Trial NLH tournament strategy
 

Mainly based on my years of O8 playing, where slow playing is rarely a good idea, I am thinking of experimenting with the following NLH tournament strategy:
I call this the never-limp strategy.
A) Early in the tourney:
1) In early position, always open 4xBB
2) In mid-position, always open 3 to 3.5 BB
3) In late position, always open 2.5 to 3 BB
B) Mid-tourney
(Basically the same, but adjust bets according to stack sizes. Raises may be a bit lower.)
C) Late tourney - always raise if entering a pot, but raise size depends on stack sizes.

Note: explictily am not specifying hand values - think Harrington on Holdem ranges.
Note: if there is a bet or limp in front of me, adjust according to the gap concept, but again, never call.

What do you all think? How much equity am I giving up by NEVER limping when being first in? But I am betting my draws the same as my monsters.

Re: Trial NLH tournament strategy
 

Sounds like the opposite of what Phil Gordon writes on page 31 in his Little Green Book...

Re: Trial NLH tournament strategy
 

If you follow HOHE strategy, you will be coming in with premium hands in the 2-5 xbb range based on the strength of your hand, position and varying the size of your bets to keep opponents from detecting patterns to your play.

From my understanding, the strategy you detail would only telegraph to your opponents the strength of your hand...if I am correct to assume you would apply position specific starting requirements along with your positional bets.

Re: Trial NLH tournament strategy
 

What if you are on the button with J [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]10 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] or pocket 5s and everyone limps in? There are situations where limping in is a good idea.

Re: Trial NLH tournament strategy
 

Yeah - I just got that book in the mail yesterday. Talk about timing! After I read it, I probably will revise this strategy.

Re: Trial NLH tournament strategy
 

I didn't consider this because I have NEVER had this situation come up in any tournament I have ever played in.
I have only outlined some basic assumptions. I have not thought out all the "boundary conditions" yet.

Re: Trial NLH tournament strategy
 

Not necessarily. I would raise the same amount with 55, AA, JTs, 64s (royal arlo) in late position, for example.
HOHE is just guidelines. I can't play that tight.