Help W/ Mtt Strategy

[bluff2much 0]

I play small buy in mtt. Anywhere from a 45man S&G, to 1k man tourneys. buy ins are from 2-10.So my last 3 or 4 tourneys i've been able to gather a lot of chips. The thing is I don't know what to do w/ those chips once i get them. I knocked myself out, by playing against another big stack...didn't think he would risk his chips. It was post flop playtho, and he made a great call. Next tourney I went deep, but I had a 20k stack w/ an average of 4k. The next thing I know, I'm the short stack @ 12k. I played tight, and really wasn't picking up too many hands. AK prob cost me almost half my chips.So any strategy for playing late would help.Also...blinds at 600-1200. I have 9k. I fold to a raise, and then a big stack coming over the top for a reraise., even tho I knew i had the best of it, w/ JJ in the bb. But I would have lost to a 4 card flush anyway. I fold A9o to a raise in middle position....and then two hands later I push w/ A9 again in early position....bb has AQ...ggme. Should I have waited for a bigger hand? I am short stacked, but i feel like I have chips left...So I went out 35 out of 950.Thanks Jason

[Sheiky 0]

I think that is perceived to be a common problem among a lot of newbie MTT players.First of, imo i think it's more of an expectation problem than anything else, meaning, just because you have a lot of chips right now doesn't mean you've got a golden path to the final. MTTs are marathons no sprints, from my experience it is very rare for the chip leader in the early stages of the tournament to win it. And just because youve been on an upward chip curve doesn't mean you should be continuing, even with a lot fo chips you will experience oa lot of swings throughout a tournament.However, i do think there is some midset problems that make people waste chips when maybe others wouldn't.There may be a couple of things wrong A) You're inexperienced getting to the latter stages of a tournament and don't really know how to hanfle the situation (Happens to me when i rarely make it past the 3rd break lol) or B) Having more of something makes you devalue it, meaning you might take less care with where you're throwing your chips because you've got so damn many of them.You may also be experiencing what i call "the sinking feeling" which is when you've got a big stack but then lose a couple of pots and start thinking negatively and annoyed that you haven't got as manyn chips as you used to have. Basicaly, your standard of play probably differs due to your recent chip movements. Don't worry about this, the best thing to do is forget what's happened in the past and concentrate on one decision at a time, forget about your position on the chip leader board of the average stack size and concentrate on making good solid poker decisions.

[jmbreslin 0]

Steer clear of stacks that have you covered unless you're very confident you're way ahead. Just keep using your stack to bully the shorties, who have to be more cautious than the bigstacks. You can build your stack pretty efficiently by taking a few chances here and there to knock out those shorties.

[Cappy37 0]

Use your stack to bully the medium-sized stacks!!! Stay away from the shorties, they could care less how many chips you have: they need to double. It's the medium stacks who are nervously feeling ok about themselves and have worked hard to get where they are at. They are the ones who *really* don't want to see the tournament lobby in an instant and will make the bigger laydowns in marginal spots. I guarantee you a middle stack isn't going to be the one to re-push your KJ with an A-3.

[jmbreslin 0]

Sure, but there are times when you can build your stack by taking advantage of the wide pushing ranges of the shorties when you can afford to call their push without risking much damage to your stack.

[Danny Dingleberry 0]

I tend to self destruct when I build a big stack up early. I gamble more, build bigger pots, bluff more, and take bigger risks. so i guess, don't do what I do. only bully stacks if you think they're weak. don't bully people round solely because you've got a bigger stack than them. stay out of marginal situations and keep getting your money in good.

[YBravo 0]

Use your stack to bully the medium-sized stacks!!! Stay away from the shorties, they could care less how many chips you have: they need to double. It's the medium stacks who are nervously feeling ok about themselves and have worked hard to get where they are at. They are the ones who *really* don't want to see the tournament lobby in an instant and will make the bigger laydowns in marginal spots. I guarantee you a middle stack isn't going to be the one to re-push your KJ with an A-3.

I agree with pretty much everything in here.Like, if I have J8ss and I'm in the hijack and I have two shorties to my left, I'm probably going to fold. If there are a bunch of medium stacks, I'll raise every time. I'll also raise against big stacks if I feel like they're playing conservatively. Basically, worry about the stack sizes of the other players at the table more than your own stack size.

[bluff2much 0]

So someone who is around chip average would probably an easier target to steal from...or push around?Thank you to everyone who chipped in...I definately have something to work on now.Jason

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

Don't play against other big stacks in middle to late stages of MTTs. You want to punish mid stacks when you have position. Pick up HoH and that should really help.

[jmbreslin 0]

So someone who is around chip average would probably an easier target to steal from...or push around?

Yes, but don't pass up those opportunities to add to your stack by taking out a shortie.For example, you have 3500 chips in the BB and it's folded around to the SB, who has 650 chips. Blinds are 50/100. SB pushes. Remember that SB has a very wide range in this situation and you have a decent shot at adding 650 chips to your stack by calling with a wider range. Sometimes you have to be willing to take these chances to build your stack in the middle stages.

[Cappy37 0]

Yes, but don't pass up those opportunities to add to your stack by taking out a shortie.For example, you have 3500 chips in the BB and it's folded around to the SB, who has 650 chips. Blinds are 50/100. SB pushes. Remember that SB has a very wide range in this situation and you have a decent shot at adding 650 chips to your stack by calling with a wider range. Sometimes you have to be willing to take these chances to build your stack in the middle stages.

QFT. You will always have your good situation, but you *will* have to gamble to win. The key is to always gamble with stolen money and gamble when it's not your tourney life on the line.