Sklansky's all in tourney strategy

[deepdowntruth]

It's theoretical information applicable, in some way, to all tournament-style poker, so it doesn't just focus on one game. "The System" detailed in the appendix however is for no-limit hold'em exclusively.

[Phishy McFish]

But trust me if it were that easy................................... [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Just tried the system (basic version) out on 2 tourneys

3rd place in $30 SnG (10 players)
134 place in $30 multi table (1299 players)

The 2nd one was pleasing as I only went out with AKs to
a KQ (who made the straight) otherwise I was doubling up
would have hit top 120 easily judging by the bloodbath of
players who followed me out (all hanging on for money places
which were top 140)

Made the money in both

Very nice to watch everyone fold as I all-in but it does
wreck my learning 'the harrington way' lol

I tried it some, probably like most thinking it'd be an easy way to beat fish. The problem is it depends on your opponents wanting to avoid risky situations. You're banking on stealing lots of blinds and limpers. He gives examples about TT/JJ folding preflop to your pushes.

Put simply, that doesn't happen online. You're 33, AK, whatever, is called with regularity, putting you frequently in 50/50 situations or into a really bad "dominated by overpairs" situations.

People online don't avoid risk, they embrace it, going all in loosely trying to build a decent stack. If they bust out, who cares, they go join the next tourney starting in 3 minutes... God forbid it's a rebuy tourney...I've seen lots of folks simply go all in every hand, rebuying until they hit a hand and double/triple through, after which they play more sane.

[aargh57]

I think it's supposed to actually work better if you're worse than the other players. He made the system for a friend's daughter that was going to play in the WSOP and he didn't have time to teach her much about it. I've used it a bunch of times and it worked O.K. but I think you're right about loose people calling you. If you're a good player I think you're better off not playing with it. However, for fun, frerolls, etc... what the heck. I just use a calculator and quickly figure out the number when the blinds change or I win some money.

[ QUOTE ]
If you're a good player I think you're better off not playing with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. Basically, you push in +EV situations, however marginal and avoid the trials and pitfalls of any pre/post flop maneuvering.

It's not a bad system, but it's geared for simplicity. If I make it late into a tourney and I know I'm the dead-money, I'd probably start considering using the system because I figure everyone is better than me at that point and it's +EV for me to make it a simple game.

The calculations he has you do to decide what hands to go all-in on are useful. Take that hand-in-hand with HoH's "zones" and you get a pretty good grasp of what to do and why when the blinds get outrageous (or your short stacked).

[HesseJam]

I recommend reading a bit of the 1-table Tournaments forum here on 2+2.

If you want to be successful you need to master the all-in strategy according to the ICM model (not that easy, needs quite some experience) and if you want to make a killing you'll need to know how to play post flop as well.

The problem is that you might get a hint of an idea about your real rate of success after 500 tourneys. You'll find out if you are a winning player maybe after 2500 tourneys. Variance is crazy in SnGs.