Last night, I downloaded Full Tilt Poker and made my first attempt at playing the game (rather than watching it). First free-roll tourney, I place 1000/8000 players by playing very cautiously. I noticed the players with the most success seem to be involved in every hand. Next tourney (early this morning, woke up early) I attempt this strategy, and bust out very quickly. On the way down, I noticed that the players started getting involved in the hands AFTER they had some amount of chips.
I then entered a 27 player sit and go free-roll tourney, play until one is left. Using my previous observations, I play cautiously at first until I hit some good cards. I bet high and end up going all in, winning the hand and doubling up. As my chip stack was not sizable yet, I still play mildly cautiously, but a little more aggressively than before. After I catch another good hand on the flop, I double up again. Now that my stack is rather large in comparison to the blinds, I make the key observation that allows the high chip players to be aggressive. Everyone is just calling the blinds, despite the game being no-limit hold'em. The blinds being so small at this point, I starting getting in on every hand, seeing a lot of flops. If somebody bets or raises an amount that isn't rather pathetic (as usually seems to be the case) I back out if I have nothing. On the other hand, if I see some checks, I raise it up a little, taking the pot without a hand. This was the key realization, you don't have the best hand, your opponent just has to think that his is worse. The best part is, they only saw my hands when I won a showdown, making seem as if I was just catching good cards.
Despite a set back halfway through (12,000 chips, accidentally hit call instead of fold on a large all in and lose, down to 2,000) I pull back a commanding chip lead by stealing blinds and raising on the flop. The last 4 remaining were as follows. 4th and 3rd had about 400 chips, 2nd had about 5k, I had 30k. Naturally, I used my chip lead to muscle players out of the pot, knocking out the small stacks quickly while building chips slowly. Finally, I catch on ace on the flop heads up, raise my opponent all in, and he calls with pocket 10s.
My first success on my third ever tournament, needless to say (though I will anyways) I am very happy.
I then entered a 27 player sit and go free-roll tourney, play until one is left. Using my previous observations, I play cautiously at first until I hit some good cards. I bet high and end up going all in, winning the hand and doubling up. As my chip stack was not sizable yet, I still play mildly cautiously, but a little more aggressively than before. After I catch another good hand on the flop, I double up again. Now that my stack is rather large in comparison to the blinds, I make the key observation that allows the high chip players to be aggressive. Everyone is just calling the blinds, despite the game being no-limit hold'em. The blinds being so small at this point, I starting getting in on every hand, seeing a lot of flops. If somebody bets or raises an amount that isn't rather pathetic (as usually seems to be the case) I back out if I have nothing. On the other hand, if I see some checks, I raise it up a little, taking the pot without a hand. This was the key realization, you don't have the best hand, your opponent just has to think that his is worse. The best part is, they only saw my hands when I won a showdown, making seem as if I was just catching good cards.
Despite a set back halfway through (12,000 chips, accidentally hit call instead of fold on a large all in and lose, down to 2,000) I pull back a commanding chip lead by stealing blinds and raising on the flop. The last 4 remaining were as follows. 4th and 3rd had about 400 chips, 2nd had about 5k, I had 30k. Naturally, I used my chip lead to muscle players out of the pot, knocking out the small stacks quickly while building chips slowly. Finally, I catch on ace on the flop heads up, raise my opponent all in, and he calls with pocket 10s.
My first success on my third ever tournament, needless to say (though I will anyways) I am very happy.
