Generic Advice

[bluewilde]

So in my quest to really get better at this game and recover my initial $100 "investment," I had managed over the past few days to make about half of it back at the $10s and sort of hover around that point. I've never found myself on a continuous upward trend--just jump a little, plateau and fall down (repeat). Anywho, today I started down and climbed back a little over even but have just finished 10 (soon 11) OOTM, and I have a question. Usually I do much better when (mid stack or short stack) I end up with escalating blinds and 5-6 other people. When the blinds go up and there are still 8-9 people, I flounder, push something like AK or TT and bust. What kind of asjustments should I make from the shorter-handed play (where I have more "success") compared to the fuller tables. It seems fuller table = more conservative, but the blinds take precedence. Any thoughts or is this sort of a too general/unanswerable question?

[SlackerMcFly]

I'll get flamed (or you will) for the generic post and my response, but here goes.

You absolutely MUST incorporate the following components into your game. Timing is the key to the distribution of how you apply each:

1. Patience
2. Discipline
3. Confidence
4. Aggression
5. Imagination

Too much #5 in levels 1-4 will make you a losing player.
Too much #1 and #2 in levels 5-8 will make you a losing player.

Levels 1-3 should be all about patience and discipline with the caveat that aggression comes to mind with KK or AA (maybe AKs or QQ as well). Other than that... you will be imagining chips that are not there.

Levels 4 and up (until you are bubble-ish) aggression come into play as a larger percentage of your arsenal (if on the button, SB folded around to you, or BB with only 1 limper in the field).

On the bubble or ITM, you should have enough information at this point to know your opponents and your FE against them from the blinds. Push the hands you feel will will get you closer to your goal (whatever goal that might be) and let aggression dictate your style of play to a larger degree than in earlier levels. Pop the SB in the mouth once or twice if he calls your BB solo, push with marginal hands if you have position and some FE late in the game.

If this advice makes you a ton of money then I'm a happy guy. If you lose your a*ss as a result, then you got what you paid for.....

Happy gaming! SlackerMcFull-o-Shiat

[bluef0x]

I had that problem when I was just starting out... what I found was that I was still too loose. I would play AJ out of position, etc. For your next 4 games try playing only AA-QQ/AK with raises and only limp with pocket pairs in MP/LP. You should have 600 chips by level 4... and push when you get either a decent hand or you are buton/SB and everyone folded.

I find it harder also when 7-9 people are still left in late stages... you just have to wait for a time and pray you double up (either by stealing or having a hand) It's much, much easier when theres 4-6 people in later stages.. capitalize on those games and don't worry if you lose 1 sng because all 10 players are left in level 4.

[AceofSpades]

Also with more people left, the blinds don't come around quite so fast. So, you have a little more time to wait for a good hand.

Of course I'd be pushing AK and 1010 at those levels (in late position) too.... Are you losing it all in one hand or are you getting crippled then pushing?