2nd hour advice in MTT?

[JerBear77]

Ok, Im getting a little frustrated with things lately.

AFter the first break in Online tourneys i usually am anywhere between 15-25BB. However, I get "lost" (literally) in the second hour and struggle to get past that area.

Im sure im not the only one that has this problem.

I read a couple of posts on this time and ive been incorporating the "10BB rule", but i guess im asking is what things do you guys look for when your diagnosing how to read the people at your table and its time to make that move?

How do you determine that its "time" to try it and how do you react when your called?

i have read HOH and learned alot from there. Is there another source to look at that would help with this point in MTT??

[TexTiger]

I'm right there with you. Lately I have pretty consistently getting busted with about 25-30% of the field left, usually losing coin flips even when ahead and making the initial push in. I tightened up for a good while in the $10+1 Stars tourney last night and finished 101, which was in the money, albeit only a net of $5.

I feel I'm right on the bubble of taking my game to the next level, and looking at the way I'm playing now, which is much better than this time last year, I wonder how I ever won my WSOP seat.

TT

[frozenhops]

It just takes some dedication and the belief that you'll make it past the bubble. I had a string of what seemed like an eternity of finishes where I would consistently finish around the top 15-30%, and always lose to an all-in coinflip (where I was ahead at least 85% of the time). Then last week I had 3 exact bubble place finishes. Instead of being depressed (ok, I was quite angry right after the fact), I took it as a sign I was about to break through, and last night finally finished 2/159 in a tourney, which paid off quite handsomely. For once my hands held up when I was on the bubble, and from then on it was some quick outs to the final table.

The best advice I've had, is to just play fearless when you are closing in on the bubble. You always need to be shooting for the good money (top 3%) unless it has some strange payout structure.

[JerBear77]

That makes sense....


How do you guys use the "notes" area for players and their tendencies...what do you look for to see how people react to raises and such? who to push around, etc etc

[Sam T.]

It sounds like you are probably playing too tight in the second hour. This is the time when you need to be building your stack through aggressive play, not hanging in there waiting for a big hand. (I say this, but don't yet do it very well.)

You don't want to start splashing around too much, but you have to use your chips to take pots rather than winning them with the best hand - winning pots exclusively at the showdown is a losing strategy. Stay on the attack until the table starts playing back at you. Then when you get your big hand, you'll get paid off big time. ("Fourth freakin time he's raised my limp? I'll show him! Oh, aces. Ni han sir.")

I've begun to think that the hands that are key to building a big stack (and thus long-term success) are not often discussed on this site. For example, here's a hand that woodguy posted:

Party Poker No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t150 (10 handed) converter

Hero (t3675)
UTG (t3400)
UTG+1 (t2737)
UTG+2 (t3328)
MP1 (t2400)
MP2 (t4950)
MP3 (t1455)
CO (t3808)
Button (t5545)
SB (t4600)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif, 6 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif.
UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 folds, MP1 calls t150, MP2 folds, MP3 folds, CO calls t150, Button folds, SB completes, Hero raises to t900, MP1 folds, CO calls t750, SB folds.

Flop: (t2100) 7 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif, 7 /images/graemlins/club.gif, T /images/graemlins/club.gif (2 players)
Hero bets t1200, CO folds.

Final Pot: t3300

The thread is on punnishing limpers is here (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=1713071&page=&view=&s b=5&o=).

The transition from too tight to appropriately aggressive is both difficult and necessary. The lesson we learn from day one is, "You need to tighten up." What this refers to, of course, is calling a raise from the SB with KJo, but the unintended consequence is that we apply it to our entire game.

It's two limpers to you in the CO, and you have 93o - your natural instinct is to fold. It's a garbage hand. But the truth is this: Unraised pots are yours for the taking, and the opposition can't fold if you don't take the initiative. Attack, attack, attack.

Also have a look at the posts collected here. (http://archiveserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=&Number=1086778&page=& view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=) They are a big help.

My two cents,

Sam

Disclaimer: I say all this, but I don't yet do it. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[TexTiger]

I use a couple of things. First is PFR for Pre Flop Raise. I keep a tally on those that do, using a X if no callers, / if they get a call. Then I make notes on how the rest of the hand goes (bets flop, check raise, etc). I also have a tally for FRB (Folds to River Bet).

Other notes I keep are how they play top 5 hands and what position.

I'm sure there's more I can add, but this gives me at least an idea of how aggressive they are, generally speaking.

TT

[Soul Daddy]

[ QUOTE ]
Unraised pots are yours for the taking, and the opposition can't fold if you don't take the initiative. Attack, attack, attack.

[/ QUOTE ]
Great post, Sam. Also a great quote.

The links in Sam's post are invaluable learning tools. Read them many times over. There is so much in there to ingest. I recommend OP and all who haven't to check them out.

[Sam T.]

Thanks - while it's not yet paying dividends, I feel like in the last couple of weeks I've begun to figure out some of this aggression stuff. I wrote that as much for myself as anyone else...

Sam