Surviving In Tourneys

[wllmsmthjr]

I play a lot of lower limit tourneys.($1 to $5) I normality make it just in the money or just before the money. I always seem to be suked out on, with big hands.(AA vs 27) What is the trick to make it deep in the money, an even making final tables.

[liladypokerpro]

Personally, when it gets up to the bubble, I just let the donks take each other out. I don't care if I've got aces, I will wait. The reason being, because at the bubble people start to play frantic and desperate, so this is a time when AA is not necessarily likely to win versus any two cards and when there are so many people in the pot. Then once the bubble passes, and you're in the money, it's game on. This works for me, but always, to each his/her own.

[ZZZZZZZZZ]

Do not ever wait, unless you are almost broke and need the money, a good internet player in the long run with have a 30-50% ROI on big multis, but it will come in the form of 1-2 big scores every once in a while, the key is to play well and play alot. Take advantage of players who you know will wait, if you want to win bubbles are the best time to exploit the players you know will play for the money, that is the best way to win. Always make the best move for the sit uation and money will follow. If you play tournies where you have the proper bank rolll 50-100 BIs than you will not have to think about small money increases and it will be easier to play your best.

[liladypokerpro]

I'm not sure I agree with that 100% ZZZ, for instance, if there are 3 places left before payout, why would he want to put his tournament life at stake against the most dangerous players? I.E. - The desperate ones who will try to double up with any two cards just to stay in the game? It has been my experience that they are the ones who typically crack hands like AA...

Granted, if he's got the money to risk on it, then yes, I do agree.....but if not, then I'm not so sure your suggestion would be the best course of action.

I do agree that getting as much built up early on is a major key. If he can do that, then there should be no worries by the time the bubble comes around.

[MikeyInc]

Hey Dude,

Trust me i know it gets harder when your in the money .. cause you seem less likely to care of your placing cause you have made a profit .. but the trick is to Fool yourself into thinking your not in the money and that it is your last dollar invested.. i bet you will have a better comeout

[stoffmakers]

well it really depends if your merely interested in just cashing/making the money or going FTW (for the win). ur post makes it seem like u 'just' get into the money with a fairly shortstack. if thats the case, then you are not setting yourself up very well to win the tourney. like if r shortstack and push and one of the leaders in the blinds, they wont have a problem calling you with not much if it isnt much more to them. i think you might be exaggerating a little bit with AA vs. 27 tho as ppl arent that likely to call with such a weak hand as 27, but anything Q high or higher is likely to call. so with that said, instead of focusing on how u bust out, u should focus more on not trying to just limp into the money but rather have a nice stack going in. cuz then u can be the bigstack cracking the aces.

[stoffmakers]

never ever fold aces in this situation. ur objective should be the win the tourney and getting AIPF with AA gives the u the best chance at that, even if u will get cracked 1 outta every 4 or 5 times.

[liladypokerpro]

Okay, I just had my point proven.......I just went out near the bubble in a tourney on Nordica. Dude pushes with 55 I call with KK.......he catches a straight on the river. Therefore, my point is proven. This is the kind of stuff that always seems to happen near the bubble...and this is why I stand by what I said...

PS >>> This makes 3 out of 4 times a lesser hand has gotten lucky against my big hands at this point in a tourney......a little more often than your stated 1 out of 4 or 5 times.......I'm sorry, but I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that this type of occurrence is pretty typical online.

[chewbaka]

Never fold aces.. I agree with the guys.. This is my first post and I cant help the comments ive seen here. If you think a lesser hand can get lucky 3 out of 4 times. then push it in with ducks if your facing a 3bet. 3 of 4 you win right? I'm sad to see all these conspiracy theories about weaker hands getting bigger odds to beat better hands.

[liladypokerpro]

Nobody said anything about odds playing into the fact that the last 3 of 4 times I have lost with a bigger hand. My point is that the people who will play those hands in a desperate situation are more dangerous than your big hand because they are willing to go for broke with any two cards. That is all I'm saying, and I'm not ignorant enough to think that this kind of thing happens all the time, but lately it has happened more often than not, so when it becomes a problem I rather sit back and let the desperate people put each other out, then resume my game when the bubble passes. Yeesh...

[wllmsmthjr]

when i get close to the bubble, i slow down to much.To were if or when i make the money i am short stacked. I usually go card dead. plus i hate to call a all in preflop late in a tourney.

[liladypokerpro]

Okay well with that being said it sounds like you may need to broaden your range of starting hands earlier on and get built up so you're not left in such a tight spot by the bubble. Watch other players' patterns and take advantage when you sense weakness...you don't always need the best hand to win if you gain a reputation for being very selective...just beware of the slow-play people...you'll figure them out if you pay close attention. Use every little piece of info you can get...betting patterns, hands shown, anything can help you.

Try to keep notes whenever possible...that will also benefit you. Just when keeping notes, don't put donkey on someone who catches a lucky hand once...that can hurt you if you jump to conclusions. Put something short pertaining to the first hand or tell you pick up on them, then later on add to it with validated information, such as "always bets X amount when has a big hand" or "raises pre-flop then checks consistently after when bluffing". You will find that many many players have certain set patterns that you can use to your advantage if you can pick up on them.

Other than that, that's about all I've got for ya...good luck.

[jjhouweling]

i dont understand your thinking lil lady , if u have a good hand u should be playing it regardless of its on the bubble or not. your going to get suckouts at any stage during a tournament, if it happens so be it. but laying down a hand when your likely to be well in front and have a great chance to increase your stack and be poised to make a big cash seems a bit ridiculous.

[Vito_Nuccio]

Just because the bubble is close is not a reason to fold AA or feel bad about losing with KK. The first pay level is barely above the buy-in, not enough to make your year, but one big win or top 3 may be enough prize to supply your buy-ins for a long time. If you are playing a large tourney just to make the lower money payouts you are better off sticking with single tables where you can play for the payoff, the first payoff for a single table is almost twice the buy-in, you usually have to get to the 3rd level of payouts in a large tourney to double your buy-in.

The tweener and mid to lower pairs may be folded if the bubble is really close, but to fold AA anytime before a flop, I will not do. You just do not get dealt AA too often, maybe once in a tourney, so play em. With tight play around bubble time, it is a good time to get chips

WllmSthJr if you are constantly losing around bubble time look to earlier tournament play. If going bust usually happens around the bubble you may be grinding down a little too far in search for the payoff. There is a lessor chance to go broke at the bubble if you have accumulated more chips earlier in the tourney.

Every tourney is different and sometimes (rarely) the grind down is a good way to make your money back with a small profit when the cards are dry, but the real money in large tourneys is at the final table, that is where the big payoffs are. The reason you play in a large tourney in the first place is for the chance at the big payday.

[liladypokerpro]

If I'm short on chips then no I won't fold a hand like that but I don't find myself short often, so what I'm referring to is if I'm ahead a good amount, why take a chance on doubling up one or more players, in essence putting myself in their position, when they stand the chance of putting each other out? That's all...no offense intended, but frankly I don't expect anyone to understand my thinking, nor do I expect anyone to do as I do. As I said, to each his/her own...I do what works for me, and others do what works for them.

[jjhouweling]

your right i dont understand your thinking

[liladypokerpro]

Originally Posted by jjhouweling your right i dont understand your thinking

No problem...you don't have to...