For a year or two, I’ve been playing poker. Well, I love playing online. In quite a short span of time, I was able to familiarize myself about position and odds.

Just recently, I introduced some of my friends to poker and as of now we are planning to be into regular events. But there’s a problem. All of them seriously want to call stations, my style which basically works online won’t be effective.

Say in middle position I had ace queen and then for four times the BB I raised. Four callers appeared. To be honest, I knew then that I should tighten up and wait for premium hands however my premium seemed not so strong when the field just can’t be narrowed to one opponent. Any thoughts?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Reilly
Reilly,

When you are against calling stations, you need to push your advantages. There are times that they will draw out against you, but the other times you will just punish them for extra bets.

You can also try and play small ball poker where you see a lot of cheap flops with them and when you connect strong with the flop, punish them with extra bets.

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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’m a regular player at the 5 dollar sit and go tourneys at Poker Stars. Before, I love to play NL however later on I noticed there were a lot of maniacs at such. Those maniacs just usually blind me to death.

As of the moment, I love playing at limit tables however just recently I’ve been on a slide. I’ve come to realize that when I lose one, I usually get right back in one, and then lose again.

Do you have any advice for me? Please I need your help.

Thanks,
Hansen
Hansen,

Without more information it is tough to analyze your loosing streaks other than to say that you may want to open up your requirements some. While maniacs can be a pain, in a tournament you need to try and take advantage of them when you do get strong hands. Also, you will want to try and see some cheap flops with reasonable holdings and punish them when you do hit.

My only other concern is that you might be playing Limit too much like No Limit Holdem. They are wildly different games. You might want to pick up a copy of Small Stakes Holdem by Ed Miller. It is a great book on Limit Holdem.

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Along with several friends, I play no limit tournaments regularly. Typically, we have around 8 players and with a $5 buy in are low stakes. Honestly, I’m now not troubled of anything really serious as I believe I’m a decent player and have read several poker books. I was also able to take home the pot a number of times. However, I don’t know how to play when the table finally gets down to 3-4 players. Is there any adjustments I need to consider when playing against fewer players? And how many hands playable there could be in a table with just a number of players? Any idea? I believe you have.

I’ll be glad to hear from you soon.

Thanks!
Moore
Moore,

When you get down to 3 or 4 players, you can open up your hand ranges a bit. Big cards, any ace, and any pair are good hands to play. I would also try and see cheap flops with other holdings to try and flop lucky. When you get your big hands, you need to push your advantages.

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I’ve been playing holdem for some time now. Well, in most of my games, I am the chip leader however I’m troubled as most of the time I also lost my chips in an instant.

Honestly, I am familiar of the basic rules with regards to what the chip leader should do, as being aggressive as well as being the lead bettor. Also, I can’t remember any instance that I made something really stupid. I’m not raising with any 2 cards most of the time.

Now I want to ask if you have any advice as to how one should play in case he or she is the chip leader. Another thing, how should one play when the blinds are not really a big factor as they should actually be at any event? Any idea?

I hope to hear from you in no time.

Thank you very much!

Regards,
Nicolas Adams
Nicolas,

If the blinds are not that significant, then I would sit back and pick my spots with the short stacks and the tight players. Do not get into big confrontations with other larger stacks. Most of the time that is why people lose the chip lead. Only tangle with the bigger stacks when you have a big hand.

Use your chips to bully around the smaller stacks etc. You can see a few more flops with a wider array of hands as the chip leader, but don’t go overboard with this. I would see cheap flops and not call too many raises with hands you are speculating with.

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I’m here as I want to ask something. I have a problem now as when I play tournaments online I oftentimes finish in the top 20% to 30% however when antes and blinds move up I end up going all in on nonsense cards and with almost no money. Well, in the small tournaments, I might be able to have my entry fee back to me.

I’m wondering if there’s anything I need to do. Please consider my stats. Any thoughts?

I hope to hear from you in no time.

Thank you very much!

Gilberg
Gilberg,

You probably are playing very tights and the blinds an antes catch up to you. Think about expanding your holdings in late position or seeing more cheap flops to try and catch lucky. Also, try and take advantage of other players that may be playing too tight.

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For some time now, I’ve been playing 10 player tournaments for about £10-20 entry fee. Well, most of the time I can make it to the last 3, but at times just at the 7th place. I must admit, when I’m already in the last 4 or 5, I’m confident enough. I tend to be a bit more aggressive than usual and then loosen up when I know somebody has the best hand with a bit weaker hands. I usually make money because of this.

But on the flip side, I will tend to break about even in chips until 3 or 4 players have been busted out. And when around 7 players are left, I badly struggle most especially when I don’t have a big stack. At times, I can wait for others to have an error but this rarely happens as players tend to tighten up as the blinds move up to approximately 100-200 chips. Well, things aren’t that bad, I still believe that all hands could win or give me some winnings however there’s a problem. With straights or flushes I just win little large pots. And when the blinds are so high, I become very cautious hoping not to be hurt so badly in case I fold and I’ve placed some money.

Now, I’m wondering if how I should adapt myself and my game considering the stuff I’ve just shared with you. Any idea?

I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks in advance!

Finnsso
Finnsso,

When you are in the earlier stages, you should tighten up a bit. The middle stage is where you should loosen up a bit and take advantage of the shorter stacks and those trying to squeak into the money. You should only draw to straights and flushes if you have pot odds to do so. Otherwise you need to stay out of the hand.

Taking advantage of short stacks and other bad plays becomes important in the later part of the tournament. If you can see cheap flops, try to do so and punish your opponents when they push with ace high or a bad pair.

When you are short in the middle to mid-late part of the tournament, when you play a hand, push all-in. This puts players to a decision right then and there and makes it easier on you.

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I will be playing soon where for $30 or $40, I will receive $100 dollars in chips. Blinds will be 2/4 4/8 8/16 16/32 24/48 32/64 and the game size, 7-9, maybe at some point just 6. Like as usual, blinds will change every after rounds.

More or less, the players who will be participating are average to below average players. Pre-flop raising will not be very evident and the pre-flop raises should be in intervals of big blind. Betting and raising from flop on could be any amount to all-in. Raising from flop will not be that apparent.

My worry now is that loosing up however playing suited connectors and K7 unsuited all night can be a lot of work. I might also not see pocket pairs.

Anything to share? Please, I need your advice.

Thanks!

Cheers,
Campbell
Campbell,

It sounds like you are playing a mixed Holdem tournament. Limit betting preflop and NL afterwards. In this type of game, you will want to see a lot more flops with various hands, but nothing that is too silly. Offsuited hands other than big offsuited cards can be tricky. Be a little careful with suited connectors as there will be a lot of players probably seeing the flop on occasion.

This is the type of tournament small ball poker works well in. See a lot of cheap flops and then punish your opponents when you hit the flop hard.

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I’m not really serious about playing poker or even being a pro. I play just during my pastime. Well, I love playing online. As a player, I’m a tight type and if I don’t have good hands like ak, aq pocket pairs etc, I don’t get involved. In early stages, I play loosely. I then try to always see cheap flops when the blinds are small and a lot of callers are in. However, when the blinds start to increase, I also begin tightening a bit. Do you think this makes sense and actually a good strategy? Usually, I can have many in-the-money finishes however not oftentimes on the top 3. Also, when I get to the final stages, my stacks are really small. And to collect more money, I also just fold most of the time when everything is about to end.

I’m now confuse as to how to play as the blinds go up. Any idea? And another thing, with a medium pocket pair say a pair of sevens, is it good to raise? Or else just limp in and then have a set instead? Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

Mitchelle
Mitchelle,

You have it backwards. You need to play tight early on and then loosen up the later you get in the tournament. Tightening up and letting yourself be blinded off is why you are making the money as a short stack.

As far a medium pair, if you are in late position, you can raise. Otherwise, limp in and try to hit a set on the flop.

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I love playing at $10, 10 man sit n go’s as I usually get a fairly decent profit. Well, I believe I am an aggressive type. I always try to push people around and steal some pots. I believe the way I play works, well at certain levels I guess. However, I sometimes fall behind in terms of chips in the event I get an early chip lead or someone else is the aggressor. Two events I can recall, I tried to tighten up which eventually was effective but I notice that at times was not the case. Do you think this is the proper way to get the lead back in terms of chips or there is more effective approach?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Thank you so much!

Best regards,
Paul
Paul,

It depends on what part of the tournament you are in. It does not matter if you are the chip leader as long as you have a decent stack of chips. Your goal is to survive and then then try to take the event once you make the money. Early on, try to play a little more solid. In the middle part, take advantage of those trying to squeak into the money and steal the blinds a little more as well. In the late part of the event, open up your hand ranges a bit and try to see cheap flops to try and hit the board strong.

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