Some things I’ve gleaned from my first year of playing Texas Holdem Multi-table, and Sit and Go tournaments…
Don’t play mediocre hands
Do you want to be a player that throws in junk, hoping for a suckout, or one that controls the hand.
Variance can not be controlled, but I believe it can be navigated.
Sometimes this means you just lose less than you might have. Also means you might have something to work with, when the tide changes.
Position is key.
This is lost on most beginners. I can see the merits of bringing in a suited one gapper. They produce disguised straights, and with the surplus of ‘three to a flush’ flops, you never know. However, from early postition, you have to consider what you’re gonna do when you get raised, and don’t have the confidence in your hand to see that raise, or the ones that are sure to follow. There goes your chips. This only needs to happen a few times before you’re in a hole of your own making.
Slowball works. (not to be mistaken for slowplaying a hand)
As nice as it is to double up in the first couple of hands, getting you the chip lead, and power of a dominat stack, I’ve been folding all but the most premium hands, when faced with an all-in bet. I have much more success when i focus on winning almost all of the few hands I do open, even if it means not getting as much value as i might have. If I don’t go card dead, or make a dumb mistake, I still end up within striking distance of the leaders. with a table image I much prefer over a wildcard one. Makes a world of difference when you’re betting a less than stellar hand like you just flopped an OESD, flush draw. and top pair, still waiting to see the turn.
Don’t make, or take, it personal
I was recently called a bingo player. This puzzled me, as I’ve greatly curtailed my use of the all-in bet, even short stacked, or HU. Then I thought maybe i had the definition wrong, but pretty sure it’s a player who shoves often, banking on other player’s fear of elimination, lack of a hand to counter, or, if called, luck
The accuser may be a nice guy, but has a problem with me coming in with a style of play that disrupts the limp/flat/no bluff/no huff style of play that many are comfortable with. Not sure what to say about that, except maybe something about heat, and kitchens.
It doesn’t happen nearly as much as it used to, but i still win hands i should not, and vice versa. Hard to blame someone for acts I commit myself.
And…if all else fails, I can always blame Replay.
Still have a long way to go
I want to call, or raise, but a little unsure, so I need to figure pot odds, and my number of outs, factoring in how many seats are left to bet (my position), and my opponent’s range (their position), and have a few seconds to do this. I was hoping a year, and 150K hands, would make this second nature.
Not happening.
Still, I think I’ve come a long way from the know nothing, impulse betting, calling station I was a year ago, to being able to hold my own in most tournaments I play in.
Many tks to Coder, and others (whom I won’t list, for fear of leaving anyone out) who have taken the time to answer questions, post examples and links, write guides, and if need be, tell me what a total fish I was in the hand, and why.
See ya at the tables
Waidus
