100K Garuntee this saturday... my first major tournament!

[Phantaroth]

I spent $15 dollars to enter four $3 dollar single table sattelites (1 spot).... I finished 7th, 2nd, 2nd, 1st, 1st. The first time I moved onto the 24+3 sattelite I finished 7th / 22 (top 2 win tickets) the second time I got a got of monsters and think I played pretty well all together to win an entry into the 200+20 100K Garuntee this saturday on Absolute Poker.

The highest buy in I have ever played up to this point is a 10.00 MTT... My Bankroll sucks, and I can't turn the entry into T$ so I be playing this.

I have faired well in MTT ($1.00-$5.00 buy ins) this past month on Absolute Poker with five final table finishes (9th, 8th, 7th, 6th, 1st).

Anyway that is the background info....

The tournament is this Saturday at 4:30 PM EST.

Is there any general advice about how to adapt to this buy in? Any tips from those who play these would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Sprayed]

Yes, push KQ from first position when your stack is <10bb. Sorry I couldn't resist.

Seriously, I wouldn't change anything. Just be tight and aggressive and watch for betting patterns. Take some notes and play your table. It's too bad that you can't turn that into T$ with your roll where it's at. I think that you need to stay away from spending money on trying to win your way into this and focus on building your br. I know it is exciting and all, but your odds to make it very deep in this tourney because of the field are slim. gl though and I hope you do well.

[chardrian]

I am giving this advice to you because it will give you your best chance to go deep.

1) Play tight early. When you do get a hand that first hour, bet it hard (don't try and slowplay).

2) If/when the blinds start to become 1/10 of your stack or more, play fearlessly - just don't play stupidly (e.g. no calling an all-in preflop that has been raised and reraised with JK because "it is the best hand I have seen in 4 orbits ").

3. Don't play scared. Be confident. The guys playing at this level are not on a totally different poker planet than you are used to.

4. Have fun/ Be ok with losing. Even the best MTTers only make the money about 20% of the time.

[Phantaroth]

That is true BR building is more important....

But theorteticlaly do you think if I could keep a rate of 15$ worth of sattelites per entry into this I could cash enough in the event at some point to more then cover it?

That is in no way to say your advice is wrong, as I have never experienced the skill level in this type of event and it is quite possible I will get my ass handed to me at such a rate that it is almost utterly pointless for me to pay 15$ to play this event at this point.

thankyou for your suggestions !

Anyways on the strategy end...

I have a question reguarding HoH2 actually... He suggests a large range of hands to go all in with in spots I think a lot of small buy in MTT players either fold or just call the BB...

Is this strategy used widely at this level? I know this is way too general but do people push wider ranges per "M" at this level then would be observed at $5.00 MTT?

[Phantaroth]

Chardian thankyou for your advice

It is hard for me to look at it as being okay with loosing... I never like to think "hey even if I play perfect, Im going to have to get lucky to come close to winning" It just gets me in the wrong mindset I think...

But I do realize it is one tournament and I can't reasonable expect to win it or to even cash! So I will try and keep my emotions in check as it helps in the long run.

My basic strategy going into this will be to play reasonable tight preflop early, ultra tight post flop early. Later on I like to observer very closley the players at my table and use my tight image to take down the blinds here and there as the levels increase.

[Cavelli2003]

i have never played this high, but be very careful in the middle to late stages when in the blind positions or on button and its folded round to you, you will see more people get busted or there stacks cut when fighting in the these positions then you will in the level your playing at the moment,

when folded round to the button and your in one of these 3 position be careful. make sure you have very good reads on the players sitting to your imediate left, dont know why this is so different at higher buyin events.

just something ive noticed recently good luck, all the best, and i hope you enjoy it !

oh and definately set aside some dosh for satalites, stick to your bankroll by all means but at the end of the day your've got to treat yourself every now and then, what would you rather a few beers or playing in a big tourney with the chance of winning some major $$$ !

good luck dude

[IowaSkinsFan]

I did the same thing like a month ago in a 250,000 guar. and got 40th for a grand! Would've been more but luck was not on my side. Anyways, if you're really into it, sit there and be extremely attentive and take notes on paper. That's what I ended up doing with my twin brother.

[thenonsequitur]

Make sure you get enough sleep, don't go drinking Friday night, eat a good meal a few hours before the tournament, have a little coffee right before the event starts. Pay attention, play your A-game, don't get too nervous, don't play scared.

I know all this is just common sense, but when trying to think of how this or that strategy changes or how players at this level differ from what you're used to, it can be easy enough to overlook that your state of mind and state of body are very important to remaining focused, energetic, attentive, and clear-headed for several hours in a row.

Eat blueberries..

[drmcboy]

don't change one thing. Recognize most of the opps sat-d in just like you did (and you won't be able to tell the ones that didn't). Fields like the super/stuper are much tougher than the big tourneys like these, and even those aren't really all that different.

I would also agree this is meh on the BR. Do it on occasion if you like to keep the juices flowing, don't make a habit of it.