Tips for 1st NL Tourney

My local cardroom schedules some NL HE tourneys this month. I never played NL before, but I do have some PL experience. What are the most important changes in strategy here (esp. what are the situation I should overbet the pot and try to get it all in preflop)?


The format: Everyone starts with T4000, blinds start at T100-250 and increase every 30min. Unlimited rebuys during the first 3 levels (up to T350-750), optional addon of T8000. I expect about 90 pls. to start (10 9-handed tables). Play is usually on the loose side during the rebuy period and rather tight afterwards. I do not intend to rebuy since the buyin is free (only 20% entry fee) due to a christmas promotion.


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Ignatius

What an awful format. Good thing it's free. I mean, you only have 16x big blind on the first hand. By the end of the rebuy period, if you go broke and rebuy you only have about 5x the big blind (which means the only way you can play a hand is to go all-in preflop).


This is a largely luck-oriented event, with skill being minimized. If it's cheap and fun and the players really suck, then you can have an overlay, but the volatility will be very high.


Have fun.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

> What an awful format


The really strange thing this that their limit torneys just start with blinds of T50-100 (limit T100-250). With PL, it's T100-250 blinds and I assume it will be the same in NL. Add that to the unlimited rebuys and ppl. looking for action, and you get some really weird plays: e.g. it's not uncommon that 3 pls. go all-in preflop (or on 3rd str. in stud) in the first hand, obviously just for the kick of it (good thing if you happen to get a big pair in that situation! /images/wink.gif )


My usual strategy is playing relatively tight (which here means playing one or two hands/round instead of 3 or 4 like most other pls.) and ultra aggressive, esp. against action players who just wait for an opportunity to wagger their new rebuy. This will either bust me very early (I never rebuy myself), or leave me with a huge stack if I make it into the addon-break, and a good shot for the final table. (I'm well aware that this is far from an optimal strategy, but I'm usually outclassed by the oposition once it gets down to the last 3 or two tables and I really suck when it comes to hedging a small stack, so I need to win my chips early.)


cu


Ignatius

>


To paraphrase Mike Caro:


I have no problems with a rebuy event. Just don't call it a tournament.


More true than ever in this case.


2ndGoat


(no connection to the first)