Strategy - In The Money

[Scuba Chuck]

There is little, if any discussion ever on this board about ITM strategy. Luckily, there is great advice/discussion on bubble strategy (which matters just as much if not more IMHO).

Is anyone willing to share any secrets?
If not, is anyone willing to direct where to go to spend some time learning? I don't mind hard work.

So far, I only have two strategies. Bluff a lot and play top 1/3 of hands. This probably explains my poor finish distribution.

[asofel]

[ QUOTE ]
There is little, if any discussion ever on this board about ITM strategy. Luckily, there is great advice/discussion on bubble strategy (which matters just as much if not more IMHO).

Is anyone willing to share any secrets?
If not, is anyone willing to direct where to go to spend some time learning? I don't mind hard work.

So far, I only have two strategies. Bluff a lot and play top 1/3 of hands. This probably explains my poor finish distribution.

[/ QUOTE ]

When it gets down to 3 players, it depends on my stack. I'll often open up with my aggression/pf raising with a good stack. If I'm short stacked I'll also try to steal and get back to a decent stack. Mid stacked I try to play solid poker, good hands, and without letting the big stack run over everyone, not get pot committed in a situation I don't like. I play for 1st so unless the other stack is about to drop out, I won't wait around too often.

[whynot?]

think theres a couple of key items.

1. now its all about winning as opposed to getting ITM.
2. The blinds represent a higher percentage of your stack and come around (obviously) much more frequently.

Both of these say to me to extra aggressive. Obviously situation dependent, but all things being equal I turn into gus hansen in three player games. Push, Push, Push. Once in a while take a hand off to give the impression you wont play all cards, but stealing three blinds in a row can be close to 2000 chips added to your stack.

[Bigwig]

There's the obvious payout structure implications--1st is a lot better than 2nd, etc. So, it's certainly worth the risk to win a huge pot and increase your chances of winning the tourney at the expense of finishing 3rd. Therefore, being ultra aggressive is good, but you must pick and choose your spots. Also, slowplaying is much better here. Checking bottom two pair to induce a bluff, for example, on a two tone board. You will often trap yourself here, but players will go the felt with top pair weak kicker, mid pair good kicker, etc, and you want to get them all-in when you've hit.

[TheUsher]

Always push when you see fit. Build up a stack, pick on the short stacks' blinds, make those 2 to 1 calls while you're in the BB and then keep on stealing. I guarantee you that most people would be scared ****less trying to steal from you if you just called with 96os in the BB. Do the math quick about the pot odds needed to call if x pushes, y pushes, etc, so even some experienced opponents won't realize that your call was correct if it's instantenous.

I try to always think ahead what I'd do if I'm in say the SB or BB and say it's folded around to me in the SB or a short stack pushes my BB, etc. When you're the big stack at say 50%+ of chips w/4 left, open up BIG TIME. Even doubling up 1 of the 3 equal stacks doesn't hurt you at all, but more likely you'll be stealing blinds or knocking someone out when called.

Same thing goes for those perfect situations when 3 are left with one real short short stack, keep on pushing with most anything to pressure the medium stack.

Oh and if you're in the BB w/crap while the SB completes and checks the flop, bet it something like 1/2 to 2/3 the pot if you're a big stack as the majority of the time you'll get free chips.

[KenProspero]

Very situational.

I assume you're not asking about obvious situations, such as Big Stack vs Small Stack, etc.

As far as general strategy -- I may view things a bit differently than you. I think of the game as having three bubbles, not 1.

When there are 4 left in the game, after the first drops, the other three win 20% of the pot.

When there are 3 left in the game (each already has 20% no matter what), after the first drops, the other two win an additional 10% of the pot.

Heads up, (each already has 30% no matter what)the two are playing for 20% of the pot, winner take all.

What this says to me, is that since the incremental gains 4th-3d and 2nd-1st are greater than the incremental gain of 3d-2nd, it's worth taking more risk to get a good shot at first, even if it decreases your shot at second.

Aside from that, how I play is very much game specific. Hopefully, I have some kind of a read on the players left. Will they routinely fold to small bets? Are they maniacs? Etc. To generalize, I'll play a lot more hands with only three in than I would with 7 or 8 in the game, however, even taking this into account, I'm generally looser and much more aggressive as the table thins.

[Bigwig]

[ QUOTE ]
When there are 4 left in the game, after the first drops, the other three win 20% of the pot.

When there are 3 left in the game (each already has 20% no matter what), after the first drops, the other two win an additional 10% of the pot.

Heads up, (each already has 30% no matter what)the two are playing for 20% of the pot, winner take all.

What this says to me, is that since the incremental gains 4th-3d and 2nd-1st are greater than the incremental gain of 3d-2nd, it's worth taking more risk to get a good shot at first, even if it decreases your shot at second.

[/ QUOTE ]

You could have just looked at the payouts: 250/150/100/0, and subtracted the differences. You didn't need all that fancy math. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[shoeman]

I think this is very situational dependent and depends on 2 things, both of equal importance.

1) Blind level
2) Player reads

As the blinds increase, your pushing/calling standards have to lower. If you are at the 250/500, folding 3-4 times in a row can decimate your stack. At this level, I'll push the top 60% hands on the button and almost any 2 from the SB. If it were the 100/200 blind level than I probably push top 75% from the button and top 60% from the SB.

Player reads are just as important. I had a player yesterday who was to my right and the big stack. I was the small stack. He folded the SB just about every time it was folded to him. When down to 3, I significantly lowered my pushing standards and raised my calling standards because I knew I could just steal from this guy. And if you have a maniac at the final three, your pushing/calling standards need to be significantly adjusted for that.

I really don't think stack size matter too much as this point unless there is a desperation stack that must call. Even a big stack can't be as much of a bully as he can when 4 handed. Anybody disagree with this?

[chopstick]

That's an interesting way to look at the bubble concept. Thanks, I'm going to approach my next few S&Gs that way and see how my play alters.

[scotty34]

How often do you see a flop in ITM play? I know in my case it is very rarely, and essentially never due to my own call. Virtually the only instances are when I am BB and SB completes and I have a poor holding, or when I raise as a steal attempt, and am only called. Both of these situations are quite rare. Is this the case with others, or is this something in my game I may want to review?