My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

Except for the inevitable suck-outs by the other guy, on the 'rare' occassion when I finish a SnG not ITM, I can usually identify the breaking of one or more of my personal playing rules as the cause. Of course, the beauty of any rule is that you must know when the RIGHT time is to break it... anyway, here is the list-in-progress:

1. Don't get involved in a hand unless the cards DEMAND that you do.
2. Full value from a hand is NOT as important as surviving until the next.
3. Don’t be PASSIVE and let the other guy catch his hand.
RESPECT early position raises, especially late in the game.
4. You need a BETTER HAND to call with than to raise with.
5. Don't call when you KNOW you are beat.
6. Don't call raises with Ax against a full table.
7. Treat playing poker like you are playing for a living.
8. Don't bluff too much.
9. Play to Survive.
10. Don't bet on the river when only a better hand can call.
11. Don't risk a lot to win a little.
12. Don't put advanced moves on novice players.
13. Don't play while tired or distracted.

Comments, additions, mockery, etc?

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

14. No fear, only respect.

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

I agree with your checklist in general but overall it seems like you're playing with scared money.

In particular, rule #1 is a bit much. If you can run a table or if you're the bigstack, go ahead and play some hands, buy some blinds, etc.

Also, rule #10 is overused a bit. There are times where only a better hand will call. There's also alot more times when this seems to be the case, but yet your river bet will be called by hands that you wouldn't dream of.

I would add one more rule: "Value bet relentlessly."

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

Disagree on #2. As a part of surviving, you HAVE to get full value for your winning hands.

#3 Depends on levels and stacks. E.g. a shortstack in a late level will go all in from EP with any paint or ace. EP raises in early stages normally indicates strong hands.

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

I think you're #1 is too tight. There are plenty of spots where the cards you have truly have nothing to do with your play, such as "push any 2" situations.

As for "Play to Survive," I think that might be adapted to play to survive ITM, then go balls out for the win.

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

Cool list, and at least you're thinking about the game.


[ QUOTE ]
2. Full value from a hand is NOT as important as surviving until the next.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's total crap. Maxing your value is how you win the most money. You just need to make sure you're maxing your $EV rather than your cEV, which are pretty much the same early on but can be drastically different later on. Maxing value in any tournament hand is going to account for the risk of going broke.

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

15. People who dream the most do the most

16. Success finds a way; failure finds an excuse

17. Nobody ever woke up on top of the mountain; sometimes you just got to go climbing

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

18. Ship it. Holla

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Except for the inevitable suck-outs by the other guy, on the 'rare' occassion when I finish a SnG not ITM, I can usually identify the breaking of one or more of my personal playing rules as the cause. Of course, the beauty of any rule is that you must know when the RIGHT time is to break it... anyway, here is the list-in-progress:

1. Don't get involved in a hand unless the cards DEMAND that you do.
2. Full value from a hand is NOT as important as surviving until the next.
3. Don’t be PASSIVE and let the other guy catch his hand.
RESPECT early position raises, especially late in the game.
4. You need a BETTER HAND to call with than to raise with.
5. Don't call when you KNOW you are beat.
6. Don't call raises with Ax against a full table.
7. Treat playing poker like you are playing for a living.
8. Don't bluff too much.
9. Play to Survive.
10. Don't bet on the river when only a better hand can call.
11. Don't risk a lot to win a little.
12. Don't put advanced moves on novice players.
13. Don't play while tired or distracted.

Comments, additions, mockery, etc?

[/ QUOTE ]

is this a joke?

Re: My personal checklist: Why did I not finish ITM?
 

Was this post generated as the result of a prop bet?