Tips for playing with 95% novices

[petvan]

I have decided to start playing in person (100% online NLHE tourney amateur) and found a game locally that brings 50 or so players out on a regular basis for an NLHE tourney with a twist. For some reason, I'm thinking lack of administration, the tourney plays out with 5 tables battling to top two players per table, and those 10 making up the final table. Much like a progressive STT. This change I think I can handle.

However, I've played this once, and found it very challenging much in the way that low stacks online tournies are challenging. Guys give you no respect for position / betting / stack size etc, and few understand odds in general, let along pot/implied etc. Lots of crazy draws end up busting hands that I should be either able to win without SD, or should never be up against at SD.

My first time out, I came third at my table as I saw few good hands, and played my normal tight style while everyone else just threw chips into pots and I ended up very short stacked relativity and simply did not outdraw the final two guys when it came time to play some pots with them.

I'm curious if anyone has tips on how to play one of these tournies? For example, do any of the following make sense?

1) play my normal TAA style
2) loosen up a little preflop in MP/LP (try to limp into more pots)

I'm thinking a mix of the above, but wondered if any of the many more talented than me (most if not all of you) had ever given this scenario thought?

Thanks

Pete

[RBT]

I've been dealing with this myself, not really format wise as we consolidate as we go. But, there's about 20 of us and growing every month. We've had 5 so far and I have NOT cashed...yet I would say my game is far better than anybody else's. I've decided I'm just going to have to have a hand to showdown. Which means my post flop game needs to tighten up.

That's what I've noticed anyway in my experiences so far.

[schwza]

when the final table starts, do you have the chips you ended with or does everyone start the same? if all the same, play the first table like a satellite and the final table regularly. if you keep your chips, you don't need to make many changes due to structure (except that you'll be playing more short-handed a lot).

as for the players... if they are the type to limp in with garbage and then pay off with TPNK, i would limp in with marginal hands like JTo in late position. limp with any pair in any position, at least while the blinds are still relatively small compared to your stack. assuming they cold-call and blind D too much (like most novices), increase your raise amount to about 6 bb's. don't semi-bluff or bluff, and don't try to steal blinds very often. you can afford to play trouble hands like KJ and AT in position because you're as likely to dominate as you are to be dominated. you can also make thin value bets as you'll probably be getting paid off by gutshots and bottom pair.

good luck.

[esbesb]

1. Don't bluff, no matter how tempting. (Well, maybe not quite this extreme, but close.)
2. Play your good hands hard as you're likely to get called.
3. When it comes to limping in preflop with hands that have high implied odds value, take what they give you.

The key is patience. Expect to have to sit there, folding, figeting, shifting in your seat and mubling helplessly to yourself, as you watch these guys go crazy and do dumb stuff. It sucks to see inferior players accumulate chips through pure luck, but you have to resist the temptation to make moves on these guys, as they will call you with any hand that looks pretty.

[RBT]

This is what I've been unable to do. Shake my head all the way home and get on the internet to play somemore. I'll try harder to remain more patient and tighter post-flop in a couple weeks.

I felt I played great Saturday night until I busted out with KK against 88. Mucking KK with a pair on the board and a guy coming over the top of me(he showed me the trips) and folding AQ pre-flop to a re-raise that was way too large for 50/100 blinds.