Such a thing as too tight in a tournament?

[tipbraskeyut]

I've been playing a lot of $10-$20 buy-in multi-table tourneys online, each with about 200-400 other participants. The majority of the time, I manage to make it to the money, into about the top 30 or 40 remaining players.

I'm normally a very tight player, and don't like to throw my chips around and bluff when I'm up, b/c I find that I almost ALWAYS get called and busted by someone else. This keeps me from losing too much of what I gain, but I find that I'm missing out on what could be bigger pots if I'd raise and/or re-raise more.

Although it's somewhat vindicating to make the money and at least win back more than my buy-in, I'm sick of not being able to finish higher. Would it be better to play more aggressively earlier on to build a bigger stack against weaker players? What are the main advantages/disadvantages to playing tight throughout a multi-table tourney?

[augie00]

You must be sure to play loose enough that you don't get blinded off. Stealing is important.

[SixgunSam]

You can't play tight the entire way, you will never accumulate enough chips to do anything except occasionally limp into the money. I never have a set time when I say, okay now I'm going to play loose, but I tend to play tighter when the table is loose and looser when the table is tight. I look for opportunities to attack certain players or certain flops. It's hard for the other players to make hands too, so don't be afraid if you get called from time to time. Stay aggressive until you sense strength and if you don't have anything then back off.

Classic post here that has helped a lot of 2+2ers open up their game:
http://archiveserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=890506&page=&view=&sb =5&o=&vc=1

[pzhon]

/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Blinds are always worth stealing. When they are small, you don't have to risk much to steal them.

/images/graemlins/diamond.gif You should adjust your hand evaluations according to the stack depths. The playable hands change depending on the stack sizes. You might muck AJ in EP with deep stacks, and open-push in early position with less than 10 BB.

/images/graemlins/diamond.gif A lot of idiots bust out early. This does not mean that if you risk busting out early, you must be an idiot. If you want to get easy money from crazy players, you need to do it before they bust out.

/images/graemlins/diamond.gif The prizes are concentrated at the top, for those who make the final table. Only 10-20% of the prize pool is distributed to those who limp into the money. (Compare that with 60% for a SNG.) However much you might be proud of playing tightly, no prize is awarded for being the tightest player in the tournament.

[MicroBob]

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The majority of the time, I manage to make it to the money, into about the top 30 or 40 remaining players.

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51% in the money??

Exaggeration will get you nowhere.


Your tightness will make it pretty tough to win the bigger prizes.

[PrayingMantis]

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Such a thing as too tight in a tournament?

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Of course there is. Fossilman once wrote here that he would prefer to back a complete crazy maniac than an over-tight player, since the maniac has some chance to win a big prize, while the over-tight will just beat about half the field and not more.

You must change gears constantly if you want to have enough final-tables for MTTs to be profitable for you. Changing gears means playing very loose-aggressively at times, especially on-line when stacks can get real short, and you simply must win some blinds, or even get lucky enough to win a show-down when you're behind (for instance, pushing and getting called by a stronger hand, and sucking out. Of course - this is not a STRATEGY, but if you follow successful players you see that the fact that they are willing to gamble at some points, particularly as aggressors, lets them build a huge stack [or bust, which is fine and normal too]).

[regisd]

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I'm normally a very tight player, and don't like to throw my chips around and bluff when I'm up, b/c I find that I almost ALWAYS get called and busted by someone else.

[/ QUOTE ]

sounds like you're not aggressive enough, maybe? not that you should push all the time, but if you're making it easy for your opponents to call and not charging them for draws, then you need to get more aggressive.


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Would it be better to play more aggressively earlier on to build a bigger stack against weaker players? What are the main advantages/disadvantages to playing tight throughout a multi-table tourney?

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steal more when nobody's displaying strength.

are you playing to make the money or to win? it sounds like you're doing an okay job of the former, but to do the latter you need to be more aggressive earlier and risk going out early instead of grinding it out for several hours only to make your buy-in back.