Aruba tournament advice

[CreamPuff]

Advice wanted for:
10 player satellites. No-Limit. You only have to come
in 3rd or better to get an ARUBA chip. (1st is the
same as 3rd)

Start with T1000...I believe limits start at 10-20
and SLOWLY inch up.

Im not sure if they go up in limits every 10 hands (
seems like much more) or are based on a time limit,
but let me tell you these tournaments drag much
longer than a paradise 10 seater.

I previously used a strategy of playing super-tight
the first 3-5 rounds, however I find myself with only
about T750 with 5-8 players left depending on the
tightness of my opponents. And there is still much poker
to be played! But I am handicapped due to my short stack.

My original thinking was: play tight, let some players
bust out, then with an avg of about 6 players left I should
make it into the payoff just under 1/2 the time.

It's not working.

I now think I should just play ABC ring style no-limit poker from start to finish, since I know I can play poker better than most on the table.

Can someone give me a confirmation that my original thinking
is flawed? (Im thinking the disadvantage of being short-stacked
is too great in no-limit, even if I just need 3rd place).

[Bubmack]

I'm not so sure. I think the two biggest mistakes in tourney play is folding too much late and calling too much early.

I think it depends on how agressive the early stages of the game are...if it is relatively passive - i wouldn't play so tight. If it is agressive, you gotta save your $$ for the big hands and bet them heavily preflop and postflop.

SO if the tourney is agressive, I would think tight, but very agressive when you have the advantage (not the nuts) should play well.

Good luck

Bubs

[nummerfire]

Maybe you have just been unlucky. I have won two seats i three tries, but I sucked out with tt against Aces the first time, and the second time there were two players sweetening the prize pot without playing.

But you say you play "super tight" the first couple of rounds. I think its necessary to make some steals from late position even when the blinds are very small. Also if you try a steal from late position and one of the blinds call, they will often give up when you bet the pot on the flop.
(Don't do it every time).

If you are left with 750 when the blinds go to 30-60 or the like you still have a decent stack. Dont give up !

If anyone have any advice on to play in the finals, where it often will be "winner takes all" (There were only around 40 players last Saturday) I would be very interested. Do you have to push small edges here, or is survival strategy still a factor ?

Kim