Mulit-Tournaments

[NorthernRed2]

Just after some advice, i've been in a tournament now for 30 mins, i've not had one hand to play. A5 and K4 all the time. I've constantly folded, i've only lost very little of my starting pot, but im getting left behind with the average pot being above mine. Should i stay tight and wait for the hand or start to risk a bit more. Its the old chestnut be in the tournament or go for it become a player or leave. If so what hands do people risk raising on???

[Jezza]

Re: Mulit-Tournaments Hi Northen, At the start of a multitable tournament I usually like to play pretty tight. When the blinds are very small in relation to the size of your stack you dont need to get involved without very strong holdings - the prize just isnt worth it otherwise. However as the blinds increase in size I suggest you gradually start to loosen up putting in more raises preflop as they get bigger. Try to look at who is playing tight at your table then as the blinds get nice and big raise when it is their big blind with lesser holdings than you would normally raise with - infact as the blinds get very large I start to almost raise every time I enter a pot (note this is a volatile and dangerous way to play so maybe not best for everyone!) When you raise with cards you would not normally raise with in attempt to win the blinds this is called "stealing". I would suggest you try not to ever let your stack size drop below 10 times the size of the big blind - try and keep above this level by stealing blinds if you are not getting cards to play with. When this happens it is a no brainer to call you when you go all in and this is a bad place to be in. You want to have enough chips to put people to a decision so I would rather take a chance like that than wait untill you are guaranteed to be called. Dont start to panic if you are a little below average stack - just dont let yourself fall below that cruicial level. When the blinds are big you can raise with just about any hand you would normally play and indeed with anything you desire if you are just trying to steal (dont try this when someone has limped in first position tho - I would always be wary then) A good time to put pressure on people with big raises is just before the money - SO many people only care about making the money they cannot ever win one of these tournaments. They will just fold all the time on the bubble and become super tight. Their thinking is "aha you can get my ante now but I will get you later". This is not the case! You are giving yourself a huge advantage over them by the amount you can take off their stacks just before the money - put the pressure on and leave them crippled for when they scrape in (you will be in a far nicer position) Jez