Blind Stealing in low $ tournaments

I'm having trouble attempting to steal blinds in low buy-in tournaments (These are the ones I usually play in). When I talk about low buy-in, I mean the $1 - $5 games which have 800 - 2500 people playing in them. I usually play tight for the first 3 or 4 levels and then when blinds get to be 50/100 or so I start loosening up. If I am at around 1000 chips (this being a party tournament), would it be better for me to find a good hand and just go all in at that point?

Lets say that I am at 1500 chips and the blinds are at 50/100, most of the time when I am in mid/late position with a decent hand to steal the blinds usually 1 of 2 things happens. Either someone raises in front of me, which usually means I will fold unless holding something really good, or I get a couple of limpers, which means it is going to be hard to steal the blinds since at least one of these guys will call me.

How do I go about playing these different situations? (in general).

Thanks,

Han

[HeroInBlack]

I play mostly low buy-ins on Stars. On there, I start really aggressively stealing once the antes come in. I know there aren't any antes on Party, but I guess what I'm saying is maybe you want to wait another level. Generally, these guys go from calling with almost anything to folding almost anything once the bubble comes.

Now, the second rule of stealing blinds in a low buy-in is that these guys will call a lot of your raises. You almost have to fire out a 3/4 pot-sized continuation bet on the flop to get them to go away. They generally will. However, if you only have 1500 and the blinds are at 50/100, you really don't have enough chips to do this with nothing.

If there are limpers in front, I don't steal. I'll raise a good hand, but it's pointless to try to steal it. They low buy-in mentality is "hey, I'm already in for x, so I may as well call 3x." Also, some of these guys are real fond of limping AA, KK, or AK from early position, and you don't want any part of that.

As usual, though, the proper play is ultimately dictated by your table. If you notice that no one is calling raises, it's time to be raising. If they are all getting called, you need to have a hand.

[captainzodiac]

i think you need to keep a closer eye o the table you're at ,and adjust your play,if you can't steal,don't try,if it's easy to steal,do it lots!
i play a variety of buy ins,and sometimes the lowest buy ins are extremely tight,because of there budget,and sometimes,you get in a room of people who are just wasting there buy in,and having fun,while playing in another more expensive tourney,which i do also.
really you need a variety of strategies,for each type of room you are playing in,sometimes it's stealing a raise from a loose player when you have position,which sounds like what is happening to you at times,and sometimes you have to lay low and wait for a monster.
if you're going into the second hr alot with less the 2k in chips,i would think you are playing to tight,since that's the average stack,and that's why it's difficult to steal,because your stack can't break most players.
just some thoughts,maybe someoe else can help you alot more,hope your results improve!

[badluckal]

In my experience at this buy-in level on PS, I have found that the risk/reward ratio for blind stealing does not become favorable at least until the antes kick in.

This is because most steal attempts up to (and occasionally beyond) Level 6 will back-fire because the average player at this buy-in level is a calling station, especially when they are already partially invested in the blinds. You have to have an unusually solid read that someone will not defend before attempting a steal IMHO.

This same phenomenon also affects other tournament moves/concepts such as the Squeeze Play/Gap Principle/Continuation Bet. Because players are so likely to call your bet with marginal or inferior holdings, you are wasting chips trying subtle or advanced moves until very late, when the average player is at least somewhat solid.

Thus, in most of these tournaments, your two most effective plays are to value bet and to steal pots post-flop in position. You can get away with the occasional bluff or steal, but only when almost all factors (including your table image, flop texture, and/or opponent) are precisely right. Off-hand, I would say this kind of opportunity comes up once or twice an hour.

[benneh]

ante stealing in low buyins is worthless. i found this out last night when i pulled a squeeze play against an UTG raise of A7o and K9s who both came for the ride against my T5o. I sucked out to win the hand.

[Fillamoore]

seriously...just go get a copy of Harrington on Holdem Volume 2...its seriously probably the best poker book ive ever read or will ever read...the two volume set in another year will be considered the bible of tournament poker...mark my words

Thanks for the comments, that helps me a lot. This leads me to another question though. I do seem to reach the 50/100 and 75/150 levels with less then 2k chips quite often. Am I playing too tight then? Early on, I typically raise with the big hands (AA, KK, etc), limp with low-middle pairs for set value (unless really low pair in UTG, which I will usually fold) and limp with suited connectors in late position. Should I be playing more then these hands?

Thanks,

Han

[benneh]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the comments, that helps me a lot. This leads me to another question though. I do seem to reach the 50/100 and 75/150 levels with less then 2k chips quite often. Am I playing too tight then? Early on, I typically raise with the big hands (AA, KK, etc), limp with low-middle pairs for set value (unless really low pair in UTG, which I will usually fold) and limp with suited connectors in late position. Should I be playing more then these hands?

Thanks,

Han

[/ QUOTE ]

no, that's fine for a tight strategy. there's no need to get fancy any earlier than this. 2k chips is plenty. you start with 1k don't you?

[zoobird]

I've been playing in freerolls, which are probably even more extreme than low buy-in tournaments. Basically what I've found is that you're only going to be able to steal the blinds if nobody has entered the pot AT ALL - no raises, no limpers, no nothing. Because you'll sometimes be faced with very loose tables, this means you'll sometimes need to steal from relatively early position with somewhat weak hands.

[Koss]

[ QUOTE ]
If I am at around 1000 chips (this being a party tournament), would it be better for me to find a good hand and just go all in at that point?


[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I will usually start doing if I am in that spot. 3-4X BB raises just wont get it done in these tournies. In my experience if it's less than 1/3rd the blinds stack to call your raise, they are going to do it. So make it hurt for them if you really want the blinds. I will avoid doing this with total garbage unless I really need to make a move. Don't get hung up on trying to pick up the blinds at this point in the tournament because you can usually still get plenty of action on your good hands.