Timed tourney

420 Cabeza · #1 08-05-2005, 01:10 AM

I am a slightly winning player at the th 4 8 level. I play live games about twice a week. Most of my knowledge of the game comes from SSHE and this forum as well as experience. Anyway I decided to teach some people at work how to play, and have been playing on our breaks. We play in a limit format for play money for about 45 minutes at a time. Whoever has the most chips at the end of the break is the winner. It is usually 4 to 5 handed. The play is terrible!!! I think I am the only person who folds pre-flop. The thing that is most frustrating though is that the person with the most wins actually says things like "Man you can't throw away suited cards." Etc. Really frustrating [censored]. Especially since this guy has been playing in casinos and is a good friend who I don't want to see lose money in real cash games.Is there strategy specific to this that I'm not getting. Since it's a timed game should I be lowering my starting hand selection early and be more selective as the time ticks down. Any thoughts on how to play this would be greatly appreciated.

signal · #2 08-05-2005, 01:20 AM

I think it is more of an issue that the play is short handed.

You need to adjust your strategy to that of a short handed mind set. See the short handed/heads up forum.

Also, shorthanded games are notorious for their chaotic swings.

pzhon · #3 08-05-2005, 06:17 AM

[ QUOTE ]
We play in a limit format for play money for about 45 minutes at a time. Whoever has the most chips at the end of the break is the winner.

[/ QUOTE ]
Unless you are the chip leader, and perhaps even then, you want to trade EV for variance, and that means getting involved in a lot of big pots when you don't have the odds in the normal sense. If you play tightly, you make it likely that you will place neither first nor last.