Starting Hand Requirements

[Sven]

In my usual NL ring games I agree with raising with AA-JJ and AK,AQ,AJs and limping in withMed Pocket Pairs ect ect. These tourneys are not very big 30 people at best and $30 buy in. In my usual ring game my stats are
Vol $ Put In Pot 17.10%
Went to ShowDown 28.63%
Won at Showdown 59.65%
PF Raise 5.4% maybe a little low

Just seems like playing Tight has gotten me know where so far and I watch these guys winning pot after pot and I was just wondering if I should lower my starting hands I play with that's all. The J9 is what I have been trying in these tourneys but I would never think about that in any of the NL ring games I play in. If this makes any sense I appreciate your help!!!

[Sven]

Thanks Ghost Reading Them Now [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[tigerite]

Raise with AJs? No thanks, unless it's folded to me in late position. AQ I will raise again in late position, but this time with limpers - otherwise it's a limp, too.

[Sven]

I will limp in or come in with a small raise with low pocket pairs hoping for a set and if it don't hit then I fold to a big bet.

[tigerite]

[ QUOTE ]
Just seems like playing Tight has gotten me know where so far and I watch these guys winning pot after pot and I was just wondering if I should lower my starting hands I play with that's all. The J9 is what I have been trying in these tourneys but I would never think about that in any of the NL ring games I play in. If this makes any sense I appreciate your help!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Let them play like that. It's a losing proposition in the long run. It took me a long time to realise this. But the way I play (and most of the others here) is the right way.

[Sven]

In early position if I'm the first one in I will bring it in for a 4-6x the BB with any of the following AA-88 AKs,AK,AQs,AQ,AJs and if calling an EP raise then I will call with QQ-TT and Rerasie with AA,KK,AKs This has worked really well for me in NL ring games. I'm not sure if I should still how this standard in tourneys what do you think? Is this to tight for EP? Thanks

[Sven]

Agreed Tiger! I guess I just needed to bounce this off some people that have the same goal in mind. "Long Term Winning" [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[tigerite]

[ QUOTE ]
In early position if I'm the first one in I will bring it in for a 4-6x the BB with any of the following AA-88 AKs,AK,AQs,AQ,AJs and if calling an EP raise then I will call with QQ-TT and Rerasie with AA,KK,AKs This has worked really well for me in NL ring games. I'm not sure if I should still how this standard in tourneys what do you think? Is this to tight for EP? Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

It's too loose. For one thing you should not alter your standard raise, which should be 3BB (plus extra for limpers) no matter what. For another you shouldn't raise AQ or AJ, suited or otherwise, into a full field. What do you do when re-raised? I fold AJo from EP and quite often I'll fold AJs as well, the suitedness doesn't add enough strength to the hand to make it worthwhile.

[tigerite]

Oh boy, and raising AA-88? Forget that right now. You want to raise AA-JJ and the rest you want to limp. What are you going to do if you raise 88 to 6BB and someone pops you back with KK? You can't rebuy, you know. Once your chips are gone - that's it.

[Sven]

I don't have alot of tourney experience that's why I'm here. I was thinking that coming in for a raise 4x the BB and if lots of limpers then 5-6x the BB to weed the crowd. Then if I'm raised from an LP depending on the raise I might call it. LP could be playing allot of different cards and I wouldn't put my tourney life at stake for AQ or even AJs. Do you think raising 3BB is enough?