Hand 1:

There were eight players. Player 1 was Rich with 54137. Player 2 was Wesley with 129679. Player 3 was Elija with 197197. Player 4 was Noah with 45939. Player 5 was Mike with 182007. Player 6 was Perry with 222544. Finally, player 8 was Benj with 54593. All figures by the way were in chips.

At certain point, Rich posted the ante 400. This was followed by Wesley, Elija, Noah, Mike, Perry, and Ben who all posted the ante 400. Mike then posted small blind 4000 while Perry the big blind 8000.

Noah then was dealt Jh Ah. Ben raised to 1600. Rich folded and so as Wesley and Elija. Noah raised to 45539 and was all-in actually. Mike and Perry then folded. Ben called 29539. Flop came and was Ts 8c 5d. Turn followed and brought Ts 8c 5d Th. River as expected then also came and brought Ts 8c 5d Th Qs.

At revelation time, Ben flipped over Ks Qh two pair, Queens and Tens while Noah had Jh Ah a pair of Tens. Ben then got the pot.

Hand 2:

There were nine players. Player 1 was Terrence with 11780. Player 2 was Avie with 21364. Player 3 was Sam with 7314. Player 4 was Zeck with 8808. Player 5 was Axel with 6650. Player 6 was Sean with 7405. Player 7 was Dean with 9430. Player 8 was Norman with 8379. Finally, player 9 was Iñaki with 11845. All figures were in chips.

Terrence started the posting. He posted the ante 50. Avie, Sam, Zeck, Axel, Sean, Dean, Norman, and Iñaki all followed and posted the ante 50 as well. Zeck then posted small blind 300 while Axel posted the big blind 600.

Later, Norman was dealt Kc Ac. Sean then folded and so as Dean. Norman called for 600. Iñaki raised to 1200. Terrence, Avie, Sam, Zeck, and Axel all folded. Norman then called for 600 again. Flop then came and was 7c 6c 8h. Norman placed a 600 bet while Iñaki called 600. Turn came and brought 7c 6c 8h Ad. Norman placed 1200 bet while Iñaki again called, at such point 1200. River came and brought 7c 6c 8h Ad Qc. Norman then checked while Iñaki placed 3000 bet. Norman then raised to 5329 and was all-in. Iñaki called 2329.

At showdown, Norman had Kc Ac a flush, Ace high while Iñaki had Jd Ah a pair of Aces. Norman won the pot.

Aside from the two recent hands, I would like to also share to you something and eventually ask a few questions.

In one of your sections, I’ve read that you believe the player has played the second hand perfectly. I’m referring here about the player who had a couple of tournament hands. I’m sorry but I have to disagree. Well, I believe that you must be 100% sure that when you check, your opponent will bet. I also somehow believe that to make more money, do not risk a check raise and place a nice bet just enough and not too huge to invite a call. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Regards,
Deluzio
Deluzio,

You’re right. In order to check there, he needs to be certain that his opponent will bet. I think in the situation above, that checking will make it appear that he is scared of the flush. One of the opponents probably read on this and acted. If that is the case, I think it was a good play.

In either case, you must be sure your opponent is going to be to try that move. Actually, in many tournaments, if you do not bet on the river and are shown to hold the nuts, you can receive a penalty for soft playing.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Recently, I was in a multi table fixed limit tournament. I was seriously troubled then as just about more than an hour after the tournament started, entries were gone, stakes went 50/100. I was in a new table with approximately 700 chips. Well, I was somehow behind in terms of chips but at least I was not the lowest.

If I remember it right, there were nine players at the table. Luckily, I got a number of decent starting hands however flops were empty therefore I bailed. Next thing that happened, I was down to approximately 465 chips then was UTG with the blinds coming and stakes moving up rapidly. My hole cards were Jh, Js. Then I called. Quite to my surprise, no raises followed. I believe there were 5 or 6 players in. Flop came and brought Jc, Qc, Th. Consequently, I either had called or led the betting. Again, no raises followed however at such point there were only 3 or 4 players in. Turn came and was 8h. I then led the betting while two others called. River came into the scene and brought 3h. I then bet while one folded. The other player raised. I then went all in while he called and then won the pot with his Ah and 9h.

Do you think I’ve played well? Another thing, if you were me back then, how would you play when you have just moved in a new table and was actually in a multi tournament?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Stark
Stark,

You played this hand poorly. You should have raised pre-flop, especially if you were short stacked like you were. In fact, since a standard raise would have been to 350, I would have just moved all in preflop. When you are that short, you need to start picking up pots. Push your advantages. If I didn’t push preflop, I would have definitely done so on the flop.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

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.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

For some time now, I’ve been playing odd multi table tournaments. Most of the time, when I’m in a 6 or 10 seater game, I’ll make move to build a table image by being seriously tight most especially earlier part of the game and then will just slowly mix up styles. I believe this approach works as oftentimes I can weigh up and classify my opponents.

On the flip side, in multi-table tournaments, I can’t build table image due to lack of time. Blinds usually increase rapidly so things are a bit harder. This is what my problem is all about. I don’t know any specific approach for tournament play. I’m wondering if you have any.

Also, do you think having a more open game from the start and then having more involvement with hands will be helpful?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Thank you very much!

Regards,
Bratli
Bratli,

In tournaments where the blinds move faster, you should play a little loser to try and pick up chips. Playing tight can work sometimes, but that’s only if you catch good hands.

As far as building table image, with fast moving tournaments as the ones you are mentioning, building a table image can become tough. Your best bet is to focus on making good decisions and trying to build your stack if you know the table is going to break soon. Also, you can get some reads on players. Also, if this is a tournament you play often, you will likely see the same players over and over again, so watch their play. While you might only see them a few minutes in this tournament, chances are you will see them again.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I believe in most of my holdem tournament plays that were all in fest, I did well particularly when I got to see the flop. However when at times I just depend on chance and wait and be tight, I became behind in terms of chips therefore I just have to move all in or let big stacks bully me.

Now, how should I handle all in games?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Larson
Larson,

I would see a few more reasonable hands and try and hit the flop. Don’t stick to big hands only. Don’t get too liberal with playing them. You might also want to play your position as well against players.

All-in fests tend to be luck heavy early on and then even out the later you get into the event.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I’m just new to poker and I’ve come to know the game through the WSOP. I was able to watch a few episodes of it actually.

Well, it appeared to me that when the player with a greater amount of chips calls a player with a not so plenty chips all in, such player should call and place in all his chips he has. I then thought, is this always the case or maybe I just missed seeing players fold? What’s your thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Pace
Pace,

You are not seeing other players fold. Broadcasts such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour edit out a lot of playing and a lot of hands. They show only the most interesting or most entertaining hands. Most final tables that you see that are broadcast in an hour take a minimum of 7 hours to play. The 2006 Main Event final table took over 20 hours to play, and they broadcast it over 2 hours only.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I’ve just started playing online limit holdem. Occasionally, I play low limit tournaments with $5-$10 buy-in.

I’ve always been a keen observer. Well, there was one thing that really bothered me for some time, many players always call terrible pre-flop hands and then go on calling bets as well as raises. Well, I strongly believe that such kind of play won’t ever be beneficial, however somebody will always have something on the turn or if not on the river.

Do you think playing NL holdem tournaments will be the answer? Will this eliminate such kind of players or I’ll just hope when I’m already in higher limits? What do you think?

Thanks!

Phillips
Phillips,

It depends on the hands. Limit Holdem is different than No-Limit Holdem. Some hands that are considered bad hands in NL become playable in Limit depending on position, number of players in the hand, etc.

Playing NL will help some, but I would recommend educating yourself on Limit Holdem. Howard Lederer has a fantastic Limit Holdem DVD and Ed Miller has a book on Small Stakes Holdem. I would get one or the other and read up on the game.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

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.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

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.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

For about a month now, I’ve been playing no-limit holdem. Most of the time I play online. Because I want to improve my skills, I started reading some books and articles from some websites just recently. Well, there’s one thing I notice, almost everything talks about assessing your opponent’s style of play.

I’ve tried to be observant then and started using some of the things I learned to my own advantage. In one of the tournaments I was in, I’ve caught somebody bluffing for a good pot. I’ve also tried to keep written records of the number of flops others saw, pre-flop raises and any bluffs or slow plays I picked up on, however I’m not yet sure if it brought really good results.

Now, I want to ask if what kind of moves by an opponent should I consider the most important. Any idea? And what sort of information should I be recording to effectively evaluate my opponent’s style of play?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Bailey
Bailey,

The most important thing to watch is their betting pattern. How do they bet their hands when they show strong hands? How do they bet when they bluff? Does the amount change depending on the hand? Do they have any mannerisms that give off the strength of their hand? Also, how does this change when they are in position or not? Figuring out their betting pattern is the quickest way to classify an opponent in most cases, especially online.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.