Big leak in my mid-level play.

[Calpeman]

My problem is that I get way passive at the mid levels of the STTs. I play at the 20+2 level. For example if I have T1500 at the 50/100 level, I find myself playing even tighter then the first three levels. I rather sit and wait for my stack to get down to 8-10BBs where I start pushing. I think this leak probably is a result of not having enough confidence in my post flop play.

How big is this leak and has anyone else experienced the same? If you have what did you do to get over it. Any good rules I could start following at this point as I feel totaly lost at the moment.

[Big Limpin']

Scared money dont make money. You will have to take more chances. I cant give any "rules" to follow, but just be more willing to bet your non-nut hands strongly until someone gives your reson to believe your hand isnt the best.

In addition to finding yourself s/s on the bubble, you will also get alot of 3rd when you do money

[Texas Pete]

Take some time to watch a few 200 SNGs. Pay close attention.

[Calpeman]

I have watched a couple of them and a few 1000 steps. Is this kind of super aggressivness really going to work at the 20+2 level where the other players seem to have very little respect for bets and raises?

[Texas Pete]

I wouldn't call it super aggressiveness, I would call it the proper amount. Yes, it works. When they dis- your raises you win in the long run. BTW I am a $30 player. I start each day watching a $200.

[Calpeman]

Well, I just tried playing more aggressive then usual in a tournament. This was in the first level, but as I was in the BB anyways I decided to make a test. Is this still to weak or should I have put it down at the first 150 bet on the river. (Sorry I dont know how to convert cryptologic hands):
Table "STT1 284243 - 1" Seat 9 is the button.
Seat 1: HERO (1075 in chips)
Seat 2: Foxtrot (815 in chips)
Seat 3: KM11 (797.50 in chips)
Seat 4: 0o0o0o0 (883.50 in chips)
Seat 5: petlo (910 in chips)
Seat 6: Ardechey (1277.50 in chips)
Seat 7: No1dude (783.50 in chips)
Seat 8: GiantFish (1525 in chips)
Seat 9: zinzan sits out
Seat 10: TheTaker (955 in chips)
TheTaker: posts small blind 7
HERO: posts big blind 15
----- HOLE CARDS -----
dealt to HERO [Ac 9d]
Foxtrot: calls 15
KM11: calls 15
0o0o0o0: calls 15
petlo: folds
Ardechey: calls 15
No1dude: folds
GiantFish: folds
zinzan: folds
zinzan sits back
TheTaker: calls 8
HERO: checks
----- FLOP ----- [8d Ad 2s]
TheTaker: bets 15
HERO: raises to 90
Foxtrot: calls 90
KM11: folds
0o0o0o0: folds
Ardechey: folds
TheTaker: calls 75
----- TURN ----- [8d Ad 2s][Qc]
TheTaker: checks
HERO: checks
Foxtrot: checks
----- RIVER ----- [8d Ad 2s Qc][Kd]
TheTaker: bets 150
HERO: calls 150
Foxtrot: raises to 450
TheTaker: folds
HERO: folds
Returned uncalled bets 300 to Foxtrot
Foxtrot: doesn't show hand
Foxtrot collected 810 from Main pot

[Phil Van Sexton]

1500 seems like a nice stack, but your goal is to get 8000. You have a lot of work left.

In the middle rounds, you can push around the small stacks with 1500. By the time the bubble comes around, your stack will be below average and you will have no advantage.

Try to turn your 1500 into 2000. Then try to turn that into 2500, etc. Even if you lose 500 attempting to do this, you'll still have plenty of chips to make a run at it.

[AA suited]

[ QUOTE ]
1500 seems like a nice stack, but your goal is to get 8000. You have a lot of work left.

In the middle rounds, you can push around the small stacks with 1500. By the time the bubble comes around, your stack will be below average and you will have no advantage.

Try to turn your 1500 into 2000. Then try to turn that into 2500, etc. Even if you lose 500 attempting to do this, you'll still have plenty of chips to make a run at it.

[/ QUOTE ]

really? if you dont get the cards, then play looser to try to get an additional 500 chips???

i've learned even if i triple up on lvl 1 to 2400 chips that i have problems reaching ITM if i play looser w/marginal hands and bullying the middle stacks at 50/100 or 100/200.

playing looser to get 500 more chips seems counter intuative to what is accepted around here, which is to play tight. *IF* short stacked, then take your chances by going all in w/marginal hands to steal the blinds.

[The Yugoslavian]

What does being aggressive in level 1 have to do with the leak you indicated in your original post?

It's hard enough to be able to look at your play and admit what you're doing wrong and where in the SNG you're making your mistakes -- don't confuse yourself by adding aggression to your play *everywhere* in a SNG.

Yugoslav

[skoal2k4]

It would seem to me that you portray a tight table image, so why not use that to your advantage while playing? If you feel you have something, bet aggressive until someone gives you reason to believe that they got you beat. At some point, you have to take chances and put all your chips in the middle. You can't go the whole tournament without doing that unless you want to lose. Tight play will generally get you to the bubble. By the time you get to this point, you should have a pretty good idea on how the others are playing (who's tight, who's loose, etc.) Use that info. to your advantage and play into the ones that seem weak. At this point, you really should be playing the player a bit more than you did in the early rounds.

Just remember not to play scared. Be the predator, not the prey... something along those lines

Robbie