not getting any hands

[choccypie]

Be patient. In cash games you can wait for a good enough hand to play with. However in tournaments when blinds go up and you're pushed for time, try to see the flop as cheaply as possible with marginal hands and sometimes the flop will be your best friend, but if not, you've not lost much. If everyone before you limps, you can try raising to take down the pot there and then. Don't do this too often though, or the other players will catch on.

You're not the only one getting "crap hands" and there's always another player cursing the poker gods more than you are [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[calabazas]

Thanks to every one that helped to answer my questions. I am mostly a tournament player, and because of the blinds, getting crappy hand after hand can be extremely frustrating. But you guys have given me some good advice. Thanks again.

[Some9]

I didnt read the book but once you played some time with this strat try to play all pairs from LP when its early in a tourney.

[calabazas]

Some9,
thanks for your reply but what book are you referring to that you didn't read. But are you saying play pairs from late position? (still getting used to the terminology) early on?

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
But what the hell do you do when your not getting any playable cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

I played an 8hr session in the casino once and played exactly FOUR hands. Incidentally, I ended up doubling my buyin on the night.

What did I do? I waited, and waited, and waited...

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
However in tournaments when blinds go up and you're pushed for time, try to see the flop as cheaply as possible with marginal hands and sometimes the flop will be your best friend, but if not, you've not lost much.

[/ QUOTE ]

The only time to consider this is when blinds are low compared to stack sizes. If you're doing this as blinds go up, you're playing badly.

[Xanthro]

You will go long periods without any hands at all. I've gone over 50 in a row many times.

It's best to not dwell on it, but it's hard. When you see 2s3h, then the next hand is 2s3h again and you've yet to play a hand out of the last 50, it can get on your nerves.

Try not to think about the cards that you've had, because they have no bearing on cards you're going to get.

[youngKR]

In tourneys you need to adapt. Now if you are completely card dead and are being dealt something along the lines of 27o every hand then you just need to keep folding.

Pick your spots, steal the blinds to stay in contention. Maybe make a few moves here and there. Just play smart, don't let the lack of cards affect your judgment. Just adapt to the situation at the table.

Hope that helps.

[ukdentisto32]

just play every single hand, u will eventually hit

[txraven]

I definately know the feeling. Seems to happen every tourney to me especially late and approaching the bubble. It depends on when you go card dead. Early to middle stages I try to ride it out. Late creates the biggest problem for me. Then you have to pick your spots and push. If you can manage to get an opportunity to push while still a decent stack most players will lay down to a push from a good sized smaller stack, especially if calling and losing will hurt them pretty bad.