Help for new guys - long

Hey all,

I am just getting started here with this poker thing. I thought it would be helpful for me to point out something for new players. Basically I just came to the realization (correct me if I am wrong) that the "allin or fold" time is the most important part of a tournament. Like most of you I play the early stages of a tournament very tight, looking for trips and other big hands. Usually this means I get shortstacked in later levels because the other dummies are doubling up on each other making stupid bets and stupid calls. Unfortunately I thought that this early part of the tournament was more important than it is. I wanted to get in on all the action up front leading me to try and force some things through that I probably shouldn't. Then my tight play was carrying over too far into the later levels because I was so close to the money I could "taste" it.
Well it seems that the later levels are more important than the early ones. The key is to have no fear pushing all in. Just realize that it is a positive EV play because of all the folds, and if you do get called, well you usually aren't too bad of an underdog to suck out.
The bottom line is this. The dummies play loose early because flops are cheap, and tight late to get in the money. You want to do the opposite to take advantage of them. Don't do what I have done, and become a weak tight player. Being conservative in nature I had to make a conscious effort to really loosen up in the later levels. I think all the tight, tight, tight preaching can really hurt your late game when you need to be all-in on some really bad hands sometimes.

Hope this helps my fellow weak tight players.
Max

[bawcerelli]

this is very good advice for noobs.

[codewarrior]

Just keep in mind that excellent players who play a certain "style" play a lot of hands early for the same reason - flops are cheap, and they play very very well post flop. These people are dangerous, but you should be able to identify them early, if while you are folding faster than France, you are watching everything at the table that is going on.

This advice is meant for the newbies, not the hardened multi-tablers who, of course, cannot keep up with every subtle nuance.

I agree with you there. I am sure there are people better than I am playing with varying styles. I am just trying to go through the natural progression of getting better. This is just one problem with my game, that I thought I might share to help other new guys in my position. I play at low buyin levels, as most of us new guys are. I just want to beat the rake at the 10s for now, not become the next WSOP champion.

Max

[Uncle Wiggly]

I agree fully with your point of view.
Varying one's style to meet the changing circumstances of the later stages of a tournament does take a conscious effort from those of us who have read the advice in 2+2 books and on these forums.
But it does work.
It's all about patience, and waiting for the right spot.
Good post.

Uncle Wiggly