Ya i read through all of them and they all seemed to be internet tourney based. The only live forum was just a listing of tourneys (where and when)

I'm sure either of the low or mid stakes forum can answer your question. From a poker-only standpoint, there's really not a difference between live and online poker except that maybe live is usually softer at the same buy-in levels.

First of all, do you keep records of your tournament cashes? (I do). So do you know if over the long term you are cashing more or less than you should? typically tourneys pay off 10% of the players but you could figure 12% depending on the house. If you cash substantially more than 10% of the time then you are halfway there.

The other half is looking at your Return On Investment (ROI). You could cash 20% of the time but lose money. Or you could cash 8% and win $. Usually they go hand in hand though. If your ROI is not commensurate with your win % then look at how you are not putting yourself in a position to win tourneys.

If you ask a bunch of successful tourney players how they do it, I would guess most will tell you to take chances early. It accomplishes two things. First, you accumulate chips so you are the bigger stack in most of your flips. Second, when you lose early gambles you save yourself many hours if you were only going to lose anyway.

Also, three subjects I have not seen addressed here.

1) Use of your "One Time, Dealer". Most people think it should be used late in a tourney. I would use it to double up very early instead. Prime the pump. Also, don't make the mistake of thinking you can use it once with each dealer. It can only be used once per tournament. And remember in a critical spot you have to make sure to invoke "One Time" before your opponent. Don't be afraid to call a Floor over to ensure the "One Time" is yours.

2) How do you treat the Poker Gods? I am always mindful to express gratitude that I am alive and that my wife allows me to play poker. When I get bounced out of a smallish tourney I make sure the Poker Gods are aware that while I feel terribly disappointed in the short term, I am looking forward to the long term which will include a tournament in which I don't get sucked out horribly in any huge pots at critical times. Its worth the wait. Just remember to enjoy the game.

3) edit: Wow I forgot one of the most important things you have control over. What you wear. When you have a good result, re-wear those clothes (washed of course). See if it is the combination of all of them together, or if necessary, break up the outfit to see which piece of it gives you the most luck. After a while you will slowly assemble a truly lucky outfit and one or two back up lucky outfits for multi day tourneys. You may think of this as more luck than skill but you would be wrong. Do great chefs call finding the perfect recipe through trial and error luck? I doubt it. Pick the right ingredients. Go with your vision. Win.

Thanks! will do

This might be the problem. The goal isn't to go all in with the best hand, it is to avoid all-in situations as much as possible.

The key to tournaments is finding ways to win chips without having your tournament life at stake. The better you are at doing this, the more of an edge you need in order to be willing to go all-in.

Exactly. Remember, if you never go all in you have to win the tournament.

The above is a joke of course, but like all jokes, there is a bit of truth to it. Build a stack and make it work for you.

pre BF I played a lot of midstakes online mtts and could say my biggest "skill" in these was using pokerDB to look up profit/loss/biggest cash history of every player from 3 tables on down to get a stereotypical inference of who was any good (4bet them light since they will be 3betting a lot, tighten your opens when they have a 15-20bb stack in blinds etc), who was bad but down a lot (treat them like a fish, dont bluff them, etc) and who was playing for more money than they ever have before (steal from them relentlessly, and resteal from the players you identified as good who are also going to be trying to steal from them).
I'd then watch as best I could from those 3 tables down to confirm/disprove these stereotypical inferences. I think it made me a lot of money.

Unfortunately you can't do this in these $100-$400 nightly live tourneys. circuit events you could reasonably look up some information about the remaining players deep in an event.

^^^^ good post. Using simple stats like preflop raise and 3bet percentage from a HUD helps soooo much in online tourneys too. Live it is harder to get info, but I using the stereotypes has helped me a little.

old = tight
young = aggro
asian = crazy
woman = passive
euro = aggro

Rungood is water soluble.

The one i like for the old is when they use force they usually dont have it aka throw chips at you, say their bets, old people seem to like the strong is weak weak is strong, and again this is just general


Also op are you fluttering out at a certain point ? Like middle late ? Are u playing deep stacks? Bad structure? Do you know where your leaking chips rather than where u lost a hand when ahead ?

I know i was the ace ten is solid to raise mp with 25 bb but then having to fold to a push type of person and was costing me when its late and chips mean more

well I see in two of your bad beat hands you are just calling raises with AK and AA, so likely you aren't being aggressive enough, for one. You say you are at a table where guys are CALLING ALLIN with 92o on ATx flops, but you decide just calling with monsters is the way to win.

Not enough love for this post

Yes usually late middle late.
I'm not sure i really am leaking chips as i dont tend to chase draws.
That is a good ? and am going to look into a bit more!
Are you saying u then started calling the pushes with A 10?

Not sure what your saying. I'm calling raises pre flop with these and hoping to hit then putting them allin post, because im in position they cbet and i have 2 pair or better and i know they are going to call.
Is it better to go allin pre for 25 - 40 bb with those hands and push everyone out?

so these players call allin with 92o on AT6 flops, but they would fold hands like 88 or AJ or KQ for 25 BB pre? You are either horrendously exaggerating how they were playing, or not exploiting their weaknesses. With 25 BB you shouldn't be trying to "see if you hit" AK, you should be trying to get it allin pre. Against loose donks, you should be raising and reraising AA always.

Go read up and start posting in the MTT forums (even small stakes is fine) and come back to this thread in a year. I think you'll see what is trying to be said...

You know Black Aces 518 you got a point.
The answer is sorta. (they tend to give me too much respect when i go allin. Duh i should go allin a little wider) trying to see what that range should be.
Reid thanks i will and i sorta get what everyone is saying. thanks

Fold around blinds at 500/1k ante 250. SB limps

Hero BB : ( stack at 40 K )AJ Suited.

Donkey Tard ( stack at 30 K 10 7 Offsuit.

raise 4x BB hoping to steal. Donkey Makes a snap shove all in and I have a read he's trying to steal as his stack is short and he is a donkey ****.

I call .

He flips 10 7 offsuit. My AJ dies in the cold

board 10 3 5 Q 2.

Tournament life ends when my A9 gets sucked out on AIPF next hand by j9 J on board.

230NL Foxwoods.

Im aware that usually I should fold AJ there at that stage in tourney as many other shortstacks will stack off w bad hands and I can pick up a stack to get closer to cashing. Seeing the disdain in his eyes I call anyway get my money in 60/40 and then I die.

You were 66/34. Turning that down would be asinine. You had a read. Your read was correct. You made the correct play. 34% <> 0%.

Seriously! The Marf? 500k?!

What. This. Guy. Said.

you are missing something OP however, it is hard to deny that most live tournaments from with buy ins from $200 even up to $400 in a many cases have good structures for 70% of the tournament but when the endgame/money is on the line it all goes to ****.

Still, if levels are 30 minutes or more, with a starting stack of 20K chips or more you should be able to be making deep runs with a lot of skill very often without getting hit by the deck IMO .