Short stacked

[seymoore]

Hi everyone on the forum. I need a bit of guidence please. I have just started playing poker on-line on the betfair ladbrokes and bet365 sites, just in the low buy-in stt mtt plus the freerolls so hopefully I can learn the game without to much expence. After reading a few books on tournament poker and looking at starting hand guides, and trying to play a tight and aggressive game the same thing always happens I end up short stacked. Could anyone please offer any advice on starting hand strategy as I think that I need to be contesting more pots. Thanks in advance !!

[Valiant23]

Seymoore I'm about to put my Xmas decorations up, but if you have a quick look in the Poker Novice thread in the stickies above you'll find what you need in there.

If you don't I'll be back soon....

[seymoore]

Thanks will have a look now !!

[GotaFancy?]

Tiaght and aggressive is a very good place to start on MTT's (other aspects to your game can be developed later).

The "bible" on tournament poker is the Harrington on Hold'em series (vol I II and III). What you will learn from this of most significance (IMO) is moving through the gears in a tournament. You should almost always be aggressive when you enter a pot, however as your chip stack decreases as a multiple of the blinds, you need to become looser.

In a tournament you should always be aware of your chip stack and your opponents chip stack in proportion to the blinds - this almost becomes more important than the cards!!

I spoke about it a little here - Playing an MTT when Short Stacked and followed it up with this: Red zone Strategy in action

[seymoore]

Ordered the Harrington v1 book last week hopefully it will be here tomorrow. Anyhow good news I have just won my first stt on bet365 cheapest buy-in, but we all have to start somewhere. I am hooked on this great game. Cheers !!

[robilaruk]

play tight early, fold marginal hands (like A10 UTG etc), raise with good cards, don't call raises with small PP or KJ

oh hang on looks like you are doing this already.....

Just need to practice shove management when the blinds are worth winning


Good luck

Damo

Originally Posted by seymoore

Hi everyone on the forum. I need a bit of guidence please. I have just started playing poker on-line on the betfair ladbrokes and bet365 sites, just in the low buy-in stt mtt plus the freerolls so hopefully I can learn the game without to much expence. After reading a few books on tournament poker and looking at starting hand guides, and trying to play a tight and aggressive game the same thing always happens I end up short stacked. Could anyone please offer any advice on starting hand strategy as I think that I need to be contesting more pots. Thanks in advance !!

[Valiant23]

Just need to practice shove management when the blinds are worth winning

Dress it up in a fancy phrase like.... erm 'inflection points' and I think you've got a three time best-seller on your hands.

[ubermonkey1]

i agree with the above play tight early on ,get a solid image on the table then try a few steals later on when its worth it.
that said ,if you get a few good pots early on and get a decent lead on your table bullying those that are playing tight isnt a bad idea, but always make sure you at least have a decent out (suited connectors ,connectors and semiconnectors)so if they do call you at least have a chance

[seymoore]

Thanks a lot for all your much appreciated advice !!!