Things to Know Before My First Big Multi?

[ML4L]

Hey all,

I'm heading to Vegas tomorrow and will be looking to play one of the early WSOP events if they aren't capped already... However, I hardly ever play tournaments, particularly live. My background is:

- I am a skilled NLHE cash game player.

- I've read HOH and TPFAP.

So, I think that I have a good foundation in many regards, but I'm lacking in the finer points. So, I was hoping that some of y'all could give me a quick crash course as to things to keep in mind? An example of the types of things that I'm looking for: the 10x rule for preflop play (when your stack is 10BB or less, you push or fold). I probably wouldn't have butchered things too badly if I hadn't stumbled upon that on 2+2, but it still helps to have heard it.

The area in which I probably need the most guidance is how to adjust to everyone having shorter (< 50BB) stacks (I am used to deep stack NL). When playing a short stack in ring games, it's fine to just sit back, be very patient, and pound a hand when you get it. But, that approach probably isn't going to win a tournament...

Anyway, I apologize for the noob-ish nature of this thread and for the fact that I could probably help myself to an extent by searching. Hopefully some of y'all will overlook those things and help me anyway... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Thanks in advance.

ML4L

[mlagoo]

This was linked in another thread today, but it's a great post and worth pointing out again:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...14&fpart=1


Apart from that, just some general things:

Push your small edges. In cash games you don't really want to get all your chips in unless you are pretty convinced you're a big favorite, but in tournaments you're going to have to take some risks in order to accumulate chips.

I imagine a lot of people will be hesitant early to commit a great deal of chips, because they are in Vegas at the World Series and want to experience it for a while. Take advantage of this by putting a lot of pressure on early to try to accumulate chips and establish an aggressive image at your table. I think you will be seeing people find a lot of folds. Also, you don't want people thinking they are going to see a cheap showdown with you in the hand.

Remember that pot odds is not the ultimate deciding factor in tournaments to the extent that it is in cash games. Even if you are being layed good odds, if a loss will end the tournament for you you should be at least somewhat confident you have the best hand or are drawing to the best hand. Being pot-committed for your entire stack in tournament play is a hazy area, and you should try to be cognizant (sp) of that fact.

I'm sure there is some more fundamental advice that I'm leaving out, but I don't want to state the obvious. Take risks, push your small edges, collect some chips with aggressive play... and good luck!

[Ian J]

I know there are 2 absolute gems by EMarkM from about 6 months to a year ago but I am truly incompetent when it comes to the search function. I tried to look them up for you to no avail, so if you can find them or anyone else can, that'd be great.

[MLG]

I really dont think you need to worry too much, you have more than enough game to know what's going on. A couple of notes though.
1. you should be attacking blinds well before you fall to 10x, so if the average stack is 25x and you have 35x for example start pounding away. Don't steel from somebody when you will be committed to call if they reraise all-in though, thats just asking to bleed chips aways.
2. as the blinds get steeper and the stacks get shallower you should be adjusting your standard opening raise down. The fossilman rule of thumb is to use the smallest amount that you think has a reasonable chance of stealing the blinds.
3. Given the shorter stacks its easier to get all-in on the flop with a big draw (where with deeper stacks the money generally doesn't get in untill a later street) which makes semi-bluffing more correct.
4. With shallow stacks you need to focus on winning a very high percentage of the pots you play rather than winning big pots a smaller percentage of the time. Thats a very important change as the tournament gets later.


Like I said, I think most of this stuff will come second nature to you as your a kick ass player. Oh, and if your playing the 1500NL on friday we're all meeting that morning around 11:00 before the tourney starts.