Advice on playing as the big stack

[skoal2k4]

I found myself in a awkward situation last night at the stars $20 tourney... hour and a half into it, and I'm the chip leader. Normally a great thing right, except I've never been in this position before. I had 24k in chips and everyone at my table had about 3k in chips. How do I play with this type of advantage? Any advice? Any threads about the subject already on here?

Robbie

[Myst]

Play more agressive, but not stupid agressive.

[skoal2k4]

Do you mean play more starting hands? or bet/raise bigger? Cold call with more hands?

Robbie

[jackaaron]

With a big stack, you should think of yourself as having a few more opportunities. Especially against the lower stacks. Say someone is down to 1,000. You had like 24K, right? It's you and the 1K guy in the pot. When you make a 1k bet, the guy with the 1K better have the nuts because he's going home otherwise. You might even have a bit lesser hand (don't have a complete bluff, and don't all of the sudden semi-bluff every hand, just remember, it's a FEW more opportunities), but the guy with the shorter stack can't take that type of chance without the nuts.

When I am big stack, I don't mind calling then pushing at the end here and there.

[obeythekitten]

what were the blinds at?

in the few instances that i have had that happen (close to having everybody at your table combined stacked) and the blinds were still small i just rode it out and tightened up until the blinds started to move up and i could actually put the extra chips to use, the rest is relatively straightforward on pushing harder against players with marginal hands

[johnnybeef]

A big stack is an extremly powerful weapon. One that is worth conserving. The way I play a big stack depends upon the blinds. If the blinds are significant enough to steal then i will be extremely aggressive preflop until i start to get reraised a couple of times. Once this happens i will tend to wait on a strong starting hand. If the blinds are still small, i remain conservative (raise with big pairs and ak, limp with good drawing hands in lare position [i.e. small pairs, suited connectors either on the button or one off of the button]) The biggest thing about being a big stack is that you want to avoid big pots unless you are a heavy favorite.

good luck,
johnny

[Bernas]

IF the blinds are significant, play it aggressively. You can play a few more hands, but don't just limp in, open with a bet. You want to take as many small pots as possible.

Force players into decisions they don't want to make. Usually this is when their tournament life is at stake. To do this, you don't have to put them all in. For instance, if they have 1500, a bet of 800 or 900 is putting their tournament life at stake, yet you aren't risking the full $1500.

Cheers,
Brad

[Fudomyo]

You just get to raise anything you might normally play. You will steal plenty of blinds. You can fold to any all-ins. Just call with any pair and hope you hold up. Definitely avoid doubling up anyone if you can help it.

You can also slow play your monsters preflop to trap people. Then when you bet big on the flop you often will get a call since you are clearly bluffing. Then you can do the same thing with nothing later (or to start).

There's a ton of fun things to do as the chip leader, especially when you are up 8x over them. Basically all the variance is in your favor sine you can handle it and it busts everyone else.

Fudo

[pc in NM]

Bump for JunaidO