions. At present, I will play 4-5, 5-6, 7-8, and J-10 suited in any position if I have a big stack. I don't mess with them otherwise.

I think that I am not aggressive enough when the table is tight. I can be very patient, but I think too patient sometimes.

Probably this will just take some time.


Thanks - I appreciate any guidance from you good people.


Joe

[IMTheWalrus8]

Thanks for the reassurance. It sounds like we have similar playing styles. I haven't read anything about playing when you're near the money, but my approach has been to go for 1st in the 1-table tourneys. I am very comfortable when there are 4-5 players at a table, especially if they're thinking about the money. I get aggressive, and find that it's a great way to double up and have a great shot at 1st.

My strategy is similar for 2- and 3-table tourneys, though when I get that far I usually have enough chips to be a little more patient. I'm sure you have to be more careful in larger tourneys because you'll want to get your buy-in back.

Thanks - maybe I'll run into some of you guys at PartyPoker.


Joe

[IMTheWalrus8]

Well said; the point about getting extra hands is a good one. I already had times where having an extra blind or two made the difference. I guess I'm wondering how much variation a solid player should get over the course of, say, 100 tourneys.