AGGRESSION

[pokerstudAA]

A long time ago I made a post about aggression. It came down to a few key points I learned by watching “pros” play late in MTT’s.

I was impressesed with Matt Matros and his super aggressive play through the bubble and mid-money stages of a Party 350K. He built a massive stack and kept playing aggressively. Matt finished 3rd for 40k. Winner took 105K. After I played weak-tight during the bubble I fold my way into the money. What was Matros doing right? Was he just lucky? Then I watched Moneymaker dominate a $10 Stars Rebuy. People were shocked that he was raising with 79s and would call an all-in. He went on to win the tournament. What was Moneymaker doing right? Getting lucky?

I decided to change my strategy turning the bubble/mid-money phases of the tourney. Actually I decided to play completely different.


1. Play more aggressive....maybe make a few marginal calls....take risks late
2. Quit folding my steal raises to re-raises and midstack all-ins......get a reckless image
3. Take risks when other players are not....gamble and initiate action
4. Get chips or bust out........play not only to survive.
5. Who cares about out the payouts....play to win not for $.
6. Who cares if you bubble......play with no fear.


That brings us to today…..I have adjusted this strategy some but I am a maniac or at least sometimes I play like one when there is serious money on the line. Sometimes it pays and sometimes it does not. I have had this strategy back-fire in my face quite a few times. It requires aggressive blind stealing and applying relentless pressure to the other players and big stacks at the table. In the past two days I have finished 1st in two 600+ person MTT’s. Both were for $10+1 for about $1400 in each. I dominated both tournaments completely through the money and bubble period – this continued through both final tables. When blinds become very valuable and the tables are short handed you hit them hard and fast.....

Both final tables finished in about the same fashion. I was literally beating them down repeatedly the last hour. The final table chat was hilarious because these players were frustrated and exhausted. Players were literally begging for mercy and pleading to make a deal. You can feel the minute will to fight disappears from the table and this is a good feeling.

Was this good luck, good play, good cards, or some combination of both? Can you really dominate a table that badly? I am still adjusting my play in the late stages of an MTT and am wondering how it needs to be tweaked.

.If there is any interest I can review these final tables and see what can be learned. I will try to provide all the hands and details of my thinking. We can take an objective look at how these final tables were played and how this strategy works.

I played recklessly and relentlessly. I never turned off the pressure on the other players. I was in there almost every hand...raising.....stealing...


After watching how some of the pros play I made some major adjustments. They seemed to work well. Are these good/bad strategy adjustments? What do you think? What was I doing right? Was I just Lucky?

[BadgerPro]

I wouldn't mind seeing some of the HHs from earlier in the tourney where you start to turn the aggresion on. Maybe some where around 3 tables left, maybe earlier.

[JSchnett]

I dont like #2

[BadgerPro]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont like #2

[/ QUOTE ]

It depends somewhat on the odds you are being laid and the stack sizes. I don't think if I raise on a complete steal with 97s I'm going to call off over half my stack to a push. But if a mid stack pushes and I'm getting 2:1 and it only cost me 25% of my stack I can see where this is going to stop many players from playing back at you knowing they will get called.

Also if you put someone on a resteal and they leave themselves enough behind, push back at them and put them to a decision or if they have position pull a stop-and-go. Show people when you raise you're going to protect your chips.

[pokerstudAA]

2. Quit folding my steal raises to re-raises and midstack all-ins......get a reckless image

[ QUOTE ]
I dont like #2

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not?


Once people see you call with a marginal hand they will be MUCH less likely to push over the top of your raises with marginal hands. This is good.

It allows you to keep stealing blinds as they rise. People often fold to your big blind and play scared of you. Mabye this comes from just being the big stacked bully but I think establishing the reckless image plays a large part of this. It is scary and you will lose a crippling hand or bust out often. There are definately phases where playing tight is optimal....but there are phases where super-aggression will build your stack and increase your winning chances. The real trick is recognizing when that time has come and following through.

[JSchnett]

Most of the time you don't have a big enough stack to make a reckless call worthwhile.

[pokerstudAA]

[ QUOTE ]
Most of the time you don't have a big enough stack to make a reckless call worthwhile.

[/ QUOTE ]

I did not say to go around making reckless calls. Trying to steal with J6o or 82o and calling an all-in is reckless. Those hands are being played only for stealing purposes. Those hands are essentially worthless.

Stealing with marginal hands like 79s, 66, or QTo and calling is quite different than the hands you are playing for steal value alone. These are good but not great hands.

[jskinn04]

It'd be fantastic if you'd post your tourney HH's starting from a point where you were still playing somewhat tight so we can see where you threw down the hammer. IMO it'd be super valuble to see how you were playing (raise sizes, exactly who you were picking on, etc.)

[pokerstudAA]

Does anyone know a good method to posting entire touraments? I know I have seen some before but It seems like everyhand is not worthwhile. And posting large chunks of HH with no explanations would suck for everyone. Is there a tournament replayer or something?

Oh and the converters all suck.

[tubasteve]

http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter/

This does multiple HH's at the same time, but [censored] up a lot.