11s tight as hell lately?

[Asgrow13]

I've been playing the Party 11 dollar SNGs over the last week, and I feel like the game's really tightened up a lot. Seems like most of the time when the blinds reach level 4 (50/100), there are still like 7/8 people left. It's usually about 5-6 people with 600-800 chips and 2 people with like 2000 or so.

At this point, it kind of becomes a toss up because I'm usually around 600-800 and with the 10X BB rule I'm pushing or folding, but I've been having trouble getting in the money doing this. I can't wait too long for a hand or I'll get blinded away, but getting all in with AJ and being called by KQ or even a low PP isn't exactly idea.

What's the proper way to adjust to games that are really tight through the first 3 levels? Should I be loosening up, making some moves, and trying to get a stack for the later levels so I can push people around, or should I just keep doing what I'm doing and hope that in the long run, better decision making in levels 4-5 will lead to profit? Any thoughts?

[GtrHtr]

I am seeing the same thing. As many as 10 getting through level 3. My advice is to play smart and stay on your normal game.

[brimstone1]

I had noticed the same situation while playing the $11s.

I concluded it was due to the time of day.

The situation you have described arises during the day, especially 9AM-2PM, where most people are at work. I call it the "granny crowd", it felt as if I were playing against grandmothers that didn't get steamed, but just kept on playing according to the list their nephews gave them.

I'm sure we're speaking of the same situation.
Most people will have 300-800, people will fold a 300 blind when all they have left after is 25, they'll sit a whole orbit before they bust, etc.

3 ways of getting out:

1) Play between 2AM and 7AM when everyone is literally on tilt and you'll find the exact opposite of what you just described, you'll reach the bubble so fast you won't believe it; or at least you'll find games that are normal.

I'm a huge night owl, and don't sleep more than 6 hours a day, these hours suit me the best. Be careful not to play at this time if you're tired/sleepy.

"YOU GOTTA SOME BALLZ TO PLAY POKER!!!11" is not an uncommon taunt at this hour, be advised, and bring your balls -- the variance is slightly disturbing. FE is literally non-existant at times.

2) Move up to the $22s, grannies can't afford'em. Though I must say, at the $22s, bubble and ITM last a lot longer than the average $11, or so I've observed.

3) Observe a completely other time of day, see how it fits you.


Of course, my assumptions are completely based on the notion that the time of day is what causes this mysterious behavior.


P.S: You could study up on your all-in skills (*cough*EV, ICM, eastbay!*cough*) and try to beat them as they are, gain a chip lead, use stack, cook for 15 at 350, serve hot.

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
I had noticed the same situation while playing the $11s.

I concluded it was due to the time of day.

[/ QUOTE ]

I play in the 6pm-12PM Central range, and have seen no noticeable shifts. There are on average a couple of people out by the end of round 2, and still the same idiots going all in on round 1 with AJo.

I like to keep close track of who is loose and who is tight for the first few rounds if I can, and I am still finding 3-5 people at a table who see 60-75% of the flops.

P.S. I am talking about Party here.

P.P.S. This question is asked about once every 3 months, in every forum, about SnGs, MTT, LLHE, NLHE, etc.

[Wes ManTooth]

Play will definately change some with the new added level 5, blinds 75-150. Regardless of SNG $ level, this should incourage more play, in theory.

[Blarg]

I see this at PST evening hours, too, solidly all the way through. Even in April, when I started, I didn't used to see so man times where it was round 4 or 5 or even later and there were still 7 and 8 people in. I also notice a lot of names from Microlimits and Small Stakes forum showing up here lately, and I know plenty of them multi-table.

The game does strike me as being much more cautious in the first few levels even just since April, even in the 11's. Not necessarily all that much better playing, except that playing tighter in those levels is fairly close to optimal, so it functions as if the players were better whether they are or not.

[pergesu]

I played a $22 at 8:30 MST today. ITM in level 3. Ship it

[mlagoo]

I have noticed a tightening up, but I don't know if its just unlucky game selection.

However, more than a few times in the past few days I have been at 50/100 with 7-8 people left.

[unfrgvn]

If they are truly playing tight shouldn't you be stealing more?

[Luminous Mist]

I just started playing the $11s and have no idea what you're talking about. Many (most) of the players seem very bad and plenty are out before high blinds. Then, in the high blinds they limp a ton with like random hands, sometimes folding, sometimes calling a raise with their very mediocre hand. They also seem to call pushes from a big stack with A2 when they're second biggest stack with like 5 or 4 players left. I'm not sure what the problem is with any of this.

With higher blinds, can't bad players make even bigger and more frequent mistakes than in level 1?? (I'm not really talking about the players calling open pushes with KTs in level 1....they obviously are making a huge mistake).

Also, with the new blind level, it seems it gives bad opponents who are tight in the first few rounds another middle blind level to misplay their hands and dump chips. I'm not entirely sure the game would take much longer at all (at least in the $11s) since most of the time players don't need huge blinds to go broke...it is much more dependent on the players at the table.

How much time does everyone think the new blinds will actually add to a game? 2 minutes? 5 minutes? 10 minutes?!

Luminous

[Luminous Mist]

[ QUOTE ]
If they are truly playing tight shouldn't you be stealing more?

[/ QUOTE ]

What is the point of stealing 15/30 blinds???

It's of course nice if everyone busts in these early levels....but frankly, only as a short stack on level 3 or a medium stack on level 4 can one gain much by stealing blinds (in the 800 chip sngs anyway). As far as I can tell, as long as chips are being dumped from bad mistakes at *some* point during a tournament, the good player gains. Whether most of the bad players want to dump chips earlier or later won't make a huge difference. Tournaments may take a bit longer...but I've seen bad players generally self destruct all at the same time when the blinds get 'higher'....rather than very slowly.

Luminous

[TheMainEvent]

Yes its been extremely frustrating for me. I keep having the situation where the BB walks 3-4 straight hands and the next one I push and get called. Bad timing I guess, but it just sucks having to take so many chances to get ITM.

[Freudian]

I've been playing a few $11s lately (testing with a few more tables). I haven't noticed any difference to previously. Very beatable.

[TWINUNO]

I have posted this same thing before and have got flamed for it, it was probably just that time of the day, relatively 11's will always be easy, and if they are that right good practice in a way for the higher levels. I usually play later in thevening or afternoon but the 11's your find that they are mostly donks, pushing early with and A and another face card.
Good luck

[LordBP]

I have noticed that the 11's seem tighter lately. Especially today, there have been 7-9 players left at level 4 in the majority of the tables I've played. Makes it much more difficult to double up in the early levels. Plus they have not so good calling standards whenever someone tries to steal.

[bones]

I was just gonna comment that the 20s (and 10s) are particularly bad today. Bad from level 1 to heads up. Just awful.

[Asgrow13]

I feel like time of day might be a big part of it, and I guess a lot of it is just random chance. Today I played a few $11s on Party Poker, and in one of them everyone had over 700 in chips goin into level 2. In another one, 2 people went out on the first hand (with king high and ten high against the nut straight... wtf???) with someone else going out on the 2nd hand. I think the fish are still out there... sometimes you just get unlucky and end up at a table of tighties.

[Isura]

I have been playing continuously at the 11s for over a week (at various times in the day) and I haven't noticed any difference. Bad players at 1pm, bad players at 5pm, bad players at 2am.

[treeofwisdom7]

ITM LVL 3 , 3 times this week so i dont know what the this post is trying to say