Risk taking in early stages of MTT

[Tropex]

Now I have this question, I've been quite successful in $11 Hold'em Freezeouts and down (mostly down ;]) And I was wondering about the early stages of tournament play in manner's of taking risks of possibly getting outdrawn. How do you play, it's of course recommended that you play very tight in the early rounds (mid-rounds is about collecting stack, aye?). So let's assume this scenario.

I have A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] on the button. I raise, get one caller.

Flop K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

My opponent pushes all-in, should I be inclined to call ? What about if I have A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] In this same situation?

This situation has taken me by surprise more often than I might've though. These donks pushing it with something silly. Now I usually make the call and end up and more than often my opponents show a flush draw. Now this is good because I win more often than lose, BUT I was wondering if this is the correct play to make early on since there's about %30 you could get knocked out or crippled 'lethally'. What do you think ?

[WillMagic]

[ QUOTE ]
Now I have this question, I've been quite successful in $11 Hold'em Freezeouts and down (mostly down ;]) And I was wondering about the early stages of tournament play in manner's of taking risks of possibly getting outdrawn. How do you play, it's of course recommended that you play very tight in the early rounds (mid-rounds is about collecting stack, aye?).

[/ QUOTE ]

Most of this crap about the stages of tournaments is just that - crap. Early on you are looking to accumulate chips by getting the money in with the best hand. As the tournament moves on you start trying to accumulate chips through stealing blinds and putting pressure on shortstacks. But your goal is almost always to keep accumulating chips, and not to just survive.

[ QUOTE ]

So let's assume this scenario.

I have A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] on the button. I raise, get one caller.

Flop K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

My opponent pushes all-in, should I be inclined to call ? What about if I have A[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] In this same situation?


[/ QUOTE ]

Both of these situations are automatic calls. You almost certainly have the best hand in each instance. If you have a chance to get your money in as a 60/40 or better favorite you TAKE it. You don't "wait for a better spot." This is the better spot.

[ QUOTE ]

This situation has taken me by surprise more often than I might've though. These donks pushing it with something silly. Now I usually make the call and end up and more than often my opponents show a flush draw. Now this is good because I win more often than lose, BUT I was wondering if this is the correct play to make early on since there's about %30 you could get knocked out or crippled 'lethally'. What do you think ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Who cares if you get eliminated? You get eliminated in almost every tournament you enter. You have to take your +EV opportunities.

Will

[Arnfinn Madsen]

Seconded. To OP, remember that it is more +EV to push when you are favourite and start a new tourney if you bust and hunt for +EV-situations there than to stay alive in the tourney you currently play in.

[Tropex]

Yea, my point just was that many of the good players don't like the new form of "TV-poker" where they only see the all-ins. I prefer winning a thousand smaller pot instead of 10 bigger ones. And for the bigger ones, I think it's better to play (in MTTs that is) against those who have less stacks so you can still take in hits and recover. If you risk your whole stack each time you have a 70-30 win scenario, the probability that you win them all is quite small. Maybe this is good early on to accumulate a basic stack you can start overrunning your table with. Just yesterday I got eliminated with AQo vs AQo, I do not know whether it was good to call an all-in with such hand either since I could've been vs a pocket pair.

Coinflips or slight favoured coinflips (something like 99 vs AK) are other thing, I guess you don't want to put your life in the life preflop with those either, even if you have a little edge.

Dunno. Maybe the one's I mentioned were autocalls, but what if I don't have so accurate read on my opponent ? They could also be holding a set or open ended straightflush draw..

the thing is, after the first time you risk your whole stack in a 70/30 scenario, you'll most likely have twice as many chips, and it will be more difficult to risk all your chips again... and if you do, you'll have 4x the starting stack and be able to withstand a bad beat or three. If I was absolutely sure someone had AK, I would call an allin with 22 the first hand of every tournament I enter

[BigStick_25]

I would have to say early in a tourney those are both for sure calls I am sure not everyone agrees but you have to play your style and consistanly I cant tell you how many time I have been in MTT for higher buy - ins than I normally play and I fold a hand trying to be to tight because of the money on the line and I just get upset with myself when the hands would have won. It also would have to do with the raisers table presence but I would have called either way.

[runout_mick]

If you are even CONSIDERING folding in these situations, ummm... thank you?

[JJJ88]

I would call without a heart beat even with AK