How to play when deep in tournaments?

[Nade]

Have made a few deep runs in tournaments the last couple of days only to come unstuck before the final table even though i've gained a big stack in 3 of 5 cashes. Just want to know what the experienced tournament players on here do late in tournaments with a big or healthy stack? I know i've made final tables by being patient back when i used to play them more than cash but don't know if that's still a good strategy? These last couple of days i've been very active with the big stack, playing as many pots as possible in position and got into some tough spots post flop which hasn't been working out. Is there any consensus out there like is it better to attack a certain player type or 3bet a lot or anything else? Thanks.

[deadlydaveLDN]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? People with 15-25 BBs will often look to shove over a raise pre-flop, so pretty pointless raising without a hand you'd call that shove with if there are a couple or more people behind you with these stack sizes. Stealing the blinds is pretty important when the antes kick in, but I would at least be doing it with a semi decent hand (random broadway cards, suited connectors). Most tournament players are happy to always stack off with TP good kicker, and will rarely bluff without at least a draw, so don't try to make hero calls.

[deadlydaveLDN]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? 3-betting light is a useful tool against other bigstacks, who obv don't want to get involved with another bigstack if they don't have the goods.

[Nade]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? So there's a huge luck element then? Hope to get a bigger hand than someone else and get it in? Staying patient is what you suggest then in your experience?

[deadlydaveLDN]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments?

So there's a huge luck element then? Hope to get a bigger hand than someone else and get it in? Staying patient is what you suggest then in your experience?

Of course there's a huge luck element. But there's plenty of skill too. A lot of tournament poker though is just waiting for donks to play badly against you (pretty much what most poker is about)

[Nade]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? Come on chaps i know there's a lot of players here with vast tournament experience, let's here some strat. Or i'll go back to calling them donkaments ;)

[Fonzie14]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? If you want to see how to do it then: http://www.apat.com/forum/index.php?topic=5596.0 is a link to an apat thread, where one of ours (George2Loose) has put up an entire game history on PokerXfactor from a game on FullTilt where he took down $32k. You have to register with PokerXfactor to view it, but dont need to subscribe. You will see that you need a bit of luck, (AQ vs AK twice) and some nice folds and an excellent example of "Big Stack" aggression. Warning - there are over 500 hands, but if you skip through the ones that George doesn't play, it'll take about an hour or so - well worth the watch though IMHO.

[BAM]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments?

Come on chaps i know there's a lot of players here with vast tournament experience, let's here some strat. Or i'll go back to calling them donkaments ;)

Donkaments suck, MBSFN to go deep!!! There is no set strat it's situation+experience+binking = shipaments

[ELCAKER]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? Hi Nade, Good to see you are testing the waters. Dave makes some excellent points as usual. On a personal level I like to make lots of notes. One it keeps my mind concentrated, and secondly it can really really help when it comes to making tough calls with marginal hands. I also make a conscience effort to establish what the two players on my left are upto. Are they tight, loose, what's their calling range....etc etc. Standard fare I know. I personally look to play as few pots as possible until I have a stack to get more frisky. I do rely on doubling up with premium cards to try and secure a stack which I know isn't everyones preferred modus operandi. Lots of ways to skin a cat and all that

[Nade]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? Didn't know about that Fonz i'll check it out thanks :ok ElC paying more attention is a good point, i'll definitely look to make more notes in MTTs, i make a lot in SNGs and cash so i'm used to that side of the game - this branches out into potential 'strat' as the more you pay attention the more you can exploit people so notes are a good basis. Thanks, sure there will be more questions in time ;)

[Nade]

Re: How to play when deep in tournaments? Meh i dunno, just stayed uber patient deep in 2 tourns but can't get shit to hold in big crucial pots really frustrating but least i didn't blow a load of chips like in tourn the other day. Will continue to play them to get experience and hopefully one day will get luckily enough to make the top 1% in the payladder one day. At the moment two things off the magic formula "situation+experience+binking" ;) :) One day.