Tournament strategy advice requested

[Scruff 0]

I'm playing in a live tournament tomorrow, and am soliciting strategy advice based on the structure.No limit hold-em, $50 buy in (one rebuy in the first hour if you bust out completely), there will be 16-18 players. They are looking to start with 3 tables of 6, drop it to two tables of 7 when it's 14 left, and one final table of 8.So we'll start with either 3 tables of 6 or two tables of 5 and one 6, etc..Payouts:1st 45%2nd 25%3rd 15%4th 10%5th 5%$75 starting chips, blind schedule, 30 minute increments:1-22-43-64-85-106-127-148-169-1810-2015-3020-40then they double (which could get ugly if we are still going 6 hours later, but they say it usually takes about 5 hours).So just curious for how to play early, when to start making a move, etc.. Things I should be aware of in this structure, etc..I've never played with any of the players, except for 1 friend who is going with me. It will mostly be a groups late 20s, early 30s guys, who take the game somewhat seriously, watch the WSOP etc., but aren't generally great players (I don't think).Thanks for the help guys!

[Absolute 0]

First off, the payout structure as well as the blind structures are a little bit odd. I know it seems like an irrelevant note, but take it in to consideration. It doesn't sound to me like the people running this thing have much of an idea of advanced tournament structure, which could mean their poker knowledge doesn't exceed the tuesday nights they put in to the WSOP on ESPN.Anyway, since this is the structure you have to deal with, here are some tips.The blinds aren't going to allow you much action. You will have to face the fact that any hand you want to get involved in is going to probably eat at least a quarter (probably more) of your chip stack. You could take advantage of the blinds by raising 3x the BB, which I am guessing will force out anything but very big hands with this format, or you could choose to sit tight and wait for a hand to get your chips in with.But I wouldn't advise much limping with these blinds, also I'd stay away from hands like 3-5 suited or 6-7 suited, etc. Those hands are only beneficial when the big blind isn't already taking 3% of your chip stack. Also calling any raise will probably demand more like 7 to 10 percent of your chip stack. Like I said, I think this format is absurd.My guess is that there is going to be a lot of pushing in this tournament, so I guess you should just sit back and wait for a monster.May the luckiest man win.

[Scruff 0]

Thanks man, that's sort of what I was thinking too (about the structure being absurd). The half-hour rounds are nice and the middle rounds have slow increments which is nice, but man this a tough structure to limp with connectors (which I like to do).I see about 1/3 of the field going out in the first 2 hours, is that accurate?I'm just praying these guys are tight-passive.

[Scruff 0]

I was also thinking that with 5-6 man tables for the first hour at least, I'm going to HAVE to get involved, I can't just sit back, or the blinds will eat me alive. Any way to counteract that? Or am I missing something there? Generally stick to big cards, raise 3-4x BB with any ace, etc.?

[FromTheRail 0]

Yeah, stick to the high end of the deck and play your hands very aggessively, especially if your opponents turn out to be the kind of players who love to chase down draws. You can experiment with your preflop raise size, if they play lots of bad hands preflop and then can't get away from them, you can increase the amounts of your preflop raises with your monster hands and they won't catch on. Just watch for who plays good cards, and who plays any cards.

[Absolute 0]

I see about 1/3 of the field going out in the first 2 hours, is that accurate? I was thinking the same thing when I read your post. I don't see how this tournament could last more than 3-4 hours, but if they say it usually lasts five, that probably means there are some very tight players. That or they just deal very slowly and take lots of breaks.

[Scruff 0]

Thanks for the help guys. One other thing that I forgot to mention, there will be a keg there and pizza and stuff, so I imagine a few of the players will be getting drunk at some point, not sure how much that changes anything, but figured it was worth mentioning.

[MrConceit 0]

I see about 1/3 of the field going out in the first 2 hours, is that accurate? I was thinking the same thing when I read your post. I don't see how this tournament could last more than 3-4 hours, but if they say it usually lasts five, that probably means there are some very tight players. That or they just deal very slowly and take lots of breaks.

Yeah your tips were good because of the large blinds vs stack size to begin, but the fact that it's going to start 6 handed (or 5) means he can't wait TOO much. You should be trying to steal if first in a solid amount of the time if you have much of anything. Never limp (first in I mean) 5-6 handed, just about, unless you're trying to be tricky with a high PP or something.

[Absolute 0]

If I were in this tournament (which I am glad I am not), I would definitely try to double my chips in the first level. I just couldn't play a structure like that without chips to support it. This sort of structure only benefits the big stacks, but even then, you will constantly have to deal with people pushing all their chips in.I agree though, 6 handed with huge blinds, I would be firing in to a lot of pots.

[Scruff 0]

Turned out the structure was even worse!!!We got 100 chips, which was nice, but the blinds went:1-22-43-64-85-10 (so far the same) then:10-1515-2525-50 (this was the start of the final table of 8)50-7575-100I played selectively aggressive, managed to double up early when I got lucky, with an A on an A99 flop. I bet about 20 into a $20 pot and got called. I knew had a 9 and I was done with the hand if he showed any strength after that. Fortunately, I picked up the ace on the turn, raised him all in, which he called rather quickly, because I was 'obviously' bluffing, or something. My table was great, to my left was a guy who had only played twice ever (found that out later), then a woman who was the definition of tight-passive, a guy who was somewhat aggressive, but didn't really have a clue (all in guy above), another tight-passive player and finally my buddy, another good player was directly to my right. I had the only good player on my right, this was just a great table.I played very well, pushed my chips around and was the chip leader at about 500+ with around ten players left. There were 19 players and 7 rebuys, so 2600 total chips in play.I lost 105 on one hand, one with my K7s allowed a player with A5 to double up on a 755 flop. I limped for 15 with K7s (one of the only times I didn't raise first in all night). 3 others came along (button and both blinds). I bet 60 on the flop (the pot) after two checks. I wanted to take it down there and not let someone with an 8, 9, T, J, Q, K, A beat me on the turn or river. Button only had 90 left (so I probably bet too much, if I'dve bet 30 I may have been able to get away from the hand), and he raised me all in. I knew he had the 5, but called anyway, since it was only 30 chips into a 210 pot. This pot would come back to haunt me. I lost another hand where I raised preflop and got played back with on a steal. I went to the final table with 375 chips.I couldn't believe these were the chip stacks at the final table:575425400375 (me)225200200200With blinds of 25/50, for just 1/2 hour, then 50/75. The wanted to give the 75 runoff (3 chips) to one player too, but I convinced them to give 3 players one $25 chip instead. Wow, you'd think that'd be obvious.But anyway, the chip leader only had 8 trips around and only 3 others even had 5 rounds, with just 5 players getting paid. Pretty tight final table to say the least. What a horrible structure. It worked fine until they started doubling the blinds.I won one pot, pushing the button off a raise of my BB with an all in bet. Next hand I get AJs in the SB and chop with UTG (the A5 player from above) who limped with AJ. Next hand, I picked up KT on the button and it folded around to me. So much for staying out the way until a few players go out. I raised to 150. Small blind folded, big blind (who had chopped with me on the last hand) looks at his cards and is like, 'damn, I have to play this one' and calls the raise. He has 200 left in front of him.Flop: AJ7 rainbow. Check-check. Turn, 2, check-check. At this point, I'm defensive as the guy is a tricky player and I am content to survive the hand with my 400 remaining chips intact.River I hit my king and he checks. Now I think, what would he call with that I could beat - would he call without and ace? I think he'll call with pretty much any pocket pair at this point, so I put him all in for 200. He calls instantly and turns over AT. Was this a terrible bet? Can't believe he checked an ace three times, but I think he could tell that I was dying to bet the turn and flop and didn't; so maybe figured I'd have to bet the river.I crippled me tournament wise. I didn't get any hands and lost a full round of blinds, narrowly escaping the push up to 50/75 by one hand. I have 125 left and decide to invest my tournament on Ah6h. Everyone folds, the big blind only has 100 left, so he calls for the last chip without looking at his cards. He turns over 8s4s. Flop has a 7. Turn I pair my 6, river he hits his 5 for the str8 and I literally have a chip and a chair. Brutal. I tripled up on the next hand with A7, which gave me a full big blind, which I lost when my J9 couldn't outrace KJ and AK. Went out 7th with no cash, while the guy who runner-runner str8'd me ended up finishing 2nd to the guy who checked his aces three times and nailed me with the trip 5's. $585 and $325 each, c'est la vie.It was a fun time, but I don't think I'm going back unless they change the structure. That final table was a joke.