Is optimal play universal?

[Misfire]

...or does it depend on your level?

Disregarding any reads you might have on your opponents, is the "correct" play on any given hand at all dependent on the buy-in you're playing at, or is there a correct play regardless of the potential skill level of your opponents?

I ask this because I read a lot of posts regarding the 55's or 109's, but then I turn around and try to apply what I've learned at the 5's. Is there any adjustment that needs to be made?

[beeyjay]

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Disregarding any reads you might have on your opponents

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The level you are playing at is the easiest read you have on an opponent and can not be disregarded. The correct way to play a hand at the 215s is an incorrect way to play that hand at the 5s in many cases.

[sofere]

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Disregarding any reads you might have on your opponents, is the "correct" play on any given hand at all dependent on the buy-in you're playing at, or is there a correct play regardless of the potential skill level of your opponents?

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The buy-in level gives you automatic reads on the players at your table. It is your job to adjust those reads on as the tournament continues.

Let me clarify, when you sit down at a $109 table, your read on everyone should intially be an average $109 player with average $109 skills who will make average $109 plays. At a $5.50, the initial read should be an average $5.50 player, etc. As the tournament goes on, you adjust those reads.

For example, if you are dealt QQ on the button on the first hand and your facing a raise and a reraise, I will happily push and be confident i'll get called by KQ or the like. First hand of a $109 I would play much differently (don't know what differently is as I don't play the $109s, but you get the point).

[tsevier]

I think a lot of the plays we read about here are buy-in level dependent. I have experienced some of the same problems you may be encountering in trying to apply the plays of the best $100 and $200 players to the $10 & $20 tables.

From my personal experience, the greatest difference I have recognized is the level of aggression you can get away with at the higher levels. I've seen a lot of posts here about players at the higher levels routinely pushing with junk hands on the bubble. If you are sitting with a table of maniacs at the $10 tables I don't believe this works as well if you can expect most pushes to be called by multiple players. Of course, this may be my own misinterpretation so please take with a grain of salt.

With that said, I think learning the thought process behind the "plays" at any buy in level is extremely beneficial regardless of the level at which you are playing.

[syka16]

Starting chip count is very important. Optimal play is far from universal. Bubble strategy is different due to the various unpredictable calling ranges of lower buyin players.

[citanul]

the people who have responded to your post have given very good responses so far, i just wanted to chime in a little bit:

when you read things for the 55s and 109s, etc, there's only certain things that you should be taking back to the 5s and 10s. while the play of hands and general assumptions about the players should differ wildly, there are still many general concepts that one can take from hand posts and take those concepts between levels. i'm far too lazy to provide good examples, but this would be trivial. so yes, the differences between the levels are 2 things basically, the number of starting chips, and the quality of player that you can expect to find. often you will find a player who plays exactly as dumbly as your 5s opponents at the 200s, but that player will not be the norm. however, having worked your way up the ladder, you will learn how to exploit all the different kinds of idiots, and also how to play against good players, which is more and more important as you move up the buyin levels.

hope that makes some sense, i'm out,

citanul

[Maulik]

I didn't read any of the other responses as of yet, but I think what's important here is to consider the following:

people in bigger buyins assuming they aren't poor players are going to make various adjustments to take consideration for their position, the value of their hand and their fold equity. You simply do not see these theoretical considerations at the $10s, 20s, 30s. That said, when players are making adjustments for hands, you've got to adjust your hands to make up for that. Each table plays differently so that's another adjustment to be making.

e.x. if you have seen 3-4 people seeing a flop and you are UTG with Jacks, you can play it passively and shoot for a set or RAISE 4-5x blinds and discourage everyone from seeing the flop. The same could be said for too many people limping to you with Jacks and trying to get most of them out of the post, etc.

[syka16]

like sitting to your right...