Main event "get chips early" logic skewed

[Sadat X]

How you should play on the first day of the WSOP all depends on the tendencies of your opponents.

I went in to day 1 planning to play a conservative strategy. At 50 hands per hour, you can still have $8700 or so left after the first 2 levels even if you fold every hand. So I was just going to play fairly tight and look for an opportunity to double-up.

After a few orbits at the table, however, I realized that I could pick up lots of small pots and build my stack because nearly everyone was playing weak-tight poker.

So I *adjusted* my strategy and started playing very aggressively. I had over $40,000 in chips going into level 7 and never made a bet larger than the pot.

NLHE tourneys are largely about adjustments and whether or not to go for a big stack early depends mostly on your opponents.

I made it to about 10pm the first day. I had TJ Cloutier behind me and he went out ultra fast, he was really pushing hard to get an early chip lead. Honestly I saw about 30 to 40 hands per hour. I hardly played at all except top 10 hands. What a mistake. I should have played more hands for sure. Next year (hopefully) I am going to be more aggressive and play more hands in good position instead of folding the non top 10 hands that I got in good position. I went in with the stratedgy of playing ultra tight. But it doesn't work unless you continually catch good hands. I thought it was going to be a juicy ass tournament...the first hand of the tournament i was dealt KK. An added story...there was this guy who bought in last year to the main event and hardly knew anything about the game. This guy had beer after beer until he was completely intoxicated. He played almost every hand. He ended up being one of the chip leaders by the end of the day. So I think there is something to be said for trying to accumulate an early chip lead in the WSOP by playing a little bit looser. Obviously this guy took it a little too far.

[Wake up CALL]

If you sell more than 100% of yourself you need to push very hard and fast early in the tournament when it is easier to get busted before you accumulate too many chips and get close to cashing. The stress of being oversold and getting close to the money must be very intense for many of these semi-pro scammers.