What do you think of this strategy?

[smoore]

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it just seems like such a strange number.... I guess it works with those starting blinds

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It's probably determined by the chipset and number of players, I would guess:

30 @ $25 = $750
20 @ $100 = $2000
2 @ $500 = 1000

The $500 chips are probably there because 2750 didn't provide the length of tournament they wanted.

yeah, it's a strange starting number.

This does scream "Mediocre Hand!" to the other players. I like the three- or four-bet from the button. That way, you could be bluffing but could be inviting a reraise. It's harder to put you on a hand. I hate doing this from the blinds; if you get called, you're out of position. If you get called from the button and it's checked to you, you can bet heavy and get credit for strength because of the preflop raise.

[Zetack]

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I play a home game with 8-12 friends, $20 NLHE. When we started I was dead money, after months of study and online play I'm in the money consistently. I'm now recognized as probably the most conservative player in the game.

We start with $3750, blinds 25/50, doubling every 20 minutes. The game is pretty loose, lot of limpers into the pot. Raises are always called by 1, 2 or more. People bet medium and low pairs even one ace and sometimes bet and call them to a showdown. Lot of pots are won with these types of hands. It is very difficult to win a hand without betting premium hands and connecting on the flop (when you do it pays off, but sometimes you just don't get the cards) On the other hand nobody likes to go out early. With the randomness of play its hard to build a BIG stack. Like I said I can usually get to the money, but from there it is a crap shoot. Payouts are slanted heavily toward the winner 20/40/120.

I thought I might throw everyone a curveball. Starting in level 2 (50/100), I am looking for this situation: Full table (8 or 9), I am on the button or in the blinds, almost everyone limps, so say there is a pot of $650. If I have a decent OK hand say ATo or medium pairs, I go all in. I figure I increase my stack by about 20% when everyone folds or have at least a 50% chance of doubling up.

I'll do this again a second time. If I'm still alive, I either have healthy stack or a BIG stack. Now that people are catching on, I will only do this with a premium hand AK, QQ through AA, figuring I'll at least one caller out of frustration.

As a side benefit I think the rest of the game tightens up, so I might be able to put people on hands easier and my AK won't get beat by a two pairs K4 in a raised pot. Plus I think its good that people will now find me somewhat unpredictable.

What do you think?

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I don't like it much. You've developed a strategy that's consistently in the money and now you're going to change it to adopt a high risk, low reward strategy?

Ok, in second level, most of the time you won't have anybody knocked out. So its still real early. If 5 people limp and you push and everybody folds, well whoop de do you picked up 6.5 big blinds. That's not nothing, but its certainly not winning you the tourney.

Ok, say you get called. Well that's not good because you don't have a premium hand and the caller probably does. So now you're a dog to stay in the tournament or not be crippled. If you win one of those races, well again, whoop de do, you have doubled up plus 6 or so big blinds. You probably have a sixth or maybe a fifth of the chips in play. Again that's nice, but in only the second level its not winning you the tourney.

Now if you got more agressive late, with a win or go home strategy instead of an in the money strategy, that would make more sense to me.

The other thing to consider is that getting knocked out early in a home tourney with a high variance strategy really sucks as then you either have to go home, or wait for other people to get knocked out so you can start a short handed cash game.

--Zetack

I agree with zetack. Its way too early to to risk your tournament with a mediocre hand. Youve developed a strategy to get in the money, try and tweak your play at the later levels in the tournament. You cant win it at the second level. And even if you do get lucky and win the blinds by using your strategy, what do you plan to do with the chips, just sit back and wait to get in the money. I dont think its a good strategy. Especially in a loose game, where 9 out 10 times someone will call you and either have a better hand or suck out on you. So now youre back to playing a crapshoot. Build your stack slowly by playing tight early and then when it gets down to 5 or so try your strategy. The blinds will be bigger and youll put yourself in a better spot to win. Especially since it only pays 3 spots people are less likely to call your all-in.
However, I would like to hear how your strategy works out, if you decide to give it a try.

[hachkc]

oops.

I missed that, you are correct.

[John Bedtelyon]

If everyone plays this badly, I wouldn't risk busting out with a hand like AT, especially since you're usually never in a coin toss if you're called.

Bite the bullet, save your chips and use your head. Play your game and take down the cash.