Starting Hands

[srvboy 0]

Been playing for a year, and know the value of premium hands. But I end up being anted out while I'm waiting for hands. Should I loosen up when I'm in late to mid position with no raises pre-flop??

[simo_8ball 0]

Yes.(I could write an essay, but it would basically come to the same conclusion)EDIT: I'll contribute something real later

[srvboy 0]

Cheers for the reply.

[bdc30 0]

Wow, that's a pretty vague question.For a vague answer, I'll say yes.

[srvboy 0]

Sorry if it sounded vague. Well, can anyone give me advice on starting hands in a tournament situation?? Specifically No Limit Hold'em with 500+players

[bdc30 0]

Sorry if it sounded vague. Well, can anyone give me advice on starting hands in a tournament situation?? Specifically No Limit Hold'em with 500+players

At what point in the tourney? In what positions? What are the chipstacks?How many places get paid? How fast is the blind structure?Do you see how impossible your question is to answer?

[srvboy 0]

I know what you mean. I've read Super System, and it says that I should raise with category 1 hands in starting postion. When, as I move into later positions I should lossen up. Is this correct???I'm in 32nd place with 98 players left from a 1890 player tournament.

[shrimp4789 0]

to be honest, you seem like quite a new player, which is fine.my recomendation is to play some freerolls, and play hands that "look nice" to you. eventually you will start to see patterns. which hands you should actually be playing, and when. you dont always need to wait for premium hands, because alot of other hands, eg suited connectors can become premium hands post flop.playing is the only real way you will learn these things. yes books do help, yes videos help, etc etc. but if you go and just start playing hands, you yourself will see which hands are playabale in which positions.....and since they are freerolls....it wont cost you anything.you could try the same thing at play money tables, again wont cost you anything, however the play is.....well not MUCH worse than freerolls, but it wont be in the pressurised atmosphere of a tournament

[srvboy 0]

Cheers for the advice. Yes, I am a relatively new player. I will will start playing some freerolls and see where I end up.

[Flushgarden 0]

I wouldn't recommend freerolls. People there have absolutely no respect for their chips. Try $1 or $2 tourneys at least. They play there is still bad, but a lot better than freerolls.Once you're in the middle to later stages of a tourney, when you're in mid to late position, in unopened pots you can raise with a lot of hands like middle suited connecters and 1 and 2 gappers. If you get called by one person, throw out a continuation bet after the flop no matter what the flop is. Bet about half the pot or a little more. You'll pick up a lot of chips pretty easy this way.

[MasterLJ 0]

Wow, that's a pretty vague question.For a vague answer, I'll say yes.

My vague answer is "Turquoise"GL

[GABMAD 0]

Wow, that's a pretty vague question.For a vague answer, I'll say yes.

QFT

[Zach6668 513]

For tournament situations, you have to adjust your preflop starting requirements depending on your stack size, relative to the blinds/antes.I would recommend reading Harrington on Hold'Em 1 and 2 (more specifically 2 for this concept), as they will explain the concept of M to you very clearly.Essentially, M = Stack/(SB + BB + nA)where n = number of players at the table, A = ante, SB = small blind, BB = big blind, Stack = our chipstack.1 M = the cost to play one round.Anything over 30 is deepstacked, and we can pretty much play it like a cash game.Between 10 and 30, we just need to be careful calling/raising/limping with speculative hands, as we will not have the required implied odds to make these plays profitable.Under 10, you are starting to get shortstacked, and should be looking for a place to double up, you are usually pretty close to push/fold mode, although, we have a bit of room for a standard raise preflop, but we're pretty much committed postflop, so we'll have to choose our hands wisely here.Under 5, we are easily in a push/fold situation, and we are looking for first-in vigorish to take down the pot preflop, or hope to get called by a worse hand.We are getting very very desperate as we get to 3 and below. Our opening range will be huge, as we need to get lucky to get back to a respectable stack at this point.****************This is all off the top of my head, and I actually haven't read HOH2 very deeply, just sorta skimmed it, as I feel I have picked up enough from the boards, and those who have read it, but I'd recommend reading it to get the exact specifications and descriptions of each zone within the M concept.Any more questions, I'll be happy to answer.- Zach

[srvboy 0]

Thanks for the advice, I will be looking into it further. Also could you explain pot odds and how they apply to hands? I've been going through Slansky's Poker Theoram, but he doesn't explain the practical use of it very well.

[Sluggo 0]

Pretend you have a flush draw on the flop. The odds of a flush hitting on the next card are about 4:1. If an opponent bets 1/4 of the pot, call because you're getting 5:1 odds. If an opponent bets the pot, fold because you're only getting 2:1.

[srvboy 0]

So does it really help your gane?? Some people have told me that it will save me money, but I will become too tight and wont gamble.

[simo_8ball 0]

So does it really help your gane?? Some people have told me that it will save me money, but I will become too tight and wont gamble.

If you're getting 3:1 pot odds you can usually call an allin with any two cards (including 72o). How's that for tight?

[navybuttons 15]

to think of poker in rote terms is to think of poker as a static game, which it is not, and to do so will ultimately limit your progess.i'll play any hand from any position if the situation calls for it.take that how you will.

[trystero 0]

So does it really help your gane?? Some people have told me that it will save me money, but I will become too tight and wont gamble.

You might not be considering implied odds. Suppose you're playing NL and you have the nut flush draw in position. An aggressive bettor leads for the pot, $10, so you're getting 2:1 on your call. On a STRICTLY mathematical basis, you should fold, because you'll make your flush on the turn like 18% of the time (I don't remember the exact figure). However, there are several variables to consider: 1) if you hit your hand, will you get paid off enough to offset the flop call? Usually aggressive players will lead the turn no matter what it is. So he'll likely lead for a higher amount and you can call that or raise it if you hit. If you just call he also has to deal with a river situation. You can usually milk a player out of good value bet.2) will the bettor keep up the pace? Maybe he's the type of player who'll give up on the turn should he get called. So this way you'll get to see two cards at a 2:1 price, which is fine.There's a lot to it. Ignoring pot odds is foolish. If anything they allow you to loosen up a bit just like simo said. What they tell you not to do is keep calling big bets on straight or flush draws without good reason.

[TareqB 0]

What I will do in tourneys, especially early on, is try to attack the fish on the table, with any 2 cards. And stay away from the aggressive players, unless I have premium hands.These are some guidelines that I think are helpfull for playing tournaments..-If I had a premium hand, I will play very aggressively, trying to beat aggressive players for a lot of chips.-If preflop, a loose-passive player raised me, and I have position over him post flop (ie. Im not in the blinds), I will re-raise with any 2 cards. I have played pots with 6-4 off-suit in this situation, and believe me it works if you are a good player post flop!! My re-raise will generally make everyone fold their hands, and I will play the fish heads-up for the pot. If I feel that the fish did not connect on the flop, I will always bet the pot size and take the pot there and then, even if I got nothing. If he calls, but I sense weakness still, I'll fire a second and even third bullet. Eventually, he'll fold.- If preflop, a tight player raised, many might tell you fold - immediately! I think you might raise him with a medium strength hand (that once again when you have position on him). I might re-raise with connecters, cards like 8-7 offsuit, Ace rags, small pocket pairs, or even not a weak K (ex. K-9o) Now, we know he has a very strong hand. I'd put him on a high pocket pair, A-K, or A-Qs, A-Js, A-10s. If a K or Q comes on the flop, I will immediately raise - not a big amount though. If he has a pocket pair, or an A-with a good kicker (as long as its not on the board), he will fold. If he connected with the flop he'll call, or even re-raise. If that happens- I'll check/fold on the turn and never fire another bullet. Another situation is when a rainbow of small cards comes on the flop, I will usually throw the hand away, because if I raise he'll probably call. The key here, is if there's anything that may scare him, bet. This way you will pick up many small pots, even though you may lose a few ones every once in a while.- If a loose player raises, only call with premium hands! Let him pick small pots, many pots who cares! If he raised and you had a huge hand, you could well send him home on one hand, and make a fortune yourself.These are my basic guidelines to playing starting hands in a tournament. I could play any hand from A-A to 6-4 off-suit!!! You should never play premuim hands only! Just remember to play the man, your position, and not the cards you have!Hope I was helpful Tareq

[Actuary 3]

I like your attitude,welcome.we can work on the strategy later,