Help with a Live tourney

JustBeginning · #1 06-27-2006, 05:27 AM

I'm not sure if this is the right place or not, so feel free to move it elsewhere.

I'm usually a SNG player (not a very good one at that), but last night I decided to enter a free-roll in the local casino. I ended up winning a seat at a €100 + €10 tournament. It's a free double-up tournament in which you can get an extra 2000 chips at any stage in the first 30 minutes.

I used a basic strategy of very tight-aggressive early gradually loosening up as the blinds went up and it seemed to work last night. Obviously the standard should be a lot tougher tonight, and I've never played at this stake before.
Is there any tips someone can give me for this? Is the basic strategy ok? When should I top up my chips?

Thanks

Gillett · #2 06-27-2006, 06:41 AM

Firstly you qualified to play the game so you can play at this level just fine.

You're tactics at this level seem sound, the advice I would give in playing a higher stakes game is while there are the same fish you get in any game, the good players will be well aware of the newbies.

Good players will trap more when playing people below their level and find ways to price you in to a pot that you should not be involved with.

Also bare in mind you will need to steal and re-steal where you can.

Good luck.

JustBeginning · #3 06-27-2006, 06:54 AM

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Firstly you qualified to play the game so you can play at this level just fine.

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Thanks for that, gave me some much needed confidence.

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You're tactics at this level seem sound, the advice I would give in playing a higher stakes game is while there are the same fish you get in any game, the good players will be well aware of the newbies.

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How should I combat this? Try and outplay them? Or just sit tight and mainly move when I have top hands? And wait until I've shown down some good hands before I try and make some moves.

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Good luck.

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Thanks

Smokey98 · #4 06-27-2006, 10:09 AM

Try to attack the weaker opponents in the first stages of the tourney. If you play super tight the great players will be doing this and now you're forced to play against them for those same chips. I try to play a little looser at first (but not crazy) trying to double up early.

JustBeginning · #5 06-27-2006, 10:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Try to attack the weaker opponents in the first stages of the tourney. If you play super tight the great players will be doing this and now you're forced to play against them for those same chips. I try to play a little looser at first (but not crazy) trying to double up early.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmm... The thing is, I'm not so sure that I'll be able to outplay the opponents. The most I've ever paid into a tourney is 10 euro, so this is a massive jump up. But maybe I'm overestimating the opposition. I suppose all I can do is try make the +Ev calls, and hope I get lucky when I do.

Gillett · #6 06-27-2006, 11:39 AM

Basically the key is to identify the really good players there, then you have a known quantity. Only get into pots with these guys when you've got got cards and you're running well.

At the same time see who the good players you have identified are picking on, then do the same. Push these people off pots to maintain a decent stack. Dont risk lots of chips in these situations, just enough to steal. Save the all ins for your monster hands.

Also if you're getting low, make a move dont wait around and get blinded off, less that 10 big blinds find a good hand a put someone to the test.

Dont just call all-in on someone else's raise as you cant push them off and even if you are infront, you may wind up getting beaten.

I'm sure you'll be suprised how bad some of the other players are, I am consatntly shocked at the plays I se at this level.

Just relax, play your game and in the words of my local card club 'you'll be alright'

I'll be looking for the post marked 'results' tomorrow.