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(5 votes) 
July 7, 2013
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I'm starting to do tournaments after being mildly successful in micro cash games.
I have looked around the video section but I haven't found it yet if it exists.. and that is a base guide to what hands to open with pre-flop.
I know there are a lot of variables, and hand charts don't work beyond a very basic level, however, some indication provides a starting point which you can adjust from.
SoI am wondering, if for early stages of tournaments, a reasonable starting point would be to use the hands I would open for deep stacked cash games – opening wider later, then taking other considerations in as stack sizes and blinds change?
My original starting point for cash games was the guidance in “Building a bankroll” by Verneer, if anyone knows that. I have diverged from that with experience, but I guess I'm looking for an equivalent starting point here. Any particular video series help with this? Or something with a rationale for working out opening hands in early stages – the approach there being to teach us to think for ourselves, of course 🙂
June 27, 2013
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I suggest watch the Bigdogpocket55 back to back sunday milly… Here he explains his play at early levels DS.. i pick up alot from just watching what he does and with what cards….
July 7, 2013
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Thanks I'll check those out. Although my BR doesnt stretch to $200 buy ins, ( more like $5) it sounds like a good place to start.
May 30, 2012
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Hey Count,
BigDog principles and other pros are pretty much the same. Play tight in the early stages, don't spew away chips when you don't need to. Play position poker, AQ, AJ, 22, 33, 44 maybe fold in early position and early in tourneys. THey can get you in trouble if you miss a flop and get you to waste small amounts of chips. Those chips add up as teh early levels go on and when you get a BIG hand and have a chance to double….. you only double to 4150, instead of 5875, because you spewed in small spots early when you didn't need to.
July 7, 2012
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Dito to the responses above. Another factor is how comfortable you are playing post flop, if you've been playing cash (successfully) then this shouldn't be to much problem. I keep my opening ranges tight in the early levels, espsecially from early positions. Dont get married to hands like AQ and AK, 99, TT, JJ etc if the flop goes multiway. I will speculate occasionally if the conditions are good, by this I mean the action is going multi-way (so good chance for customer and double up), and will play sooted cons and small pockets.
My basic rule of thumb is to cut out the middle of my range in the early stages and just play the top and bottom (position/action dependant). By middle of my range I mean hands like QJo, KQo, AJo, KT, 55-88 ect basically hands that look good but can get you into real trouble. This helps keep post flop decisions farely simple eg playing with 67s in multiway pot 'did I smash the flop – yes – continue aggressively' No – give it up and move on. This is a real help when multi-tabling early stages.
July 7, 2013
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Yes thanks guys that sounds like a good place to start. I've now watched the first vid of BD55's back to back sunday $M. I am actually quite amazed by how tight he plays in the very early levels. Certainly tighter than I would in LP in a cash game. Its a real eye opener.
I think there may also be a LAG way of playing these levels, but as you say that depends on good PF skills. Though I'm succeeding in micro-cash atm – I think I still have a long way to go to really get good at post flop play – grinding up through the cash levels should help that though. In cash I play cards and positions that aren't going to give me too much trouble post flop, like the advice you give here for early in tournaments.
I also think opening with the odd suited connector like 67s on the button gives an easy decision on the flop – though at the cash stakes I'm playing I'm seeing increasing 3bets from the blinds. So I use that sparingly and typically with tight blinds behind who rarely 3bet to keep my tight image, which helps here.
So I think as I develop further I can choose whether or not to go any looser earlier on – and assess to what extent it is really worth it and the risk levels.
May 30, 2012
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I think you have the right mind set sir. Not everyone can be BigDog or DannyN or Jamie K or Lee C or Ttwist. I've talked to bunch of PROS on here and picked there brains from time to time. You have to take what you learn on here and by talking to friends and make it your OWN game. I can watch all the BG55's vids that he's ever made, but I will never play like him. I would love to win like him, but I am not him. Just take things you learn from the PROS, FKCoolers, Benny, CCluster, Turb, or whoever….. form all those things you learn into “YOUR GAME”. Never stop learning, the day you feel you know it all is the day when the game passes you by. Only a jackass would stop learning or tell others he doesn't need help. Enjoy and good luck to you in the future
TPE for life 😉
Pierre
July 7, 2012
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P-aire 146 said:
I think you have the right mind set sir. Not everyone can be BigDog or DannyN or Jamie K or Lee C or Ttwist. I've talked to bunch of PROS on here and picked there brains from time to time. You have to take what you learn on here and by talking to friends and make it your OWN game. I can watch all the BG55's vids that he's ever made, but I will never play like him. I would love to win like him, but I am not him. Just take things you learn from the PROS, FKCoolers, Benny, CCluster, Turb, or whoever….. form all those things you learn into “YOUR GAME”. Never stop learning, the day you feel you know it all is the day when the game passes you by. Only a jackass would stop learning or tell others he doesn't need help. Enjoy and good luck to you in the future
TPE for life 😉
Pierre
Well said sir! here here…
January 15, 2013
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I would suggest watching Mike Sowers vids at early levels to see a contrasting style from BigDog. He's not a maniac, but he is 3 betting hands at early levels that BigDog would not.
June 1, 2012
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Your a member of Cardrunners but you have not seen any of the videos from the MTT coaches there? eg, Daut44, or Chuck Bass?
July 7, 2013
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I'm not a memberof Cardrunners, but thanks for the tip.
Another similar question, are there any particular video series that discuss early stage strategy in rebuy/add on tournaments – particularly the low stakes ones ( up to 5$)?
May 30, 2012
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I know there are Vids by Ttwist & Cougars that did lower stakes tourneys and generally had good topics. There's even a HH of mind (1st online win) which proves that a donkey can win. I was bad then, lol. But I think most pros on here talk about early tourney play at some point during their vids. All the pros are different, just depends on who you life more.
February 14, 2013
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Something I've been experimenting with is if I have a weaker player on my right who seems to be playing a lot/opening a bit, is just really focusing on 3-betting him and only him. A lot. With the intention of him either paying me off when I have a good hand pre or make a big hand post. I unfortunately have not been able to do it often as I usually play too many tables, and in general most ppl either play pretty tight early or just limp a lot, but the times I have tried it, it seems to work quite well some something to keep in mind in the early levels.
Count Brass said:
Thanks I'll check those out. Although my BR doesnt stretch to $200 buy ins, ( more like $5) it sounds like a good place to start.
the sunday million doesnt really “play” like a standard $200 anyway. since its such a popular tournament the play ranges from an $11 – $55 tournament, especially early
February 28, 2013
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Man I miss the Sunday Million.
I would suggest that you go into the “Concept” drag down box and watch some of the Pre-Flop theory and the Starting Hands group. You can find a lot of useful info there. I started out as a cash player. Some of the lines you use in cash post flop should be very helpful in accumulating chips. All the 180 man tourneys are pretty standard and straight foward as well.
There is a ton of transition from cash to tourneys and its tough at first but the payoff can be huge if you keep on learning.
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