How to survive the punters who raise A3o early?

In rebuy tournaments, I frequently find myself going into a deep hole, and having to rebuy two or three times. I seem to follow this pattern: Have to rebuy minimum one, sometimes as much as 3 or 4 times for the first hour, and then when the rebuy period ends I quickly build a monster stack and then finish near the top. However, there must be a better way to play in the beginning that could save me a lot of money.


First of all you have the people who raise "any ace", and so you start calling them with strong hands. Of course, they too are allowed to pick up AK, AA, and KK occasionally -- there goes your stack.


At the casino where I play, if people have even one overcard during the rebuy period and you bet the flop, they'll call you, "thinking you're bluffing." Obviously these people are eliminated as soon as the rebuy period ends, but if I'm holding KQs and hit a queen, someone out there is drawing to his ace-six.


This has two effects -- one, I lose every pot where an ace is out there when I don't have one, and two, I'm paralyed everytime an ace comes out regardless of whether or not my opponent has one. These players have no sense of how to play, but still manage to bust me time and time again. If the flop comes A 6 3 and I'm holding AK, I know I'm beat by someone playing either A6 or A3 -- and I'm right.


What should I do during the rebuy period? Basically play ridiculously super-tight, skip some opportunities to make scores and just try and survive the rebuy period? I always end up with about just over the amount of chips I originally bought in with when the "real" tournament starts, but find that this point is the strongest area of my game (I still need to work on final table play as well.) Or should I roll with the punches, and keep on putting my money in, and just hope to make that big score so I have an even bigger advantage once rebuys are no longer allowed?


Thanks,

Ma

If what you say is true about ending the rebuy period with the same amount of chips no matter how many rebuys you make, then you should just fold all but the top 3 or 4 hands. Make one rebuy at the end of the period and play. I doubt your image in the first hour will cripple your ability to accumulate chips after the rebuys are done.


Otherwise, play somewhat fast, trying to accumulate chips while you can still risk getting busted. Once you have achieved a decent stack, then you can tighten up until the rebuys are done. Of course, this strategy will result in more rebuys over the first, but if you can get a big stack going, your chances of winning the tournament improve.

You are talking about a limit structure, of course.


No-limit games are more profitable with that kind of players.


I have had the same problem. What to do?


After many losses I started playing super-tight; this strategy allows you 2 important things: 1- you have more respect when involved in a hand and this become true in the critical stages of the tournament (after the rebuys period) 2- you save money for unuseful rebuys which diminuish your money return


You can add some value multiways hands such as J-10 suited or small pairs but always in late position and for a minimum bet. When you are lucky to win a big pot (and you win a big pot more often with these hands than with AA or KK) you are in a good shape.


Good luck, Marco

Two things:


First, in a limit structure, if you play the value hands (like Marco suggests), you are playing to make hands that will beat top-and-bottom pair (which is what you are afraid of when you have a hand like AK and the board is A63, right?). This way, when you really hit your hand (straight or flush, most likely) you'l be paid off handsomely - otherwise, you just fold excessively.


Another possibility, if you really find this re-buy situation to be a problem, is to merely buy into the tournament late. There are plenty of people at my club who will come into the tournament halfway through the rebuys, buyin, make a single rebuy and make the add-on at the end of the period. In this case, it sounds like this would give you more chips than your average end-of-rebuy period stack, for less money.


I don't advocate this play (entering late) for a lot of reasons, but I offer it only as an option.


Sam