Advice on temporary transition

#1 10-25-2005, 04:52 AM

Howdy,

I usually play low buy-in MTT:s - 5.50 and below, a turf I feel reasonably comfortable in and do well, but still don't feel confident enough / have the BR to move on up.

The other day I was bored beyond my senses and entered a 4.40 sat to the 25K guarantee at FullTilt where the buy-in is $100+9. I won the sat and the seat can't be cashed - which is a mixed blessing...

What are the important pointers you can give me on playing higher buy-in?

Thanks in advance

CardSharpCook · #2 10-25-2005, 05:19 AM

It is still the same game. However, expect more aggression, and players will see less flops, bluff less and will fold slightly more. (those last two seem contradictory, but the proper equilibrium is never reached at lower limits. People bluff too much AND call down too much.)

#3 10-25-2005, 05:42 AM

Thanks Cook,

so you're basically saying that the "transition" will be more mental than factual for me? (Not taking into account that the field will probably consist of better players...)

mikeymer · #4 10-25-2005, 09:10 AM

Its not as big of a difference as you would think... just play good poker!

#5 10-26-2005, 03:20 AM

<blockquote>Svar till:<hr />
Its not as big of a difference as you would think... just play good poker!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, this is the sort of stuff I need to hear [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

BTW - I read your Bahamas post - didn't want to post in it since I have no relation to you - but since you took the time to answer this - congrats and well done sir! I'm kinda wishing I was in your shoes....

CardSharpCook · #6 10-26-2005, 04:42 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Cook,

so you're basically saying that the "transition" will be more mental than factual for me? (Not taking into account that the field will probably consist of better players...)

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactamundo. So much of poker is psycological. The stakes question is one of the biggest. I have a couple of limit students who I know to be capable of playing at 15/30 and above, but they still must go through the growing pains of moving up each level. It is (slightly) amusing that these students play better than most of the 20/40 competition, but are playing at 2/4, 1/10th of their potential! And each move up they have made has been accompanied by losses at the next higher level. Why? Because poker is psycological. Your mind most be "right" to win.

Edit: But there definately ARE differences in the games. The most important difference will be the one in your head. Once you get that figured out, then you can worry about the changes in the game.

...
I'm hoping this doesn't sound patronizing or arrogant. It is what I believe. 90% of the time you are really playing yourself, you are the only one holding you back. Poker is mental/psycological/emotional. Quite often the stakes question is the culprit. You will need to slay this dragon to succeed at higher levels.

#7 10-26-2005, 04:59 AM

<blockquote>Svar till:<hr />
<blockquote>Svar till:<hr />
Thanks Cook,

so you're basically saying that the "transition" will be more mental than factual for me? (Not taking into account that the field will probably consist of better players...)

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactamundo. So much of poker is psycological. The stakes question is one of the biggest. I have a couple of limit students who I know to be capable of playing at 15/30 and above, but they still must go through the growing pains of moving up each level. It is (slightly) amusing that these students play better than most of the 20/40 competition, but are playing at 2/4, 1/10th of their potential! And each move up they have made has been accompanied by losses at the next higher level. Why? Because poker is psycological. Your mind most be "right" to win.

Edit: But there definately ARE differences in the games. The most important difference will be the one in your head. Once you get that figured out, then you can worry about the changes in the game.

...
I'm hoping this doesn't sound patronizing or arrogant. It is what I believe. 90% of the time you are really playing yourself, you are the only one holding you back. Poker is mental/psycological/emotional. Quite often the stakes question is the culprit. You will need to slay this dragon to succeed at higher levels.

[/ QUOTE ]

The stakes definately feel like the dragon to slay - somewhere in the back of my mind I already have this little voice saying "this is the only shot you'll get at a 100 buyin in a looong time - don't screw it up sucker...." which is not a good sign
I'm trying to balance it by delibaretly approaching the whole tournament with "I payed 4.40 - that's what I'll loose in one hand when goofplaying some of my off games like stud or whatever." [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

But I'll definately try and play my best. I'll post how I did, if it interests you.

Thanks for the pointers!

mshalen · #8 10-26-2005, 06:56 AM

Don't worry about the size of the buyin. Remember your buyin was 4.40 so i wouldn't think about it too much. Once the tourney starts the cards are exactly the same that you always use and since you are playing with chips the numbers will be exactly the same.

The above advise was right on. The players do fold more often and there is less bluffing. Just play your regular game and concentrate on playing good poker.

#9 10-26-2005, 11:27 AM

It's funny, the first time I ever played a tournament for 100 bucks (it was a home game 20 people with rebuys if you busted out in the first 15 minutes), I didn't treat it any different than I'd treat a 20 buck home game. Busted out just outside of the money, but made it all back and then some playing my first ever game of 1-5 spread limit.

My main problem is the first few hands of any tournament are always tough for me, once I scoop up the first pot, I get into a comfort zone for the rest of the tourney, but its that first pot always. Not sure if this is a psychological thing I need to get over or not.

Never saw your post on your victory, but here's a late congrats!

LearnedfromTV · #10 10-26-2005, 11:46 AM

It isn't a $100 tournament, for you, it's a $4 tournament. It is also a $4 tournament for a lot of the other players in it. Overall the competition will be better, but not so much that you should be worried. Oberve your opponents and play the hands one at a time. If you bust, no worries, if you make the money, suddenly you get a bigger payday than you should for only a $4 tournament.

As someone else said, people are more aggressive, bluff less, and call less. But they generally will call at the right times more and bluff at the right times more. In other words, if you try to catch a bluff from a bettor who seems to aggressive, you'll often find that you've actually been value bet by a medium strength hand that is better than your medium strength hand. And if you try to river bluff for no good reason, you'll find yourself getting calls from suspicious people with hand reading skills. Generally, this will be more true the further you get - there are bad players in these, but fewer of them.

So my advice, for a first time in a bigger tourney, is to only deviate from playing straightforward when you have a clear reason to do so.

Enjoy, there's no bigger rush than a big cash.