Advice on MTT's

[fjuanl]

I ususally just play single table home games with friends, but yesterday I played in a MTT with 28 people (3 tables). I just had some more specific questions about pacing my play. I read the post "Tools for Patience in MTT's" and I thought it was great advice.

Starting amount - 900
Blinds (go up every half hour)

5/10
10/20
20/40
50/100
75/150
100/200
200/400
300/600


1st hour or so was extremely tight, but when we merged to 2 tables, I had around 1500 in chips. I played on this second table for around an hour, so the blinds were 50/100 half the time, and 75/150 the other half. At this point I didnt loosen up my play much, but I was hoping to gain some chips to actually have a good amount for the final table.

I felt myself starting to lose patience and need to build my stack, but I didnt play reckless. When the blinds are going up every half hour, I'm only really getting to see around 3-4 flops, so its tough. I limped in 1 hand (KJ), and raised 3xbb I think 3 times (77, 88, JJ). I would have limped 77 and 88 during the first hour. With these raises I didnt feel pot commited, but if I missed a flop, thats still about a 5th of my stack lost.

(1200 chips) 1st Raise : 77. 1 Caller. Flop was 2 overs, a king and a queen. He bet into me, and I folded.

(900 chips) 2nd Raise : JJ. Took the blinds =/

(800 chips) 3rd Raise : 88. One caller. Flop was T T A. I checked it off, thinking he had the ace, he put me AI, and I layed it down. He showed a T. Too timid? I was thinking of throwing out a bet, but I guess I was too afraid to lose more chips. The ace scared me, if that was a low card, I'm probably going to push or bet, only having 600 more chips.

After this I went to the final table with 700 chips. The blinds were 100/200 and I started in the SB (folded my 37). Average stack was probably around 3000. (eek) Nothing happend until I was dealt 88 in MP. One raise to 400, fold, fold, fold, and then a shortstack went AI. I folded, but was ready to raise AI if it was just me and him. 2 hands later I'm dealt 33. Its folded to me and I push AI. One guy isolates and re-raises the bet, everyone else folds. He flips over 89s and hits a runner runner flush.



I lost the most amount from the 2nd table. Should I have been re-raising preflop 3xbb with those middle pairs? The table was playing pretty tight so I figured I might be able to pick up the blinds at least twice. Do I limp with 77, 88? If I just limped there I'm probably looking at around 2 other opponents (including SB and BB)

[CoxhEd]

I usually limp mid pocket pairs unless I'm really SS'd or I know the players are weak and wouldn't call a big bet.

[daluchy]

If it's a tight group, you'll probably know where you stand post-flop. You get a call and they bet the flop, your pockets are probably beat.

Even though I'm not sure about raising those 88's or 77's. I'd rather limp and hope for trips with those just because of the situation you stated above. If you get a call and overcards come out you are probably out some chips.

The JJ was a good raise, too bad no one called, hehe.

So on the third raise the guy made trips or is T a different card than the T's on the board?

[DBL0SVN]

limping with small or medium pocket pairs is fine when the the blinds are small. But when you only have 10BB or less, you can't afford to limp ANYTHING. you have to either push or fold.