How to throw a change-up at the table?

[DougBrennan]

I would like to hear how some of you approach varying your playing style at multi-table NLHE tournies. Do you do it as a response to changing table conditions, or as an arbitrary choice to provide confusion?

My sense is that my normal approach can become too tight, yet my attempts to loosen up usually cost me money, without seeming to provide greater payoffs when I revert to tight play.

So my questions are when do you loosen up and by how much?

I know these are pretty generalized questions, but I am looking more for an avenue of approach than hard and fast rules.

I mostly play $5-$30 multis at UB and Stars.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

[CrisBrown]

Hiya dbrennan,

I try to vary my play according to the general trend at the table and the specific opponent(s) in a pot.

At a tight and/or passive table, I'll play more hands, bluff more, slowplay big hands less, make fewer value bets on marginal hands (callers are likely to have me beat), and avoid drawing hands except as steals.

At a loose and/or aggressive table, I'll play fewer hands, bluff less (or not at all), slowplay big hands more, make more value bets on marginal hands (callers are likely to have marginal hands also), and look for opportunities to sneak into pots cheaply on drawing hands.

I apply the same kinds of reasoning to the individual opponents in a pot, along with additional considerations like stack sizes, particular individual trends and tells, whether one or both of us is on the bubble, etc.

Finally, you have to develop a feel for the "danger times" in the tournaments you generally play. These are periods when players are desperate, making moves, trying to get back in the hunt, etc. Players are more likely to get pot-committed on anything that looks like it might draw out (belly and backdoor straights, backdoor flushes, etc.), so even if the table in general is tight, the pot plays loose.

So I'll switch back to my loose-table strategy: play fewer hands, bluff less, slowplay big hands (my opponent would have called anyway, and I can get away cheaper if a draw hits), bet marginal hands for value at the river, and look for opportunities to sneak in cheaply on the really strong drawing hands.

I hope this helps.

Cris