Champions of Poker

Hello,

I’m about to play a casino tournament with 60-70 players and with a starting $2000, in chips. Blinds will be 25/50 and actually will move up every after 15 minutes. I don’t know how I would be playing in case. Anything to share?

Another one, I want to ask your thoughts on how I played a certain hand. Blinds were 100/200. I had about $4000 in chips and with AA in late position. I then raised to $600. There was big blind who went all in with short stack, I remember about $300. A certain player then called. Flop came and was K,9,4 rainbow. The other player checked and so I placed a $600 bet. He folded and great as the pot went to me.

Now, although I actually won over the pot, I’m still wondering if I should have checked the flop and bet the turn instead. What’s your opinion? Also, I would always bet out with a drawing flop however with no chances for draws I may have invited a bet on the turn. Or if not maybe he could have seen weakness if I check after the flop.

Thanks and great site!

All the best,
Markie
Markie,

In a tournament with a fast blind structure, you will either want to loosen up your requirements to try and win a lot of pots early, or really push your big hands. If you play tight and do not pick up any big hands by about level 3 or so, you need to loosen up your starting hand requirements.

As far as your hand is concerned, I would have checked the flop and see if he would bet out. If he didn’t, then I would bet the turn. Of course, what you did had value too since you wanted to make the pot with the all-in player heads up.

Either play in this case would be good in my opinion.

Hi,

I have several questions to ask. Hope you have time. Thanks in advance!

1. In NL100, I oftentimes witness players buying in with $10, $15, $20 or may be $40. Well, I believe playing the short stack has its own advantages. However, I’m wondering if how should I deal and play with it when I have a full buy-in, at least. Any idea?

   Consider that I was in early position and with 88 I limped in. At middle position, with $20, I folded to a short stack. Such player raised to $4 and everyone else folded including both the small and big blinds. It was then my turn, but I don’t know what to do. I was considering if I’d call his raise or just re-raise him. If I’d call his raise, it would be a goodbye for my set on the flop and if I’d re-raise him, he might opt to go all in. At some point, I thought of folding. What do you think? I’m really sick and tired playing at a table full of short stacks, any advice?

2. I really wonder if there’s any difference playing at NL tournaments than at cash games. I believe in NL tournaments, I have to lose first a lot of chips before I could have my set. And in a cash game, you can always reload, and there is always a chance to win back any losses.

   Because of the difference, I just always try to play big pairs and AK, AQ and may be KQ and AJ. I’ve always stayed away from suited connectors. And typically, I’m on all-in or fold mode. And in the event my hands are hold up, I go back to average or even above average at the later stage of the game. But sadly, I always end up with the least chips. Any advice for me? Is there any specific hand I should play?

3. Professionals at High Stakes Poker on GSN tend to always play very loose cash games. In fact, there was one player who raises with A4o. He was then called by someone with K9s. Flop came and brought 9. The player with K9s earlier thought he had the best hand. I don’t know what’s going on. I believe they were just playing loosely then.

Thanks for your time.

Regards,
Raymond Feld
Raymond,

1. Players with short stacks are going to try and push with big hands and try and double up. My suggestion is to try and play small ball poker and keep the pot small. The other option is to be aggressive and raise more often than normal and get out the way when they push with big hands.
   
2. Tournaments are very different than cash games. You have to change your starting hand requirements based on what position that you are in on the table. I would recommend picking up a book or DVD on Texas Holdem. Phil Hellmuth and Howard Lederer have good DVD’s but Dan Harrington’s Harrington on Holdem is the best set of tournament books you can buy.
3. Players on High Stakes Poker are very loose and very aggressive with their hands. You will also notice big fluctuations with their stacks overall. Watch some of the better players like Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, David Benyamine, and Jennifer Harman and you will see a good mix between loose and solid. Overall, those 4 are usually among the biggest winners around. This year Phil Ivey and David Benyamine are #1 and #2 in amount won online on Full Tilt Poker.