Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Exposing how I am playing the big field MTTs

I am playing the $24k and $27k guarantees and I am recording my process so I can possibly get feedback but also so I can check back in a year and see where I am at...

Early Levels:
I want to play A LOT of small-ball. I am seeing flops with any 2-gapper or better, and suited ace and any pair. I will fold the 2-gappers and suited aces after its 3 bets, but never the pair. the implied odds are too huge. I will generally continue with this unless I am running very bad and lose the first 3rd of my chips. I am very aware of my 'chip utility' and I am trying to luck-box or backdoor into some big pots.

Middle levels (not near bubble): A mix between small-ball and long-ball. I will play big pairs strong now instead of for big payoffs. I drop the suited aces and wont play as many gappers out of position or with too much pre-flop action. I will watch my M, but I have been schooled to stop watching 'avg chip count' and instead concentrate on chip utility to determine action. It used to be that once my Q fell to .5, I would start going bonkers, but I am trying to avoid that.

This is the turning point in the tournament for me usually. If I can't get my Q and M up in the higher ranges, I am prematurely forced into long ball mode and have to skip some opportunities at the table in the middle rounds. I also have to take some pretty big pre-flop variance with hands KQ or better.

Middle levels at the bubble: I am changing my game here significantly. If you play tight long ball, you make the money but not the final 3 tables. I want to make those final tables, so I am going aggro here trying to steal and resteal pots. Pressure poker all the way if I can.

Post bubble: typically I am playing a traditional longball game now.

Final phase (last 3 tables): Here I can play my uber style of survival mixed with opportunity. (Its a variation of long-ball with a strategic overlay.)

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