Whats the best strategy in the really loose low buy-in MTT's?

[rockin]

[ QUOTE ]
Not really too sure lol, just acting aggressively in small pots I suppose-is this wrong?

[/ QUOTE ]

LAG play is not wrong, it is just most profitably done by experienced players. If you are relatively new, a tighter game is a better approach. LAG is just a different style and can be profitable, but you have to be able to make a lot of timely laydowns rather than going all the way with TPWK's etc...

[zipppy]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, would I be better to aggressively chase a number of small pots, or simply to wait for the big hands and try and double up?

[/ QUOTE ]

if you're going to pick between the two general strategies, pick the latter.

Overall, I'd say just pay attention to the people at your table, though. You can find players/tables that make picking up small pots viable. Usually it's better to wait and only play strong hands, and play them aggressively.

You don't have to go to the felt with every monster, either. Just try to extract as much value as possible when they come.

[bgoalie35]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, would I be better to aggressively chase a number of small pots, or simply to wait for the big hands and try and double up?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know that what's being advocated is really even chasing. The advice here seems to be see some cheap flops with creative hands (suited connectors, suited one gappers, small pairs) and try to flop a monster (set, straight, flush). The price to see the flop is cheap, and in a loose game like this, you will get paid off with your monster because, as you said, everyone wants to come along for the ride.

That doesn't mean you have to chase to the river every time trying to hit every remote draw that you might have. You're just looking to hit a big hand when the price is right.

[jaydoggie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
often times i wont raise in the early stages. i might re-raise to isolate, or i might put in a BIG raise with a very good hands like QQ+ open the pot for 10xBB (200)!

with a pair like nines i know its going to be difficult for me to make a read based decision, so i often just call and hope to make 3 of a kind.

some players recommend limping in with suited connectors and trying to flop huge and because the players are loose they will get paid off.

just remember-- its bad to bluff/make plays at a loose player (group of loose players) because your good or great hands will get paid off any way.

99, to me, is not a raising hand with (atleast) 5 players left to act in the early rounds of a low buyin freezeout. the only hands that i personally raise is AK, JJ+.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this, though I would never put in a 10xBB raise with a monster unless I was sure the table was loose enough to get a caller or two.

[ QUOTE ]

However, if someone opens the pot for 100. and 3 people call. i might reraise with less than AK. specifically, if i have a hand that i feel is better than open raisers hand range, and a few loose players call behind. i may reraise with AQo or 99 in attempts to get some slightly better hands behind me to fold, a great chance of picking up a reasonable pot preflop.


[/ QUOTE ]
I disagree with this. Are you saying that with a great hand (AK, QQ+) you'd call with 4 people in the pot (1 raiser, 3 callers), but with a worse hand you'd raise?

In this scenario, the % of times that:
1)the loose player has a hand that beats you
2)one of the callers of the 5xbb raise has a hand that beats you
3)more than 1 loose player calls you and your hand doesn't improve, one of theirs does

is too great.

The chips you lose will be big when you lose them, and the chips you win will be marginal when you win them. even if this is +cEV long term, it isn't very +cEV, and I think it's worth your time to practice good pot control rather than pulling off fancy plays, ESPECIALLY at the lower limit buyins.

[ QUOTE ]

if i were going to raise in this situation, i would probably put in about 500 chips. if you get put allin-- hey it's early and youve got a chance to win a lot of chips.

[/ QUOTE ]

I assume you're still talking about the 10/20 level. Raising 25 BBs with ANY HAND is very bad...I don't care how loose/bad the players I'm up against are. If 6 callers want to call my 4xBB raise...so be it. If you make less mistakes than your opponents, you'll make $ long term, and open raising to 500 in an early level is a mistake.

zip

[/ QUOTE ]

maybe i was not clear. i did not mean that i would open a pot for 25xBB. i meant if MP1 raises to 100. MP1 has raised 6 of the last 8 pots preflop, and has shown down Axo, Q9s, KJo, 45s, or relative junk. MP3 calls. WE have also observed that MP3 has been calling passively in many pots. C/O also calls. We think c/o is either making a position call, or possibly also a very passive player. We have AQo.

Earlier I stated I would not raise with LESS than AK. AQ < AK. This is a situation where i WILL raise with AQ. Now lets determine the proper amount to bet.
BB posts 20
SB posts 10.
MP1 bets 100.
MP3 calls 100.
CO calls 100.
pot before our action is 330. After we match the bet the pot will be 430. The MINIMUM we are allowed to raise is 80. 3 players have already committed 100 chips, how many will fold for 80 more? 0.

so after we match the bet the pot we have determined will be 430 chips. so the proper raise? i would put in another 400 chips. matching the bet + 400 raise = 500. NOT an open raise for 25xBB.

of course i would play AA/KK/QQ this way as after the action in front of me.

[reecelights]

[ QUOTE ]
LAG play is not wrong, it is just most profitably done by experienced players. If you are relatively new, a tighter game is a better approach. LAG is just a different style and can be profitable, but you have to be able to make a lot of timely laydowns rather than going all the way with TPWK's etc...

[/ QUOTE ]

I concur. If you are playing a low-level buy-in so that when you get in the later stages of a tourney you are one of the best players left and can take advantage of that, a LAG style is good in low buy-in tourneys. To do it you have to (a) be able to make laydowns, and (b) be willing to bust out early and fire up another one.

If you are newer to Multis, my opinion is it's best to stay tight and out of the way of the maniacs the first two or three levels (30-45 minutes). During that time hopefully you are developing reads on other players and know who can make a laydown and who can't. You are waiting for premium hands and hoping to double up off of it. Playing lots of pots against people who have a wide hand range and have no discernable betting pattern is very hard. Staying tight and playing ABC poker is what gave me the little success I had in low buy-in events. It didn't take me long however, to decide to stop playing them and move up as soon as possible, since they are basically akin to playing the lottery.

[JC_Saves]

In loose buy in tournaments you should play tighter than usual so that when you have big hands you get paid. Another thing is not to get too involved in the early stages when the blinds are pathetically small. With small to med PPs it would be better just to limp and try and trap with set. With your really big hands you will need to raise at the 10/20 level probably to about 250 to 300 level to narrow the field.

Remember the theory of poker states that if you make someone make a mistake you have done your job. If these fish limp and then call a huge raise, you have done your job. Make a big continuation bet on the flop and take down those pots. As always you have to re-evaluate the board to determine where you are at, but make loose players pay to draw out on you. If you hit a set on a 2 flush board you might want to think about pushing to take down nice size pots right then, or at least make them pay dearly for the chance to draw out on you.

[Supesimmo]

Thnaks everyone, feel much clearer now about how to play these tourneys

Please feel free to PM me any more bits of information you think may help me, or just post it here

[DonT77]

When the stacks are deep, like 50+ BBs you'll want to call more in EP with hands like 99 and hope to flop a monster, as you'll not drive anybody out with a PFR and then you'll be OOP with a hand that's tough to play ATF.

Then, when stacks aren't as deep and play has tighted up, you'll want to raise PF with your 99 and try to win the blinds (which are more significant now) or get HU against one opponent.

Or, more simply - play tight when others are playing loose, and play loose when others are playing tight.