Step Tournament Strategy

[owise1 0]

(Posted in General as well)For those not familiar with Party Poker's Steps Challenge click here:http://www.partypoker.com/news/events/items/steps_main.htmlI am at step 6 now and wonder if there is any special strategy or tactics for this level. There are only prizes for the first 5 spots and 6-10 get nothing. (Step 6 - $500: Rank 1 $2,000, Rank 2 $1,000 Rank 3 $700 Rank 4$500 Rank 5 $500 Rank 6-10 Drop out )Although this is a single table tournament they use the multitable blind structure with 9 or ten minute levels (click here for a clear view or see below):http://www.partypoker.com/tournaments/type..._structure.htmlI am thinking that most people will play pretty tight at the beginning and would be quite happy to just get in the money, especially if they started at level one (for $3) or two (for $10). Normally I play pretty tight the first 3 levels or so, trying to put forth a tight table image. Then when the blinds get up there I started bluffing 2-3 times a round, trying to steal a lot of blinds. So, how would you play this tourney? Conservative or Aggressive early in the tourney? Any advice would be welcomed, especially from those that have played in Step 6. Thanks, owise1Level SB BB S Limit B Limit Ante 1 20 40 40 80 - 2 30 60 60 120 - 3 50 100 100 200 - 4 100 200 200 400 - 5 150 300 300 600 - 6 200 400 400 800 - 7 300 600 600 1,200 - 8 400 800 800 1,600 25 9 600 1,200 1,200 2,400 50 10 800 1,600 1,600 3,200 50 11 1,000 2,000 2,000 4,000 75 12 1,500 3,000 3,000 6,000 75 13 2,000 4,000 4,000 8,000 100 14 3,000 6,000 6,000 12,000 100 15 4,000 8,000 8,000 16,000 200 16 6,000 12,000 12,000 24,000 200 17 8,000 16,000 16,000 32,000 400 18 10,000 20,000 20,000 40,000 500 19 15,000 30,000 30,000 60,000 700 20 20,000 40,000 40,000 80,000 1,000 21 30,000 60,000 60,000 120,000 1,500 22 40,000 80,000 80,000 160,000 2,000 23 50,000 100,000 100,000 200,000 2,500 24 60,000 120,000 120,000 240,000 3,000 25 75,000 150,000 150,000 300,000 4,000

[profxavier9 0]

This is the only thing i miss about party. Maybe ill deposit some money just to play these. I sitll dont know why stars or anyone else has done something similiar to these. They have great value.

[Actuary 3]

what's a Party Poker ?

[sennin 0]

Hmm cool, I'm gonna try this out

[owise1 0]

any thoughts, ideas, comments etc...coming in 6th would really suck Help please !

[Actuary 3]

any thoughts, ideas, comments etc...coming in 6th would really suck Help please !

what can we say?

[owise1 0]

what can we say?

Any strategic thoughts. Should I play this as I normally do, or change things up? Anything from you Actuary would be welcome, I respect your game and often read your posts. Thanks, owise1

[Actuary 3]

Any strategic thoughts. Should I play this as I normally do, or change things up? Anything from you Actuary would be welcome, I respect your game and often read your posts. Thanks, owise1

Seriously, I would pm Copernicus. He's a master at all things tourney math related.From me, I would suggest playing close to the vest untl you are in the moneyIf you do get way up, then bully short stacks, like you would in a bubble situation.the payouts for 4,5 seems to justify playing to cash first, and then going for 1st after thatIt'll come down to how you play hands and the luck of cards more so than a Macro Strategy; but to the extent that over the long run there is something you can tweak, I'd suggest playing a bit tighter than a normal SnG, with the exception to push around some shorties if you have the stack.pm Copernicus, seriously

[owise1 0]

Seriously, I would pm Copernicus. He's a master at all things tourney math related.From me, I would suggest playing close to the vest untl you are in the moneyIf you do get way up, then bully short stacks, like you would in a bubble situation.the payouts for 4,5 seems to justify playing to cash first, and then going for 1st after thatIt'll come down to how you play hands and the luck of cards more so than a Macro Strategy; but to the extent that over the long run there is something you can tweak, I'd suggest playing a bit tighter than a normal SnG, with the exception to push around some shorties if you have the stack.pm Copernicus, seriously

Just sent Copernicus a PM. My original thought was that too, play tight until in the money, then loosen up and steal a lot of blinds. I would be happy with 4th or 5th with $500. However, I am thinking that everyone would be thinking this and playing with this strategy in mind. Thus, should I do the opposite and play loose and agressive right out of the gate? or am I just overthinking this? I was going to play today, but might wait until next weekend to play, hopefully I will get more suggestions. Well, thanks again for your response. Take care, owise1

[Actuary 3]

Thus, should I do the opposite and play loose and agressive right out of the gate? owise1

imo, no.There wlll always be a few players that dont adjust or catch hands and you get down and have to battle back.IF it were winner take all, then yes, I would agree,now if you find the scared players, by all means use that to your advantage

[profxavier9 0]

Since reading this thread a few days ago i to put some money in party poker and have taken at run at the steps aswell. Im on step 4 now. I find people play wayyyy to tight in these, playing positions in the early levels is great, no one wants to put money in the pot in these. even the big time donks play really tight in these. Its something about these step tournies that bring out the nit in every1. I dont mind risking 15-25% of my stack in the early going to try and pick up some small pots. The structures on PP is so bad that the small pots arent even all that small in the early going.

[owise1 0]

Since reading this thread a few days ago i to put some money in party poker and have taken at run at the steps aswell. Im on step 4 now. I find people play wayyyy to tight in these, playing positions in the early levels is great, no one wants to put money in the pot in these. even the big time donks play really tight in these. Its something about these step tournies that bring out the nit in every1. I dont mind risking 15-25% of my stack in the early going to try and pick up some small pots. The structures on PP is so bad that the small pots arent even all that small in the early going.

I agree with you completely. That is how I got through to level 6 without too much difficulty. It's like almost no one on these tourneys has read HOH. By the way, I am in Toronto too and by the looks of your picture I may have played across the table from you once or twice if I remember correctly. Did you play in a home game south of Sheppard between Yonge and Bathurst a couple of years ago? Or maybe I saw you at some FCP event in Toronto. Anyways, thanks for your input. owise1