Sklansk's System

I am a limit holdem (10-20) player who has never played no-limit and barely played tornaments. Do you suggest that I use Sklansky's 'system' from the tournament poker book (page 122) for a no-limit tornament? The tournament is this Friday and I don't think that I have ample time to learn any no-limit or tornament stratgies.

nm

why not ?

Ronald-


1. Unless you are already entered, it would be better to skip the tournament than to play the system, because the system is most certainly -EV.


2. Why not just start learning to play no-limit tournies now? Play, make mistakes, learn. The adjustment isn't that difficult against weak opponents. Playing the system isn't going to teach you anything.


3. If you were playing for a million dollars against top pros, then the system might increase your EV enough to make it worthwhile. However, in normal no-limit tourney, it will barely increase your EV, if at all, even if you are fairly clueless. Remember, most of your opponents will be fairly bad.

No, don't play Sklansky's system unless you've already paid for the tournement and can't get out of it and you don't feel like playing poker. Even then, you might get bored real fast. Try the craps table; at least the other people there are rooting for you to win.


However, do read through the entire book and focus especially on the "Gap Concept" stuff. The chapter on "The System" is actually useful when taken as a thought experiment, and if the blinds get high enough it's not that far from wrong, especially as the worse players are eliminated from the field.


"The System" does illustrate the importance of not calling big raises, though, and exactly how go a hand you often need to re-reraise. Here's a few general guidelines I use for no-limit tournaments:


1. Position is everything. Its even more important than in limit. If you do anything pre-flop without thinking about your position, you're risking a huge mistake.


2. Play a little tighter in the beginning of the tournament. If you get a good opportunity to open-fold on the button or from the small blind, take it. You will look VERY tight and your steals are mor likely to work when the stakes are bigger.


3. Don't open-limp.


4. If you are raising 1/3 to 1/2 of your stack, you should probably be moving all-in.


5. Don't make limit raises. Always make approximately pot-size raises. You give away less information that way, and it's one less thing for you to think about.


6. Keep "The System" in mind as a fall back. If you are very unsure about what to do in a given situation, ask "What would the System tell me to do". Just don't move all-in if you're seriously overbetting the pot.


I just realized that it's Friday already... hope I'm not too late responding.


Good luck on your first NLHE Tournament.

Thanks guys! I am on my way there now! The torn is at a friends house and I am obligated to play as I have taken tons of money out of there over the last two years. I will try to keep your suggestions in mind.