Very unusual situation...

[ricdaman]

I recently came across a very unusual situation in a tournament. I've played a few tourneys, and am up overall, though my per hour rate isn't that great. I have read both "Hold 'Em for Advanced Plaeyers" and "Tournament Poker for Advanced Players" but do not recall this situation ever being covered.

Here's the situation:

The tourney is multi-table NL Hold 'Em with top 20 paying, 11-20 all paying the same. Table break-ups and seats are determined by which player is nearest the button in relation to the blinds (if you are UTG when your table breaks, you will be placed nearest UTG at your next table).

There are 32 players left across 4 tables late in the tourney. I am in 7th place. The 33rd player has just busted out, and I am at a table of 10. I get moved to the table that has just dropped from 7 to 6 because in position, I am the player nearest the button at the table of ten.

When I get there, I realize I am in a situation I did not like at all.

THE TOP 6 PLAYERS IN THE TOURNEY ARE ALL AT ONE TABLE. Now I'm at the same table!!! Here I am in 7th place, short stacked at the table (the top 5 players had significantly more chips than everybody else), even though I am well into the money, and have more chips than most of the players in the tourney.

My question is this: <font color="red"> What strategy change, if any, is to be made here?
</font>
Here's what I did: <font color="white"> I tightned up significantly. Since any of the other players at the table could bust me any time, I ended up folding every hand. I dropped down to 18th before the table got broken up. Then, I worked my way back up to 11th before busting out of the tourney. </font>

Was this the correct play? And if not, what is?

[AceKQJT]

With 32 players left in the tourney, you've got a long way to go until the money. Being the short stack at the table is better than being the chip leader IMO. Any player at the table can double you up...that's great.

You probably have a deep stack with relation to the blinds, so I think limping hands can be very effective here. Some LP limps with mid suited connectors and mid-small pocket pairs would be my choice, trying to catch a stack-buster for cheap. I think that playing only premium hands here would work to your dis-advantage.

Thats my 2 cents,

--Casey

[SoCalPat]

Don't think for a second any of the other players at your table are happy about it too. Without any stacks that are close to the felt, it gives them fewer chances to bully others with their own stack, or take chances with marginal hands when someone's all in.

I think you could almost treat this situation the same as when you're getting close to the bubble. These bigger stacks aren't going to want to push it when there's a good chance the table will be filling or breaking up soon. Going into a shell is poor strategy, unless all you're concerned with is making the money.

If your goal is to win, or at least come in the top 3, this is a great opportunity to steal, steal and steal some more. Your method for doing so is up to you. But if you notice that everyone else is playing especially tight, then it's time to open up and raise with anything you'd even consider playing.