Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

I've always been a mouse when it comes to MTTs trying to double with the premiums and wait for the monsters, but after reading some posts from MLG, cardsharpcook, sirio, andathar, TTIU, strassa, and many other great tourney players, I've tried to open up my game a bit, especially when blinds are small to accumulate a bigger stack. It's playing hands in late position that I would rarely play in EP. How many limpers would require you to play hands like 7 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]5 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] or 8 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] I've started to fall for these middle suited gappers like a high school sweetheart. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] or am I leaking?

Ex: Blinds 10/20, Hero has 1300 in MP3 or CO. 2 limpers, Hero limps with 9 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] or is this spewing.

What kind of middle suited gapper would be playable in this position? Would you be more prone to play 10 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]8 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] than 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] or is it about the same??

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

Your specific example may be borderline. I think it really depends on a few factors:

1. Your exact position. The later the better. If you're on the button, then your example seems like an easier choice to limp.

2. Exact blind size. There's a big difference between 5/10 and 10/20.

3. Aggressiveness of the players after you. If you'll get raised by the blinds 50% of the time, you need to treat this situation very differently than if its only 10-20% of the time.

4. Number of limpers.

5. Stack size of the limpers.

6. Quality of play. I think in the freerolls that I play, it may be correct at times to limp with any two cards.

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

I am fairly new to MTTs but I play a lot of suited one-gappers and a bunch of other speculative hands in the early stages in order to try to build a stack early on. The structure on the sites I play go up very fast so building a stack is very important early on.

I feel that this type of hand will allow me to:

A) hit it very hard and double up through someone playing their AA, AK or whatever too slow.

B) Release it at virtually no cost if I miss.

C) outplay the weaker opponents if I miss and the opportunity presents itself to bluff. My main problem right now is not to get carried away with this idea though.

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

I generally prefer 75s to T8s with deep money, as when you hit others will not.

With stacks of 50+xBB, I will limp with pretty much any suited connector or single gapper from late position with any other limpers in the pot. If no one is in the pot, I will generally limp or raise with them from late position.

I may also call a raise with these hands, particularly if there are other callers. From early position, I will usually limp if there is another limper. If I am first into the pot in early position, I may raise, limp, or fold with a suited connector.

Some of this depends on the table and your style and strengths.

Against bad loose players I will play lots of speculative hands, as I will get payed off well if I hit. In a tighter tougher game, I will play them less and sometimes raise with them for deception and to try to steal the pot immediately or later on.

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

[ QUOTE ]
How many limpers would require you to play hands like 7 5 or 8 6

[/ QUOTE ]

Anywhere from 0-7.

I also call raises with them in position and if it's a relatively small part of my stack.

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
How many limpers would require you to play hands like 7 5 or 8 6

[/ QUOTE ]

Anywhere from 0-7.

I also call raises with them in position and if it's a relatively small part of my stack.

[/ QUOTE ]

i don't generally call a raise with them, but i would limp in the spots you described with any number of limpers.

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

I treat them a lot like small or mid pairs. I'm looking to hit big or get out. The super system books talk a decent amount about playing suited connectors and even the 1 or 2 gappers.

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

I usually need a whle bunch or limpers to play junk like Kxs or unsuited connctors in late position. Usually with that many limpers, there are bad players, and I can make up for the weak hand by playing better postflop.

Re: Opening up early tourney game or is this a leak? (suited gappers)
 

[ QUOTE ]
I treat them a lot like small or mid pairs. I'm looking to hit big or get out. The super system books talk a decent amount about playing suited connectors and even the 1 or 2 gappers.

[/ QUOTE ]

haven't read supersystem yet, but have read both HOH. Sometimes I get attached to a flop of say 7 4 2 and it checks to you in late position you have 75 in your hand. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]