early stages against total idiots

[Cactus Jack]

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I think this is the dilema thats probably been discussed a lot here, do you play tight and hold out for the later rounds or dry and outdonk the donks and double up.

In the end I think its down to your style of play and confidence at a being able to play well postflop and b accepting the fact you will have a higher rate of early bustouts.

Personally I am in the tight early camp and probably would not of played either hand early on a party 1,000 chip tournament but may have played the AJs on a 1,500 slower blind UB one.

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Agreed. I'm trying to find a middle ground. I've worked very hard at developing my post-flop skills. This has benefitted me greatly when I'm not getting any cards because often I can bluff in the right spots to pick up a few small pots and stay in it. Plus I can play a few more hands because I can usually outplay them.

When you're not getting any cards, then you'll play hell trying to stay ahead of the blinds, if you're too tight. If you're too loose, you run the risk of bleeding chips and again getting blinded out.

What is most important, I think, is playing semi-loose early, <u>if you can get away from a hand</u> . If you can't, stay with tight play. What we're seeing in these two examples it loose play from a player that doesn't quite understand how to play the style.

Stoli, if you're going to play hands like this OOP, then you want to play them cheaply--not raising marginal hands like these--and be able to get out of them if you don't hit the flop strongly. Middle pair is not flopping strongly, as you're out of position and can be drained of a lot of chips. I'd advise you to tighten up...a lot.

CJ