Advice for beginner Tournament Player

djrect · #1 12-07-2006, 10:15 AM

Since I have started playing cards three years ago, all I ever played were ring games. At the casino the same thing. I have tried tournaments from time and to time, but do not seem to have knack for them.

I feel at the limits I am at with the cash games I am a very good player. So I want to switch gears and start to play tournaments a lot more. I was hoping some of you guys could give me advice or steer in my the right direction from where I should start or what tournaments I should look to play in. Which site offers the best tournaments in your minds. Thanks guys

mornelth · #2 12-07-2006, 10:24 AM

Buy some books first, Harrington on Holdem volumes I and II are a must.

THAY3R · #3 12-07-2006, 10:27 AM

Raise alot.

uclabruinz · #4 12-07-2006, 10:27 AM

If you already have good cash game skills then it's all abou the Harrington volumes. Plus, read the anthology for MTT and start to pay attention to (participate in) the discussions there.

Marwan · #5 12-07-2006, 10:29 AM

Read HOH series, read/print out all the anthology posts here.. and don't get discouraged above all.. remember that 0/10 ITM streaks are not all that uncommon.

djrect · #6 12-07-2006, 10:33 AM

HOH series?

djrect · #7 12-07-2006, 10:37 AM

Harrington on Holdem haha sorry guys. I have read sklansy's books, not his tournament book, caro's book, and the first super system. Harrington's is a good read and very useful then, thanks guy. Also any adivce on where i should start to play like on stars 180 player tournaments for $10

mornelth · #8 12-07-2006, 10:44 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Harrington on Holdem haha sorry guys. I have read sklansy's books, not his tournament book, caro's book, and the first super system. Harrington's is a good read and very useful then, thanks guy. Also any adivce on where i should start to play like on stars 180 player tournaments for $10

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, 180's are a good place to start. I can't say whether 10 is right FOR YOU or not.

Also, play some SnG's to get some similar-to-FT experience - all the money in tournaments come from being in the top 3 (satellites are exception).

Jeff76 · #9 12-07-2006, 10:47 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Also any adivce on where i should start to play like on stars 180 player tournaments for $10

[/ QUOTE ]The Stars 180s are fantastic. Stars structure isn't the best, but you can't beat the 180s for their availablility, size, and poor opponents.

If ~$10 range is what you're looking for, I know UB also now has an 8:15 PM tournament running every day that gets ~300 runners. Their structure is quite a bit better than Stars, though the players are a tad better as well.

Quanah Parker · #10 12-07-2006, 10:51 AM

I'd also suggest Arnold Synder's Tournament book.
It's the yin to HOH's yang.
I believe HOH(all three) and the Synder book are the most important Hold Em tourney books by a long shot.

Assunimg your BR permits, I would avoid any MTTs with buyins less than $20. In the less expensive MTTs, you run into so many more bad beats and just goofy opponents. I've found $5 MTTs to be so much more frustrating than a $33 Mtt.
Then again, I like to be aggro, and there's no room for that in a $5 MTT. At least not until very deep.