Winning online tournaments

[imported_Dozer]

I'm a three-year veteran of playing online. I'm good but haven't been able to turn the corner on boosting my bankroll (I'm at +$1,000). Part of the problem is that I don't play enough (up to 8 hours/week).

My passion is for online tourneys. In my life, not including SNGs, I've won three tourneys (Stud H/L, NL and FL) and cashed in maybe 15 more (including a big prize in a NL tourney). I'm good at them, but I want to get better.

I'm looking for tips for playing online tournaments. I play a lot at PokerStars, so if you have any Stars-specific advice, I'd be appreciative. I also have PokerTracker but don't have all my hands uploaded yet.

Thanks in advance.

[PokerChamp22]

This has been discussed a lot, check the search feature and look in the archives.

Play good drawing hands early, small pairs for set value, don't risk 2 many chips early, lots of crazy moves happen with more people (fish) in. That being said, don't be afraid to be aggressive with monster draws on the flop (flush and 2 overs, etc.).

When blinds start getting to decent level, mix in some blind steals to stay ahead of the game. Steal from late position, middle position. UTG/ early position steals are risky with the whole table left to act.

Switch gears when the table gets tight (bubble time), gather up some chips and work your way up.

In the money, people start going for big moves (trying to move up or bust since they have some money now), sit back a bit and wait for a hand.

[jvphish]

youve only made a grand in 3 years?

[revots33]

Have you read Harrington on Holdem Books 1&2 yet? If not you should.

[meow_meow]

Maybe I'll get flamed in this forum, but ring games and SNGs are where the steady money is made.

[imported_Dozer]

[ QUOTE ]
youve only made a grand in 3 years?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep. Started my first year losing $800, then won it all back plus another $1,000 over the next two years (I consider 2005 to be year 3).

Was thinking about getting both HoH books ... any other recommendations for those?

More advice welcome. Thanks.

[Luke]

youve only made a grand in 3 years?

Yeah, that's a pretty good accomplishment by the original poster when you consider that the vast majority of poker players, "serious" or otherwise, are in the red for their lifetime.

Nice work Dozer - and you've come to right place to help improve your game and add to your success. Good luck.

Luke

[TheBlueMonster]

Obviously. The odds of you making any type of real money in a tourney is far worse than a SNG of ring game. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[barry111]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you read Harrington on Holdem Books 1&2 yet? If not you should.

[/ QUOTE ]

These are the best poker books on the market.

and good job on the results. I lost ten or eleven $50 buyins on PokerStars before I started reading these fourms and became a winning player.

[HeroInBlack]

Harrington on Hold 'Em I is required reading.

Tournament Poker for Advanced Players is very good, too.

Other than that, do a search. eMarkM had an awesome post a few months ago that you should try to find.

[imported_Dozer]

[ QUOTE ]
Tournament Poker for Advanced Players is very good, too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bought it. It has helped but not as much as I thought.

Thank you to all the folks who have welcomed me here. I look forward to sharing my experiences.

Any more advice related to playing in online tourneys welcome.

[WakeHeel]

Tournament variance is so high sometimes it takes a while. Like you I have been playing at Stars for 3 years and have become a profitable player (haven't deposited a dime in 2 years). I really think it's very difficult to win a small buyin (ie 5 to 10 dollar tourny). There are so many players in them....sometimes well over 1000.

1. I think SNG's are a great place to start improving your game.
2. Keep playing tournies and figure out where your "sticking" points are. Are you gambling it up too much? Are you making it to the bubble and you're just watching the blinds climb without ever making any moves?
3. Watch good tourny players play.

[MegaBet]

[ QUOTE ]
1. I think SNG's are a great place to start improving your game.


[/ QUOTE ]

I would have to disagree here. SNG's are probably the most profitable way of playing poker, but if you want to actually improve your game, then play a lot of ring games. Good SNG players are not necessarily good poker players, due to the fast blind structure.

[baronzeus]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe I'll get flamed in this forum, but ring games and SNGs are where the steady money is made.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is entirely true. I play $30+3 MTTs and SNGs to relax a bit after a few intense 6max days, but I'm only like 10% ROI on SNGs and have only won 1 MTT and final table 3 others.

[SparkyDog]

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=tourn&Number=903650&Fo rum=All_Forums&Words="A%20tournament%20of%20Thievery"&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=903650&Search=true&whe re=bodysub&Name=263&daterange=1&newerval=1&newerty pe=&olderval=&olde (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=tourn&Number=903650&Fo rum=All_Forums&Words=)


http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Number=890506&page=3&view=co llapsed&sb=5&o=14&vc=1

I think these are the ones you're talking about, but they're excellent nonetheless.

[KyleM]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tournament Poker for Advanced Players is very good, too.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bought it. It has helped but not as much as I thought.

Thank you to all the folks who have welcomed me here. I look forward to sharing my experiences.

Any more advice related to playing in online tourneys welcome.

[/ QUOTE ]

Master the ring games first. The first half of a tournament is played pretty much like a NL ring game, but you have to be careful with situations that are only slightly ev+ if you don't have enough chips to keep playing if you lose (be CAREFUL with your stack and protect it). Of course, you also have to balance being very aggressive. Take advantage of the fish by winning huge pots off of them and against good players, position is EXTREMELY important. When you raise preflop from LP w/KQs and a blind calls you with AQo and the flop comes (J 8 7), the caller will almost always check to you, and he can't really justify calling a pot size bet. Likewise, if you play from EP, there isn't much you can do when you miss the flop and somebody who raised behind you fires a big bet on the flop, so always be aware of how important position is. Anyway, try to master ring games before expecting great results in tournaments.

Maybe stuff you already knew, and I could be off base anyway, but I'm just trying to help.

-kyle