Strategy for Given Home Tourney Structure
 

Me and my pals typically play 5 buck buy in's, 13-15 players, with 2 tables that converge into one when down to around 6-8. Its not a complete winner-take-all, but its just about. For a 60 buck pot, 40 will go to the winner, 15 for second, and 5 for third.

We start with 1300 in chips, and 5/10 blinds. They go up around every 20-25 minutes. The play is pretty typical, 1/2 the field is tight-aggressive, 1/3 is tight-passive, and 1/3 is loose-passive. There are a rare amount of LAG's. I myself am seen as one of the rare LAG's. Im very aggressive. My question is : Are there any changes I should make in a tourney like this? Since its almost a winner-take-all, I should play it like a ring game, right? Because of the structure, I try to gamble a bit more early in the tourney then I would in a 50/30/20 ... but its just left me short stacked and hasnt helped matters.

Re: Strategy for Given Home Tourney Structure
 

For what it's worth . . .

The starting blinds are so small that I'd play quite tight the first hour or so. No reason to get tangled up with KJ when you're likely to win a small pot or lose a big one. Playing tight keeps you in contention and will help your image for what sounds like the most interesting stage of the game . . .

. . . When a few players have busted out and you've got two short-handed tables and rising blinds. NOW is the time to steal some pots, make some aggressive first-in moves, continuation bets, etc. If you've carefully built a tight table image, no one with anything short of KK will play back at you at first. And with fewer opponents at the table, J9 UTG just might be the best hand.

If that works, then you get to the final table with a legitimate stack. Whether you're 2nd or 5th in chips matters only modestly. If you're anything other than the chip leader or the short stack, the main thing is that you're in the hunt and it's time to win some pots and dodge some bullets.

The prize breakdown matters a lot in how you play the final table. But I wouldn't think too much about it before then. Treat the game in two stages -- getting to the final table with a decent stack . . . and then playing the final table perfectly.

Re: Strategy for Given Home Tourney Structure
 

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The play is pretty typical, 1/2 the field is tight-aggressive, 1/3 is tight-passive, and 1/3 is loose-passive.

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You must have very large fields, then.

Re: Strategy for Given Home Tourney Structure
 

[ QUOTE ]
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The play is pretty typical, 1/2 the field is tight-aggressive, 1/3 is tight-passive, and 1/3 is loose-passive.

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You must have very large fields, then.

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[img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

1/2, 1/4, 1/4 is what I meant to say. Thanks for pointing it out. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]