What is the gap concept?

[Gus]

I haven't read any tournament related books, but I've seen people mentioning this "gap concept". Could someone throw in a couple of words of wisdom on it please? I assume it's linked to the payout structure of tournament, for example finshing 21st pays 0, finishing 20th pays 100$, therefore avoid any dangerous situation when 21 players left?

Cheers

Gus

[Guy McSucker]

It has something to do with Madonna and Missy Elliott's choice of jeans.

Just kidding. It's this: good poker strategy dictates that it takes a better hand to call a raise than to make one. The difference between raising standards and raise-calling standards it what Sklansky calls "The Gap". He argues that in a tournament, since the penalty for losing all your chips is so great, the gap is larger than in cash games.

For further analysis, buy the book: Tournament Poker for Advanced Players, by David Sklansky. Pretty much unreservedly recommended by most people here who have passed judgement.

Guy.

[Mike Gallo]

If you want to learn about the "gap" concept, pick up David Sklanskys tournament book.


~MG~

[TheRake]

Just to add to GM's post a little. In my understanding the reasoning behind the "gap concept" is that when you open for a raise you have 2 ways to win the pot (you can win the hand later or you can steal the blinds immediately). If you simply call a raise you leave yourself only one way to win the pot.

[eMarkM]

All good poker players know you need a better hand to call an opener with than you need to open with yourself. Calling a raise cold with AJo vs open-raising it yourself is an example. You'd open raise, but would probably be wise not to call a raise with this hand in a normal ring game.

With the finite amount of chips you have in a tourney, the "gap" increases. There may be times you may very well throw away AK to a raise, something you're not going to do in a ring game. You may open raise from MP with something as poor as QT, something else you probably wouldn't do in a ring game. Since you know other players are conserving their chips and may throw away a hand as good as AQ to that raise, you make it in hopes of taking down the blinds.

[Gus]