Stars 180 man strategy

[davemac2005]

I have read on Davsimon's sng's and michaels MTT strategy. As well as some other random pages on learning MTT's better. I want to know what is the right style to play in an MTT of the 20 dollar 180 man on stars. All I ever hear from friends is FISHY fishy but yet I go in and wait and never get the ITM....
Strategy and Tips to a higher ITM rate on those and iwth all tourneys:
Everyone has their own strategy here so everyone give there feedback to help me learn more and others.

Thanks

[chardrian]

I have not played them in a while. I should probably get back to them. I played quite a few of the $22 ones when they first came out.

I also have a very small sample size, but I did win two of these.

This tourney is ALL about the FT - and preferably the top three spots. You are going to need about 15k in chips to make the money and about 30k to make the FT. That's basically 4 double ups with some added. And this will usually be done between levels 10-14 (blinds at 400/800 to 8/1.6k).

It really settles into 4 parts:

1) The FIRST HOUR - half the field knocks itself out in the first hour. You will get at least one good hand during that first hour, wait for it and then pounce. Don't be cute and try slowplaying. When you get AK, JJ-AA raise preflop. People will pay you off. If you hit a monster - bet it. People will pay you off.

2) After the First Hour. You should now be down to about 90 players with an avergae stack of ~3k. Blinds start at 75/150 here and don't go up to 200/400 until the last stage of this hour. If you have doubled up (which hopefully you have - if not you are in push/fold mode and just need to be patient and pick a good spot to push) just keep being patient and start plaing some poker. You can start to get some reads now as the majority of the uber-fish have drowned. Some are still left though, so make sure you are only making "moves" against people who are smart enough to notice them.

3) The bubble - ITM stage. As I said you are going to need about 15 k to mate the money and 30 k to FT (this is what your goal is). You need to start pounding on weakness here - use your reads and your image and put it to work. If you get a monster, maximize value.

4) The FT. When you first make the FT - unless you are super shortstacked, just sit back a bit. People tend to try to "show their stuff" early on at an FT - if you wait two orbits you will most likely be down to 5-6 players and then you can start getting active (obviously you still play monsters here, but in general, tighten up for two orbits and then pick it back up). When it does get down to 5-6 players most of the otehr players will actually start to tighten up and this when you can steal big blinds by ramping up your aggression.

That's it - a lot of it comes down to cards in these tournies. And you will be more prone to bad beats. So the frustration factor will be high - but play enough of them and their bad calls will be the reason you take one of em down.

[drmcboy]

nice post char. keep a copy so you can repost next week.

Dave - the only thing I'll add is don't worry much about your ITM rate. It's all about big cashes, ITM will not pay the bills in MTTs.

[shysti]

But they'll make you feel a lot better than not finishing out of the money!

I know insightful and wise isn't it

[AvatarKava]

But they'll make you feel a lot better than not finishing out of the money!

WAIT A MINUTE...

[shysti]

err than not finishing in the money man I was up till 6am Im tired

[Habris]

great post--thanks Chardrian

[Laeelin]

great post char.. i'll second everything in it

[supermoneyz1]

You will get at least one good hand during that first hour

Generalizations like this should not be made.

[supermoneyz1]

otherwise good post