08-31-2005, 12:32 PM
First, lets make clear that my money game is $200 NL 6-Max. I play $10-$20 MTTs to blow off some steam or help keep me focused at a ring game. I think they're fun and often much more exciting than ring games. But the fact is, I'm just not beating them. I mean, I've placed in the money a few times(out of about 40) but those were right on the bubble, making maybe 1.5 times the buy in.
A typical bust hand happened to me last night. I'm about halfway through a 200 person tourney and get dealt A9o on the button. Folds to me, I raise 2.5 times the blinds hoping to steal and get a call from the big blind. Flop comes AJ7. Not bad. I check, he bets min, I call. Turn comes 9.(suits unimportant) I bet, he raises, I call. Rag on the river, he puts me all in, I'm pot committed, I call and lose to AJ.
Of course its not a bad beat, I was behind in the hand the whole time, but it just seems kind of unlucky. Without the 9 on the turn I would have had no problem laying it down. This seems to happen often.
I'm looking for any advice. I've been trying to play more and conservative and just look for the places to double up or add big to my stack. It got me close to the bubble the other night but then I went bust on QQ(to AK. Again, unlucky). If anyone has any great advice, I sure would appreciate it, particularly if you think my ring game play is negatively affecting my tournament play.
A typical bust hand happened to me last night. I'm about halfway through a 200 person tourney and get dealt A9o on the button. Folds to me, I raise 2.5 times the blinds hoping to steal and get a call from the big blind. Flop comes AJ7. Not bad. I check, he bets min, I call. Turn comes 9.(suits unimportant) I bet, he raises, I call. Rag on the river, he puts me all in, I'm pot committed, I call and lose to AJ.
Of course its not a bad beat, I was behind in the hand the whole time, but it just seems kind of unlucky. Without the 9 on the turn I would have had no problem laying it down. This seems to happen often.
I'm looking for any advice. I've been trying to play more and conservative and just look for the places to double up or add big to my stack. It got me close to the bubble the other night but then I went bust on QQ(to AK. Again, unlucky). If anyone has any great advice, I sure would appreciate it, particularly if you think my ring game play is negatively affecting my tournament play.