Tournament Image

I've read a lot that says you should attempt to come across as a bit of a maniac early on in a tournament (even though you're not really one), so as to get calls later in the event when you are playing solid and have big hands. I guess you do this by showing little cards whenever possible, without playing so many poor hands that you go broke.


Do all of you agree with this? It doesn't seem to make sense to me. I think I'd prefer to be thought of as a super-tight rock, so when I did make moves later in the tournament, I would be able to steal without being called.


Any thoughts here? What kind of an image do each of you try to project? Thanks.


--Mark

Winning more chips by getting called more only works if you get dealt hands big enough later on. I also prefer your idea. If I'm going to cultivate an image, I'd rather it be a tight one, so I can steal more than my fair share later on and win that way. Especially in NL events, where stealing is successful more often.


However, my tendency nowadays is to play the cards I'm dealt to maximize my expectation now, and then use whatever image that creates for later. You just can't afford, in a tourney, to "spend" chips in an attempt to cultivate an image. And foregoing an opportunity to profit with a marginal hand is spending chips, IMO.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

I like having a tight image, for the reasons you and Greg mentioned.


Last week I posted this in the general HE forum:

"How do you take advantage of a loose image? I have done pretty well for myself by cultivating a tight image and making a few well timed bluffs. Even if I get caught, people still seem to treat me as a dangerous player, and don't play back at me much.


However, a few days ago I was playing online, and I opened another window above my game for a few seconds. When I clicked on the game again to bring it to the front, I happened to click on the CALL button (d'oh). Looking down, I had J3o, and a tight player had raised from early position. The small blind called, the BB folded. Flop came 6 4 3 with two clubs. EP bets, at this point I almost certainly have 5 outs (about 9:1 and the pot is giving me 7:1 plus good implied odds)(unless EP or SB has JJ or SB has 33 44 or 66), and I might be ahead, so I call. SB calls. Turn is the magical 3d, EP bets, I raise, SB folds (correct play?). River is a blank (Ts), EP checks and calls (I learn later that she had AKo). All sorts of virtual screaming ensues.


So at this point I have a good sized stack that just got bigger. However, I felt uncomfortable playing with the table image that I had created. I tried to wait for good to premium hands and get paid off, but I didn't catch many or any flops, and I thought people would call me down. Should I have played more speculative hands? Should I have tried to bluff people out when flops that could only hit an incredibly loose player hit?"


Craig

Online it's too hard to judge. When you show down a hand like that, the question is will they call more, or, as you suggest, when the board is raggedy will they fold for fear that's just the board to hit your hand?


In a live game, I like to think I can judge for each situation how the specific opponent will most likely respond. At least there is some hope of doing so. Online, when you can't see the person, I really don't know how you can judge which way they're going to move in response to your play.


Keep in mind, you played your J3o passively until you had made trips. That implies that you might do the same next time. Meaning, if you simply call preflop and then bet or raise the flop or turn, they might figure you for 2-pair no matter what is on the board. Hard to say.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

Not to mention, with the structures of many of today's tournaments, especially the 'weekly-type' tournaments, and even some others, the blinds increase so fast, and players are getting knocked out at such a fast rate, tables break up so quickly. The result is you seldom end up sitting with the same players you sat with earlier. I guess in a weekly-type tournament, where you will be playing with generally the same players week-in week-out, 'cultivating' an image might certainly have merits. That being said, I tend the take the approach that I'll play my game and let 'image' take care of itself.