First Live Tournament

Hello all,

I've been lurking on FTR for some time and really enjoy the articles and discussions. I've been playing online for about two years and consider myself a moderately experienced ONLINE tournament player. I play mostly small stakes ($5-$10) MTT. I've read the first two Dan Harrington books (just got Vol. 3) and primarily play following his advice.

Tomorrow I will be making my first trip to the poker room at Foxwoods and will be playing in the daily no-limit tournament there. I was wondering if any of the more experienced players here had any "first-time" advice. I'm pretty comfortable with the strategy concepts of tournament play but expect a culture shock going from online to live play. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

If you have never played live before, you will be nervous. You will have tells without even thinking about it. So, be very consious of how you look to others. If you're going to talk, talk all the time. If you're going to be quiet, be quiet all the time. Always put your chips in with the same motion.

There were some video clips floating around from Caro's book of tells. Google search that and have a look. It will help you.

I second that. I played my first live tourney (£10 rebuy Pot Limit) earlier this year and was shitting it both before, during and after it finished.

Just remember to try and relax. Don't try to look at everyone at your table for info, you'll get swamped. Play a good solid game and make sure you are rested and ready to play your A game.

Oh yes, you get a lot more time live to make decisions, so if you are faced with a tricky call, take your time and work out the odds, potential holdings, outs etc. You'll have an age more time to decide to play a hand then online. This is so much better than online in itself and may well be the reason I got 2nd in the MTT (compared to regularly fscking up $10NL online!).

Good luck. Tell us what happens eh?

Look at your cards once per hand. Do not look at them more than once. Remember your hole cards.

Don't string bet.

Announce your play before you make it. If you are going to bet, say the amount before you put your chips in. If you are going to raise, say the words "raise" and then tell the table how many chips.

Have fun!! Nothing is better than live poker.

Allow yourself some time to get to know the table dynamics - are people raising and re-raising a lot? What kind of raise gets isolation? Is it uber-tight (live games usually aren't)? Is there a hyper-aggro player who's trying to bully from the off?

Don't play marginal hands in marginal situations if you aren't prepared to play them hard. Don't slowplay. Don't drink too much to ease your nerves.

Take your time to think your bets through. Concentrate on your opponents' play and attitude when you're not involved in a hand. Don't ever feel obliged to change your A-game unless it's a conscious decision required by the tables dynamics. Don't play scared.

One of the main differences is that live game is considerably slower then online game, you play less then 1/2 the hands in the same amount of time, be prepared for that, pace yourself with the game

One more thing, be very observant, it is easier to get info in live game, look at the players

And have fun

Thanks for the advice guys. Here's how it went:

$100 buy in. 156 players - finished 26th (6 spots out of the money)

Wasn't too nervous before start or even through the first two hands. Third hand, I pick up AK on middle position and throw in 4xBB raise. Hand clearly trembling. Thought I was going to fall off the chair. I get one caller and the flop is rags. I make a continuation bet and take down the pot. Hands still shaking as I rake my chips in. I think it was more from being conscious of trying NOT to have my hand shaking that made it worse.

I picked up a pot about 4 hands later with AQ and that was about it for some time. While the levels were 20 minutes, I wasn't used to the pace of the hands per level. I was getting trash most of the day but I tried to stay disciplined and play "my game". As my stack started to get lower, I loosened it up a little and basically was able to take down enough uneventful pots to stay afloat but barely. Then, in middle position, I pick up 66 and raise. This is met with a call by the button and re-raise all-in by the BB. I muck, the button calls with A4 vs 99 for the BB. A4 backs into a straight to win it. Obvious fold for me, I thought, but now my stack is 3x blinds and antes.

I found I had to really think through counting up my stack and comparing to the blinds and antes and adjusting my play. I also found that it didn't seem like the guy's at the table were aware of that strategy. There were 2-3 stacks equal to or lower than mine who were still limping in. The table was pretty loose from the hands that I was seeing. Lots of weak aces and suited connectors going to the showdown. Lots of limping as well. I think I limped two hands - one was 98 off on the cutoff which was promptly raised by the button. The other was calling with A6(off) in the SB. There were 4 limpers, so I tried to get cute and see a cheap flop. BB didn't raise and I hit two pair on the flop. I tried a check-raise (a mistake, with two diamonds on the board) and no one bet. Turn, of course, comes off a diamond. Now I bet 1/2 pot - cringing and waiting to be raised - but I picked it up.

The final hand came after the break, 2 blind escalations, and me getting moved. I was pretty much back to all-in or fold and on the BB picked up KQ(off). Table folds to the button who raises. SB folds. I think for about 10 seconds which felt like 5 hours. Button had a huge stack and mine was almost in the dead zone so I shoved. He thought for a minute and called showing 44 which stood up.

All in all, an awesome time. I went with a friend who got bounced in 20 minutes. I think after my nerves calmed I was able to notice things I've read in books and here. Not really tells but just mannerisms and seeing who's playing lots of hands and who's playing tight. In hindsight, I think if I had been able to build a stack, I might have been able to attack a little more on the main table I was at (I only played 5 hands or so after I was moved and then eliminated). Another thing I learned - keep your eyes open! I finished 26th - 6 away from the money. Now, I though I played the last hand correctly given the situation (my stack, his stack, his position, mine, what hands he might raise with, etc), so I'm not made that I shoved. But I was totally unaware of the number of players left. I got moved and totally focused on the table - instead of glancing around the room and making a count. Would I have played KQ differently if I knew? Probably not. There were some big stacks at the new table and they were muscling people around so I figure KQ is as good a hand as any to try and stay alive with.

Ok, well, thanks again. No longer a casino virgin and I can't wait to get back.

Great report and well done! I'll add to this thread after my £30 rebuy (gulp) live tourney on Monday...

well done for first live tourney

Really well done! Coming so high up the order with that large a starting field is a great acheivment and it's only a shame that what seems like a great game did not get you a bit of a payout. But, that's what next time is for!

I take it you are going to play next time...

Biondino, good luck tonight mate. I want a full report in the morning!

Did my first proper live tourney a couple of weeks ago. Just a small £5 rebuy no limit at a local casino. Being such a low buy in I guess I shouldn't have been shocked at just how poor most of the players were! Finished 13th (three out of the money) and like you this was because I was short stacked and the blinds were going up FAST. I wasn't too concerned because on the initial table they were all donks and I didn't really hit many hands. Indeed all tourney I hit three decent hands (QQ, AQo & AJs) and also went all in with ATs late in the tourney and got respect and everyone folded (including initial raiser). Am playing again this Sunday and hoping for better cards!

That was a GREAT report from a first live MTT. Congrats on your play and it sounds like you are a VERY solid player.