I don't understand your play

[SaintAces]

In these 1000 to 1500 chip tournaments, when you start out with 100+ big bets, I see so much tight play. I don't care what you guys do, but I play nearly every hand in the first few stages, and my ROI after 156 tournaments is 1,100%.

probably why I suck at cash games.

[Doc7]

I've spent about 15 dollars and won about 30 (net: 15) and I don't play every hand : )
Though i have no sample size to speak of : )

[People_Mover]

I'm a big mouse when it comes to tourneys and I'm running pretty even right now over the last 6 months.... but I don't do this for a living.

[nuclear500]

Well good job.

Of course, sometimes its not all that hard to bust a $5.50 player who has no concept of how to bet their hands and force your unsuited low connector out.

Then again, you could just simply "not care" and play it anyway and flop something crazy or incredibly drawing.

[ansky451]

[ QUOTE ]
In these 1000 to 1500 chip tournaments, when you start out with 100+ big bets, I see so much tight play. I don't care what you guys do, but I play nearly every hand in the first few stages, and my ROI after 156 tournaments is 1,100%.

probably why I suck at cash games.

[/ QUOTE ]

What tournaments are these? Partypoker is 10/15 with 1000 chips- thats 67 big blinds. Pokerstars is 10/20 with 1500 starting chips thats 75 big blinds . The only other one would be UB- which is 5/10- 1500. and good luck sustaining your 1,000% ROI.

[nath]

I've come around to the school of thought that suggests playing lots more hands early, to see flops, while it's cheap. Reason being, it's much easier to value bet people, and to trap donkeys who don't know things like "Making the minimum raise with AA from the big blind after 6 people have limped in is a bad strategy."

You have to be careful, and I usually don't come in with speculative hands if it's been raised a significant amount, but some delicate handling of these situations can put you in a good situation early. And the chips you leak when you don't hit your hands are usually easy enough to steal back in later rounds.

(I mostly play UB so the 5-10 starting blinds with 1500 chips is ideal for this purpose. The big tournaments on the site have slower levels and 2500 chips which is even more awesome.)

[A_PLUS]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In these 1000 to 1500 chip tournaments, when you start out with 100+ big bets, I see so much tight play. I don't care what you guys do, but I play nearly every hand in the first few stages, and my ROI after 156 tournaments is 1,100%.

probably why I suck at cash games.

[/ QUOTE ]

What tournaments are these? Partypoker is 10/15 with 1000 chips- thats 67 big blinds. Pokerstars is 10/20 with 1500 starting chips thats 75 big blinds . The only other one would be UB- which is 5/10- 1500. and good luck sustaining your 1,000% ROI.

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course you cant play every hand, but on UB, I am VERY VERY active for the 1st 3 levels. When I am feeling good (and only playing one game) I have had 40+% of flops seen.

Does this cause me to bust out in the 1st hour a lot, of course. But I have also come out of the 1st hour with 4-6K in chips and cruised to the bubble without having to show down a hand that wasnt pushing a big pair, or calling a short stacked push.

FWIW, I have an easier time playing this style as the buy-in increases. 100$ MTTs they give you 2500 chips, great to see a ton of cheap flops and bust someone over playing top pair. No way you can play this way at a 5$ tourney where people do not care if you have played every pot, and will call you to the river with Ace high. You need some F.E. to help tread water between actually making a hand

[Atty]

I think I understand what you are saying Tom, and I play pretty much the same way. If I can, I will try to limp behind others with any marginal hand. This does not mean that I am playing 8 3o, but I will limp any zero gap connectors, suited connectors, suited Aces or Kings, two broadway cards, etc. The implied odds are just too big. If I do not flop a monster or a strong draw, I get out of the way.

[tminus]

whats your placing distribution like ?

[A_PLUS]

[ QUOTE ]
whats your placing distribution like ?

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont always play like this, only when I am feeling good, and am devoting 100% attention to the game (usually including poker tracker).

My distribution is something like this

1st hour: 30%
very early in 2nd hour: 35%
late second hour though middle of 3rd: 10%
Bubble (10-20 from and closer): 15%
ITM: 3%
FT: 7%

These numbers are just guesses, but feel right. My ITM% is definitely lower than most, but I think my FT / ITM ratio is very good, as is my ROI I suspect (I track my profits for taxes, not my ROI).

My ideal game is one where I can steadily build my stack with little risk. Unfortunately I usually need a large stack to do that, and am willing to take coin flip situations to get there.