What the hell am I doing wrong?

[nate_king1]

I have played many $11 tourny and I follow the 2+2's Beating PP $10+1 SNG article and I do it exactly. But lately I found that it is impossible to work! Because When I follow this I either go out in 3-5th place and always lose money. No first, only one second!
Sure my last game somebody cracked my aces but it is contiuous, and last game I got 4th!

I always hang on staying around average while blinds have increased to 100/200 +.

Can somebody who beats the PP 11 help me on what I'm doing wrong?

[TStokes]

Do not follow the guide exactly they are just guidelines. Loosen up around the bubble 4-5 people left and become more aggresive and steal blinds to build up your stack.

[nate_king1]

Okay then help me out with this situation Consider the following hands when you are 5 players in 11 SNG, have 1100 Stack blinds are 75/150.

Rasie/Call/Fold?

A2
A10
Q10
KK
77

This would really help me out if you can give me for what you would do with those hands.

[lastchance]

What position are you in? How many active players are there?

BTW, I'm pushing nearly all of them given decent conditions (folded to you on button). And I'm calling AT, KK, 77, not much else with, again, right conditions.

These conditions are
Not insanely loose calling ranges of the people right to you (pushes will be called by J7)
Not having a lot of players act in front of you (UTG, I fold QT and A2, for example, though it's somewhat close)

Note: 77, and AT are very good, and I would find it very hard to lay these hands down to extreme strength (all-in from UTG when I'm UTG+1)

Oh, and laying down KK is dumb.

[Freudian]

I think you are looking for something that will be hard for us to give you. A map to beating the SnGs.

Once you understand why you should do something, you will find the answer to similar situations by yourself.

As for the specific hands, it depends on your position, the size of the other stacks (the blinds in particular), if someone else has entered the pot, how loose/tight your opponents are etc.

There is no clear cut answer. Of course you want to play KK no matter what, and if you are first in you want to push 77, AT and perhaps QT/A2.

[Dr_Jeckyl_00]

[ QUOTE ]
Do not follow the guide exactly they are just guidelines. Loosen up around the bubble 4-5 people left and become more aggresive and steal blinds to build up your stack.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are many threads re: "bubble" play. do a search and read through them. Then apply it. This is not as easy to apply as it is to read about it. Every situation is different and you will learn to apply correctly through trial and error and posting your bubble hands for critique. There are many solid players on this forum that will help you. Here is a link Bouble Trouble Thread to my 1st & 2nd bubble thread ... look at the advice I received (read original post first) and then read other bubble posts to help understand how to apply in different situations. Good Luck

[bluewilde]

I'm surprised about how you guys emphasize the strength of these hands (AT, QT, A2). Like Nate, though, I'm very new, and I have the same issue with coming close to the money but bubbling out more often than I think I should (sometimes even if I have a decent size stack). I think I'm certainly picking the wrong spots to steal/move-in, but it sounds like I'm way too tight as well. How low can you go with these hands (say, from the button if it's folded to you): 89? J8? Qx? Kx? Ax? (Just lost w/ A4s to A7o) I keep finding myself at really tight tables (on the 5+1s oddly enough) where everyone seems to be doing what I'm doing and waiting for the money, getting blinded down, making a stand and start waiting again. Against these kinds of opponents, what hands am I pushing/folding (again, from late position when I have 10-15 BB). And, am I just avoiding the really loose players?

Looks like Dr. Jeckyl just posted a reply that covers it; nm.

[gildwulf]

The 10+1 guide is good on figuring out how to get to the bubble, but teaches you to play tight-weak on the bubble and ITM. I would definitely stick to the guidelines for lvls 1-4 but you really have to start opening up your game at blinds 75/150, usually when there are 5-6 people left. If you start being more aggressive in the SB and on the button (pushing hands like KT that Aleomagus' guide would never tell you to push) you will find yourself in a better position to place 1st more often.

Also, check out the bubble thread that someone posted above.

Good luck...

[Onaflag]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm surprised about how you guys emphasize the strength of these hands (AT, QT, A2). Like Nate, though, I'm very new, and I have the same issue with coming close to the money but bubbling out more often than I think I should (sometimes even if I have a decent size stack). I think I'm certainly picking the wrong spots to steal/move-in, but it sounds like I'm way too tight as well. How low can you go with these hands (say, from the button if it's folded to you): 89? J8? Qx? Kx? Ax? (Just lost w/ A4s to A7o) I keep finding myself at really tight tables (on the 5+1s oddly enough) where everyone seems to be doing what I'm doing and waiting for the money, getting blinded down, making a stand and start waiting again. Against these kinds of opponents, what hands am I pushing/folding (again, from late position when I have 10-15 BB). And, am I just avoiding the really loose players?

Looks like Dr. Jeckyl just posted a reply that covers it; nm.

[/ QUOTE ]

I may get lots of offers from fellow 2+2ers to sit at my tables, but I'll answer the "How low do you go?" question. 72o. That's how low you can go. Okay, maybe a bit exaggerated, but you mention playing at very tight tables.

I have been caught with my hand in the cookie jar more than once on the bubble pushing with absolute crap, but it is the exception, not the rule. When it feels right, you push. When does it feel right? UTG folds and you believe SB & BB to be tight enough to fold without a monster. Push. The cards often times do not matter in these situations. Push.

I'm no mathematician and I certainly do not have the thousands of SNGs behind me like some here do, but when the conditions are right and you push in this situation, you will pick up the blinds more often than not. And when you do get looked up, you still have two cards in your hand.

I think the mistake you're making is waiting for the right cards to make the push. Instead, you should be concentrating on the three other players and what they're doing. Many times, the cards are secondary.

Onaflag...........

[Freudian]

If you are playing the $5+1s it is quite possible that your opponents have a wider calling range than at higher limits. Then you can't push as wide a range of hands.