Tournament vs table play

[spindizzy]

Alright, so I've signed up and played on some sites with various success. However, one thing strikes me. I rarely do well in limit games, I don't know why. They tend to grind me down over time. In no-limit I can do quite good over a time but I usually screw up down the road and go bust.

This sounds like it's really hopeless, but it's not. I've only just begun playing, and I'm more or less a break-even player at this stage.

Anyway, what strikes me is I really like tournament play, and I seem to be better at this. I play with a quite limited bankroll... well, not too limited compared to the stakes I'm at (from .1/.2 to .25/.50), and I seem to sometimes worry too much about the cash and not concentrating enough on playing.

I've participated in around 10 tournaments the last two days. Of these, I placed second in two, won back my bet in two more, and lost the remaining six. That's not too shabby in my opinion. I'm way on plus in tournaments now, while I'm a slight minus at regular play (at least at Pacific). I know ten tourneys is so little a sample as to be nonexistent, but there you go anyway.

I feel that playing tournament I can relax more and look at my bankroll objectively. You've already made the buy-in, now it's only a matter of using your cash to beat your opponents. I can make bluffs I wouldn't make in normal play and calculated risks I'd rather avoid otherwise, if I find that a win of the particular hand would put me in a decisive advantage to win the contest.

I guess I don't really know what point I wanted to make with this post. I obviously know jack [censored] about tournament poker. Can someone give me any novice tips, and possibly a good book to read? Does anyone feel the same way I do about this?

Kindly, Thomas

[SheridanCat]

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Alright, so I've signed up and played on some sites with various success. However, one thing strikes me. I rarely do well in limit games, I don't know why. They tend to grind me down over time. In no-limit I can do quite good over a time but I usually screw up down the road and go bust.


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You should try posting some hands in the Hold'em forums and get some feedback on your play. That's really the best way to figure out what you might be doing wrong in both your limit and no-limit play. It could be simple things, complex things or just bad luck over the short-term.

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Anyway, what strikes me is I really like tournament play, and I seem to be better at this. I play with a quite limited bankroll... well, not too limited compared to the stakes I'm at (from .1/.2 to .25/.50), and I seem to sometimes worry too much about the cash and not concentrating enough on playing.


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If you think too much about the money, it will be distracting. If you're in danger of going bust, you are going to worry. Some people prefer tournament action to live action and vice versa. Some like both. It's a matter of preference. I know it seems like you'll have more control over your bankroll playing tournaments, but you will actually find that variance for tournament players is pretty high. I suggest you take a look at this:

http://www.brodietech.com/liontales/blog.htm

Go back and read all of the entries. They're very interesting. This fellow has plenty of money, so he's not sweating the variance, but you'll see what it's like to play tournaments. You spend a lot of money and time and end up with nothing in hopes of making a big score. Nothing wrong with that as long as you know what you're getting into.

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I know ten tourneys is so little a sample as to be nonexistent, but there you go anyway.


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As long as you really understand this, you'll be fine. You will not place in the money anywhere near this often over the long run. Not even over the slighly longer than short run.

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I guess I don't really know what point I wanted to make with this post. I obviously know jack [censored] about tournament poker. Can someone give me any novice tips, and possibly a good book to read? Does anyone feel the same way I do about this?


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Read the blog above. Also, you must read Sklansky's "Tournament Poker for Advanced Players". Sklanksy's book helped me a lot. However, I was also greatly helped by reading the tournament forums here. Post hands, get feedback, that's the way to improve.

Regards,

T

[AncientPC]

You should go here instead:
SNG Forum (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=singletable) MTT Forum (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=tourn)

[slickterp]

DEFINITELY check out the 1 table tourney page, lots of experts there for good advice. i feel the same as youdo often , that i am more calm and make better decisons in tourneys. it's b/c you KNOW you have a limited amount of $$ and can't dip in again, you lose, you're out. think that way when you play limit. think that you will sit w/ a certain amount of $$ and when (if) it's gone, you can't play anymore.

[SheridanCat]

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think that way when you play limit. think that you will sit w/ a certain amount of $$ and when (if) it's gone, you can't play anymore.

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I have to disagree with this sentiment. If the game is good, rebuy when you get low and continue to play. If the game is bad, just find another one that's better. There are so many games going online, no one has to sit in a bad game.

Regards,

T

[skoal2k4]

I prefer Tourney play of cash games based on the fact that everyone starts with the same amount of money. In tournament play, you can pretty much take a players bankroll out of play (unless it's a rebuy tourney). I've read quite a few books and posts from 2+2 and here are a few of my notes and things that are key as far as I'm concerned for tourney play:

1) Don't take chances early on. Play a tight game, especially when you're out of position. Just because the blinds are low doesn't mean that you should play more hands. Early stages of a tournament are pretty much a crap shoot. Don't get caught up in it... stick to abc poker

2) A great PF hand might go to crap after the flop... don't stay with the hand if there isn't much of a chance to win with it. For me, AK hearts is great until I see a flop of 6d, 7d, 8d ... That board puts me in check fold mode, yet you'll see many players play this through. The tournament is long and you'll see many more hands. Gotta be patient.

3) Don't call an all-in for all your chips unless you have AA, KK, AK, AKs ... remember, once your chips are gone, you're out. If you're gonna gamble PF, you want to make sure you have One of the best starting hands.

4) At some point, you will have to take a chance and put all your chips in the middle. This is usually when you fall below 10BB. When that point comes, you want to be the one to push first. This will drive out a lot of the drawing type hands. Hopefully you'll only be heads up against a weaker hand or better yet, they all fold.

These are just a few of my notes. I'm no expert and I don't claim to be. However, those 4 things have made the most impact on my tournament play. Some will agree, others will disagree. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[JackedUp]

I have the same problem. I always seem to do well in tournaments but struggle when I'm just sitting at the tables. Lately I've been thinking I've just been picking the wrong tables. Generally I look for tables that have a lot of callers who see the flop but I'm beginning to think it's wrong. Any suggestions?

[SheridanCat]

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Generally I look for tables that have a lot of callers who see the flop but I'm beginning to think it's wrong. Any suggestions?

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Why do you think this is wrong? I'm not trying to belittle your opinion, it'd like to know how you came to that conclusion.

It's best, in my opinion, to look for loose, passive games. This means a lot of people calling a lot. Those are delicious games. You will get beat by unlikely hands, of course, but the pots will be large and you'll have the advantage of being the aggressor with your best hands often. Do not try to bluff a bunch of loose, passive players, you'll just throw chips away.

Regards,

T