How would you play this tourny?

[Baatzu]

Hello,

Let me start out by saying I would never play this type of tournament normally but the circumstances are such that I am. I am posting this in this forum because of the structure. If I should post in different forum please let me know.

Details: This is a charity fund raiser to a good charity and it is done through the company I work for so that is why I am playing in it.

The tournament will be 50 players at 5 tables. There will be two rounds. The first round will be an hour and a half and the top two stacks for the table will go to round two. Here is why I am posting in the one table forum because I will be playing against one table only per round.

At the end of the hour and a half the two largest stacks will advance to the final table. Round two will be the same as round one except the largest stack at the end of the hour and a half wins an all expense paid trip to Vegas.

My question is, how would you play a tournament like this? My feeling is to be ultra aggressive and push any kind of edge. I will only have an hour and a half at each table to be chip leader. Should I open push any pair and/or high suited connectors or A10 and up suited or not? Is there even a strategy for this kind of game or is just a total crap shoot? I would like to win but will not be devastated if I don't. I am just curious what you all think might be a good strategy if any.

Thanks for any input you may have.

Side note: I have no idea what kind of blind structure or stack sizes we will be starting with. It may make a small difference but in the grand scope and short time table I don't think it will matter much.

Baat

[tshort]

Blind structure relative to stack size is very important.

I've never played in a tournament where they took the top stacks after a certain time period, but here is how I would play it (looser than I would play other single table tournies):

If blinds are small compared to stack sizes, play tight. In the first half of the round you will be looking to double/triple up off a great starting hand against the big donks. As blinds increase relative to stack sizes you must loosen up and be more aggressive. At the end of the round, players who aren't in 1st or 2nd will obviously be going all-in frequently. Use this to your advantage if your battling with a few other players for a final spot. If you are in 1st place with a good lead, I would only call/push with premium hands.

If you make it to the 2nd round, play tight aggressive early trying to double/triple up. Then loose aggressive late.

I hope this helps. Maybe someone else has experience in this format. Good luck.

Travis

[Baatzu]

Thank you, that actually makes perfect sense. I was so focussed on the time restraint that I didn't think how important the stack to blind ratio will be. I am sure they will probably raise the blinds very quickly. Maybe every ten minutes. I guess I will just have to see and adjust accordingly.

Thank you again,

Baat

[Bco1/75]

Sounds like a crap shoot. Here is my prediction: At the 1:29 point you will be second in chips at your table. You will be UTG with 29o....naturally you fold. Then other 9 players will see that this is the last hand and they will all Push because it's their only hope. The winner of that hand, probally with T7o, will take over first place and bump you to third.....When the smoke clears and you realize you were shafted repeat to yourself, "It's all for charity"............ Good Luck.

There is probably a cheaty way to avoid this by playing in the previous hand.

[ZeroPointMachine]

The endgame is going to be alot like a blackjack tourney. What the other players do with their chips is more important than your cards. The only way to protect yourself from the everybody all-in(at the 1st table) on the last hand is to have at least 1/3 of the chips and be in 1st or 2nd. If you are in 1st the 2nd place player will probably have to go all-in also. Whoever wins the other 2/3 will be 1st and you will be 2nd. You need a hair over 1/3 to protect against a split pot creating a tie. If you are in 2nd with more than 1/3 of the chips you need to make absolutely sure that the 1st player knows enough to stay out of the last hand. Then there are less than 1/3 chips in play and you are safe.

Of course at the final table you half to have 1/2 the chips to be safe.

How to get those chips depends on the players. But you know where you have to be before the last hand and can adjust your play as neccesary.