Well, I want to share something actually. I’ve been playing holdem at home games in tournament format along with some friends. Recently, we started playing the blinds. A friend of mine went short of funds when he was in the big blind as well as in the small.

Now I’m wondering in the event the big blind goes broke, should the next hand be played by the button and the big blind or someone might get in the way? Similarly, in case the small blind goes broke, on the next hand does the button remains on the same person as the former hand and the blinds will go on as usual? Or else, does the button goes to the person who was the big blind beforehand and then get lucky for not paying the small at such round?

Thanks for your time!

Barry
Barry,

In the event the big blind in the current hand is eliminated, the next hand the next player that is supposed to get the big blind will still play the big blind, but there will not be a small blind. If the small blind busts, then the next players that are supposed to post the blinds will post and the button is frozen. In the event both blinds bust, then the button is frozen and the player that is the big blind gets the big blind and the small blind is dead.

Nobody should ever post both blinds at once.

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I’ve arranged a NL tournament several weeks ago. It was a single table tournament with 10 players. I’m happy with the result of the event as it went pretty well and almost all of the players who joined want another one. But I’m not sure of having a tournament again as I’m troubled of something.
Well, we have already 3 consecutive tournaments and wanted each to run for at least 90 min. We started then with $600. Our blind structure went as follows:

5-10
10-20
25-50
50-100

100-200
200-400

400-800 -capped

Every after 15 minutes, blinds increased. Later, 2-3 players were left. At such point, blinds then appeared very high and no strategy became visible, most especially that the blind structure was capped.

As of the moment, I want to do 2 tournaments that would run for approximately 2 hours. I’m planning to start with $800 each with blinds moving up every 20 minutes then eventually cap it at around 200-400. I’m wondering if there is any formula for such or perhaps rules. Please, I need to hear from you.

Thank you very much!

Sipiere
Sipiere,

The blind structure that you use depends on how long you want the event to last. Using a doubling blind structure may help. Start with 5-10 and then move to 10-20 and then 20-40, and then 40-80. Then you could do 50-100, 100-200, and 200-400 if you so desire.

When blinds get to a certain point, strategy gives way more to luck.

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Assume that you are in a no limit tourney or a sit and go with 800 chips and with blinds 15/30. Then at some point, perhaps in the third hand, you see AQs and so you raise it up to 60. You then have several callers however they’re not the blinds. Consequently, flop came Qxx rainbow and so in early position I placed a bet around 60-90. Behind me, somebody went out and moved all in. Do you think I should call such or just give away the 120-150 chips and then flip the high pair?

Another thing, say you are on a certain money table with some maniacs, would you still play and then have the risk of losing money just to have more? Any thoughts? How about advice?

Thanks!

Knutson
Knutson,

In a tournament with a low amount of chips like you were in, I would call. In a sit n go I would call as well. You are trying to make it to the top three spots. You need to push your advantages when you can. Chances are you are against a weaker queen or a lower pair. If not, there is always next time. With the short stacked nature of the event, you needed to pick up chips.

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I have some questions to ask. Kindly bear with me.

In tourneys that are quick and have blinds that raise every minutes or so, how would you play? Also, how much do you bluff on average chase your draws and your starting hands, how loose are they?

Thank you in advance and nice site!

Regards,
Keegen
Keegen,

In turbo style tournaments, I try and play very strong early on. If I get a big hand, I will push my advantage to build chips. In the middle part of the tournaments, I either continue to play solid if I have picked up chips, or I try and find a hand to double up with. Late in the tournament I play somewhat loose and try to see a lot of cheap flops. Then I punish my opponents when I hit.

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I am now into sit and go tournaments online and I badly want to win. Do you have any advice?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Quinonez
Quinonez,

In the early part of the tournament, play a solid, tight aggressive style. In the middle part to the bubble, you will want to steal more blinds in position and try and see flops cheap if you can. If you are short stacked, find a hand to make a stand with to try and double up. Once you have made the money, now is the time to try and go for the win. Push your big hands, and open up your holdings to try and pick up more pots. Play small pot poker preflop and push your hands when you flop strong.

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I’m wondering if you know what percentage of tournaments play with an ante. Do you have any idea on this? Well, I basically know that WPT uses antes, does this mean WSOP also uses such?

By the way, I don’t mean here the big/small blinds as antes. I’m pertaining to an amount by which players place in the pot in addition to the blinds.

Also, I want to ask if antes are used exclusively in tournaments or they are also used at regular events?

Thanks in advance!

Best regards,
Thomton
Thomton,

Any professional NL Holdem tournament and a lot of regular casino NL tournaments use ante’s. Ante’s are not used in most cash games, but may be used in high stakes cash games.

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I was in an online $50 no-limit tourney the other week. At some point, I was dealt Kd Qd while the blinds were 100/200. I remember I had 1800 chips while the BB had 8000, he was the table leader by the way. One caller appeared and so I raised to 400. SB then folded while BB called. Other players folded.

Later, flop came and brought Kh2d4h. Then I placed a 600 bet and BB called. Turn came and brought 4d. At such point, I had 2 pair with a flush draw.

To be honest, I was concerned of the 600 call. I want to ask, how would you play when you feel you have the best hand and your opponent is on a draw? Well, when I was at such instance, I went all in. As expected, I was called. River came however was not a diamond. BB then flipped his cards over, Jc4s, therefore he won the pot.

For several times, such situation happened to me. Most of the time, I don’t want the player to have cheap cards as he might be on a draw however in the event I bet too big and he made hand, big losses are ahead. Please, I need your advice on this.

Thanks,
Dornisch
Dornisch,

You played the hand properly. The fact that your opponent called with such a poor hand speaks about his poor play, not your ability. You had 2 pair and a flush draw. The only draw to beat you is an Ace high draw. I might have bet as a partial value bet and to disguise the fact I had a draw too.

When there is a draw possible, you do not want the players to get a cheap draw. You played well. You just got unlucky.

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Once a month, I set up a home game at my house. The game is with $50 buy in with one $25 re buy. Most of the time, there are 16 to 21 players. Starting is typically around 3500 and the blinds well usually 25-50, 50-75, 50-100, 75-125, 75-150, 100-200, 2-3 all the way to 1000 and then 1000-2000 and so on and so forth.

Typically, blinds are 15 min, at times are 10 minutes at later part. The game runs for about 7 hours which usually starts at 5pm till near midnight.

As of now, players feel good about my tournaments so I have no problems at all. However, because of curiosity, I would like to know if you have any suggestions about my set up and all. If ever you have some, please let me know. It will be much appreciated.

Thank you so much!

Regards,
Miller
Miller,

First, if your players are happy, don’t tinker with your structure. Happy players will come back and play. That’s what you want.

With that said, your blinds are very fast. If I didn’t change the blind amounts, I would make them longer, such as 30 minute levels to allow more play.

Otherwise, if it is working good as it is setup, then don’t change a thing.

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I’ll be playing my first multi table no limit tourney this coming week. It would be an $80 buy in tourney with unlimited $50 re buys for the first 90 minutes and additional $50 add on for the next 90 minutes. I heard there’ll be four qualifying sessions with approximately 250 players. Those who can make it to the top 25 can then proceed to the final stage.

By the way, blinds move up every 15 minutes, which I believe is quicker than usual. Now my questions would be:

1. With the way the blinds move up, should I re buy immediately or else just wait till I lose a number?
2. Say I have a decent stack, should I still use the add on to eventually increase my stack a bit?
3. I’m a tight aggressive type, do you think I should loosen up a little?
4. In order to boost my odds of making it till the end, must I play in more than one qualifier session? Also, should I make use of my entire cash to re buy and then add on? Approximately, I have $350 intended for the upcoming tourney.

I hope to hear from you in no time.

Thanks a lot!

Regards,
Thresher
Thresher,

1. I would rebuy immediately. Many people will to give them more chips to play to start with.
   
2. It depends on how much the add-on adds to your stack. If the add on will add 20% or more to your stack, then take it. If it will not, it won’t add much value to your stack.
   
3. During the rebuy period, absolutely. You can play tight, but if you don’t catch any cards, you won’t build any chips. Loosen up a bit. If you bust out, rebuy!
   
4. Actually, I would play no more than 2 qualifying sessions if I were you. If you have $350 intended for the tournament, then use as much as it takes to give you a good chance to win. If you do well without rebuying in or needing to rebuy, save the money.

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Most of the time, I play with 8-10 players. Most of the players I play with are my close friends, so we don’t mind if we stay up the whole evening till morning. Typically, we start with 600-700 chips and blind 5-10 until 4 or 5 players were left.

I’m curious if how should we do blinds as far as number is concern? And do you think in order for us to speed up our play, we should ante as well as blind? How about with 16 players and with the same number of chips, what’s best for blinds? What about combining to one table? Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Crocker
Crocker,

You should setup a blind structure that moves up after a certain amount of time. A doubling blind structure is good. For instance, start with 5-10 and then move to 10-20, and then 20-40 etc.

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