Party Poker Strategy Help

[Moonsugar]

Recently had my worst losing streak ever playing SNG's. This has caused me to reevaluate my strategy at Party. It was a combination of bad play (I am afraid it is true) and some really bad luck. (I had just made my biggest cashout, maybe there is a cashout penalty!!!!) Essentially I lost so much that I went from $50 sng to $20 sng in order to regroup emotionally, reasses my strategy and make sure I didn't have to ever add money back into my poker account from my checking account.

I like playing at Party because the players just aren't that good. 2 or 3 bad players at the table makes your equity go way up. However my strategy needs some adjustments.

Essentially I play a supertight, aggressive strategy.

First few orbits don't play anything but AA-JJ. AK and AQ. Most of the time I will raise as the tables are usually passive, but limping with AA and KK is preferred if I feel I will be reraised from early position. Open raise I ALWAYS (problem?) raise 3x the blind in the beginning of the tourney.

If action is folded or many limpers to me in late position I will also play pair down to 33 (depending on how many limpers etc.). Play other high cards here too, depending on texture, but usually not if anyone is in ahead of me. First from mid to late I will (almost) always raise.

Later int tourney I loosen up.

Nothing earth shattering in these hand requirements. And I don't think these are the biggest problem I have. The real problem is what to do after the flop. If I flop a big hand I basically dont have a big enough stack to protect it after the first few levels (unless I have doubled up). Typically post flop I make pot sized bets (problem?). This may be a problem I have with position too, as if I flop a nice hand I (almost) always bet if I raised preflop and was called.

Example lets say I have T750 and I get AK in UTG+2 when the blinds are 25/50. I raise to 150, button calls and blinds fold. So, pot is two way with T375 and I have T600. Flop comes KJ3 with 2 hearts (of which I have none) and I bet T400. Usually I will win but now at the turn I can't charge an effective price to any draws.

Notice that since I almost always make a big bet if I have a hand I also make a big bet if I am bluffing (problem?). So, if I get called or raised on a bluff later in the tourney I am toast cause I have so few chips. I see these guys that vary chip bets and wonder how they do it.

Essentially what I am getting at is Party Poker becomes basically an all-in fest rather quickly for me with this style. It seems like poker should be more than memorization of all-in prices.

Should I just continue my style and know that math will make me money (given the right game selection)? Or are there some changes I could make to allow more poker? Maybe I need to reduce the size of my bets post flop? I see guys do this all the time but that seems like a gamble to me. Any comments appreciated.

Oh, don't say go to Stars cause I am already there. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Just want comments on strategy at Party.

Thanks.

[prairieboy]

Your hand selection seems fine.

I'm quite willing to back off a hand on the flop, regardless of whether I was the preflop raiser or not (particularly hands like AK, AQ where I didn't flop a pair). Not making that pot-sized bet on the flop can save you a bundle. - NOTE - I didn't say I never do it, or that I don't bluff at these too, but I think betting out EVERY time after you raised preflop is an error.

If you don't have enough chips to follow your flop bet with another big bet on the turn, you should seriously consider going all-in on the flop.

Always betting the pot isn't a mistake, but it can be overkill when you're ahead and murder when you're behind. When I bet/raise, I try and pick an amount that will look "scary" to the other player. Sometimes, that's the pot, sometimes it's less. Watch how the other players react to other raises and try to tailor your bet amounts to your opponents.

[Prickly Pete]

I'd play small pairs more liberally. They are the biggest moneymakers early.

And for your example, I'd either bet something like 250 - enough to mean something, but enough to leave you with something too if you're bluffing. More likely though, I'd just go allin. Checking is fine sometimes too if you miss, rather than bluffing every time.

[citizenkn]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd play small pairs more liberally. They are the biggest moneymakers early.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree on the small pairs. In the first 2-3 orbits, I'll happily limp or call a minimum raise with any small pair, even UTG if it's a passive table. I'll fold to a big raise pre-flop, and fold in a heartbeat if I don't hit a set on the flop. If you do hit the set, you can double up more often than not, especially on the lower buy-in tourneys....

[Moonsugar]

Well if it is really passive I will do this as well. And you do see a bgunch more limping at 20 v. the 50 sngs. But, I don't really think preflop decisions are my main weakness. Betting patterns after the flop have been lately. Too big of bets and too many of them.

The other post made me rethink a few things and was very valuable.

Thanks to all.

[jomatty]

you cant bet 400 when you only have 600 left.if you are going to bet 40 percent or so of your stack stick it all in
gl
matty

[Crispyk]

I used to throw out a pot size bet if i missed the pot and i was the preflop raiser. But i found this crippled me more then it helped me. Also this is what i've done to change that. 1. I don't always bet out if i'm the preflop raiser. I try to do it about half the time.. Keep em guessin. The problem with betting out every time is you become and easy target for a check raise. I got very sick of that so i changed my strategy. For instance if i have AK and the flop comes out 4 7 2 rainbow. and its only 2 or 3 handed. I will throw out a min bet. Surprisingly i win alot of hands with this. And if i'm reraised its an easy lay down, and not alot risked. People seem to be unsually scared of min bets postflop. I don't really understand it myself, but its working out for me and its made a giant improvement in my game.