early tourney question

[Irieguy]

Yes, only the top "X" hands should be played in the first 3 levels. (I don't want to start a debate about how many X is, but it's less than 10).

The top players never complete the SB with J-9 in the first few levels. I'm not a top player, but I'm quite sure that folding J-9 from the SB in levels 1-3 is not one of my deficiencies.

And thank you for the comments... most of the important things I've learned, I've learned from reading this forum.

Irieguy

[wjmooner]

Rattlers,

Irie and the rest of them are very correct about how tight you need to play, but I would add the one caveat that you can loosen up just a little on Stars as compared to Party, since you start with more chips and the blinds go much slower. Most players here play on Party, which starts you with 800 or 1000 chips and a very quick blind structure.

On Party my starting hand requirements are pretty much ChrisV's. On Stars for the 1st two levels if you are in late position and it hasn't been raised you can get away with limping with suited connectors like JTs, QJs, 89s, since losing one hand doesn't cripple you.

That doesn't mean you should ever limp with J9o. And I am a rock for the first couple of levels, even on Stars, but I would say the starting chip difference means you can play SLIGHTLY more hands, ONLY in position.

WJ

[captZEEbo1]

yeah, J9 goes straight in the muck. After the flop, you can bet that hand in last position, but if anyone calls you, you'll have to check it down and fold to any bets.

As to starting hands, I don't really like limping with AT at all. That's the kind of hand that'll just win you few chips, or lose you many chips. What do you do when someone bets a flop or raises you and you flop top pair? I like to be able to bet with confidence when I bet in early rounds. Hands like AT give me no confidence, unless I hit two pair, or a T with top pair. But even then, who am I gonna win chips from? someone hitting a pair of 6s, probably not.

[ChrisV]

I fold to any raise preflop so the situation of being raised and flopping top pair doesnt arise. If I flop top pair with no raise preflop and someone bets, I generally raise them. Txx is your ideal flop, your money coming from JT, QT, KT which are all commonly limped. Axx is OK too but you generally don't make a big score on that flop. I agree its a marginal hand, which is why I only play it in late position.

[texasrattlers]

Thanks for the detailed strategy post. So, the consensus SNG strategy is super tight early, super aggressive late. What about middle game? Do you gradually loosen up starting hand requirements, or is it a switch to hyper-aggressive once blinds and # of players reach a certain level. For an example, do you start calling hands like KJos middle stacked with say 6 players left in late position and several callers ahead of you and BB 100 or 200?

[mscott2374]

[ QUOTE ]
But I wonder if it is worth the 40 to try to get a big hand (two pair, trips) relatively cheaply.

The real question you need to ask is if it is worth the 20 before the flop.
In those games, even if you flop a monster, you'll probably only take down 200 chips or something, and you are far from a 9-1 shot to win this pot if you play correctly post flop.
Remove the flop problems by not being there.

In a ring game, this sort of holding isn't too bad, but in a tourney, those 20 chips are gone for good.

Lori

[/ QUOTE ]

Lori makes a great point here, I'm not a very good tourney player, but I think one of the most important skills is avoiding trouble & folding this pre-flop enables you to get away from having to make a difficult decision. IMHO

[ChrisV]

Once it reaches the 25/50 level you should basically limp nothing. Sometimes you can limp small or mid pairs in late position. At the 50/100 level and higher never limp.

I'm usually quite tight in the 25/50 and 50/100 levels, I'll steal in late position with stuff like KTo.

Basically you should start switching into aggression mode below 8BB, and by the time you get to about 5BB you should be in full bore psycho aggression mode. With 8-12ish BB be careful as you risk a lot relative to your stack every time you try to steal.