SuperSatellite Speed Control

[Michael J. Sykes]

I am unsure about the optimal style of play in a limit hold'em super satellite. When is it appropriate to play marginally profitable hands, pushing very small edges, and when is it better to play a lower variance game?

I am aware of several relevant factors, one of which is the ratio of your stack size to the blinds: as this ratio decreases, one's speed of play should generally increase. However, it is also true that survival tactics become most valuable when you are close to making the money (and the stack size to blind ratio is low). Another factor of questionable value is the magnitude of one's skill edge (or deficit) in relation to the competition (the greater one's edge, the more one should favor a low variance playing style). I think this concept is more useful in no-limit tournaments than limit. When I have a relatively large skill edge over my opponents, this means I can play more hands profitably!

I know that survival tactics (low variance play) becomes more valuable as the prize schedule is more skewed away from winner-take-all. A supersatellite is certainly so skewed, since everyone who makes the money receives the same prize. However, what happens when only 1% or 2% of the satellite contestants will win a seat? Though the prize schedule is flat, it is also very top heavy. In this case, would not the optimal playing style in the early and middle stages of the tournament be more like a winner-take-all tournament or ring game? My opinion is that you should play at top speed (pushing all small edges) unless you reach a point in the tournament where you may have enough chips to "survive" into the money with very tight play. Agree?

Suppose you are in the early stage of a fast-structured supersatellite in which the top 1% will win a seat, and you have a skill edge over most of the opponents at your table who are loose low limit players. You are in mid-late position with three loose limpers ahead of you. Would you play hands like ATo, QJo, K8s, or 44? Would you raise with KQo or KJs? If you flop a draw in a multiway pot, would you chase it if the odds are barely sufficient?

-MJS