Id just like to mention something that I personally feel is the biggest plus I can take from my win t’other night. I fought my way through 500 odd runners (infact 470 odd but this number will increase exponentially and always does when I win something in a tournie ;) ). Now that is a huge confidence boost. Furthermore I wasn’t overtly concerned with average stack size, no. of runners left etc as the tournament progressed. I simply focused on me and my table. Some famous poker dude once said of large field tournies "You can beat 1000 players at a time. You don’t need to. You simply need to beat the other 9 players at your table, which you can achieve". Also, there was no coincidence that I was remarkably well rested on Sunday eve. I got up early Sunday (6am), went for a walk with the missus and then went with her to the gym to do some weights and have a swim. I had a long sesh in the sauna and Jacuzzi and got home about 11am. I then had a look at the tables on Start, UB and Trib. Didn’t see anything I liked so I thought, sod it , ill have a kip. Got up about 2pm, had some lunch and played an MTT and a couple of SnG’s…..then had another kip J .
Which means tonight, after finishing early at work, im going for a walk with the lady….then having a kip. There are a couple of Rob’s mates coming along tonight, young lads that are hooked. It will be interesting to play against them tonight. They think im a rock so it would be rude not to show a huge bluff if I get HU in a pot with one of them ;)
When we got deep on Friday I felt really sharp. I think many of the other players were tired or (more likely) realised they had work early the next day and pressed the self-destruct stack button. I don’t have that button anymore. Iv made my way back from ridiculously low in many tournies now and I think that’s my main strength. Because I am naturally a fairly conservative player I was in serious doubt for a while as to whether I should completely overhaul may fairly ABC strategy. I did experiment with ultra-aggressive styles (see previous posts) but it just doesn’t suit me. Of course I recognise when to switch up and down gear respective of opponenets playing styles but I guess you could say im fairly right wing when it comes to MTT tournie strategy. I play poker because I feel its about 40/60 skill/luck and I don’t like gambling without a big(ish) edge. My doubts have been overcome. I actually quite like having the "tight, steal his blinds, he ALWAYS folds to a raise" image. It allows me to use my nodder and get a read on the internet as to my opponents hand strength.
NB this is my SnG and MTT strat here, in cash games I can play any which way. Ill talk about these gears in a later post.
I had another thought the other day. In the last few (12) SnG’s I have played lately I honestly cant remember finishing below 6th. Given the gambling nature of the $15 SnG level that’s very suprising. I think lady luck might be about to sink my battleship. Its due.