Been having some problems lately with the end stages of mtts. I'm talking stars $3-$20, 1000+ entrants. I'll get a good stack early gambling in some choice spots, but basically playing TAG. 3rd or 4th hour I'll usually be hovering in the top 30. At this point I'm looking to get very LAG, steal, re-steal, build my chips to make a run at the final table. Of the last 5 tournaments I've played I finished 2nd in one, and bubbled the other 4.

I think the problem I run into is not being able to lay down the best hand if it's going to cost a lot of chips. For example, I'm in the BB with 40k, average is 20k, CO raises to 4800(blinds 600/1200) with 12k left behind. Folds to me with TT, I push, he calls with KQ and wins the race. Now I'm down to around average chips. Same scenario a couple hands later with JJ against AQ and I'm done. Question being..should you just avoid medium pps for all the chips at this point in the tournament?? Or for that matter avoid AQ/AK/KQ against a desperate "smallish" stack with the medium pair?

I just feel like even tho it's the best hand, it doesn't take much to lose the race and then the whole tournament is in jeopardy, seems like such a waste.

Comments!!

that sounds more like a combination brag - badbeat post than anything else.

oh, and I can't help with MTT strategy, much

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yeah... it's 5.

i had a similar problem for a while, People told me, "thats just how it goes"

and that is partially true., Sometimes you need to win those races, but I now dissagree.

I've found now i need to pay more attention towards those stages.

like i mean 110%!, yes i know, impossible you say. But seriously. you need to know everyones stack, and each of their M, the type of player they are etc..

I know its hard in MTT's cuz of table swicthes, but try!!

Dont avoid medium PP, but dont be affraid to lay them down.

You senerio of 1200 BB and CO raises to 4800, its 3600 to call., he has 12k more.
If you really want to gamble, then Push.
if not, smooth call and act accordingly on the flop.
there is no shame in throwing away what u think is a race, because with your stack, you can steal 3600 back from blinds in no time.

Sorry, I should have said "around" the bubble, I wasn't the "bubbleboy". There is nothing to brag about busting around the bubble, I'd have rather gone out first!!

gettting a 2nd out of 5 tries is great.
you should knw that you really dont' have enough results to mean anything..with just 5.
'But I'm guessing you really have more results and the general questions are valid. It's just fun to tease you!



I miss Rocketwadster.

in both instances you got it in with the best hand, you were being aggressive an going for the win and it didnt work out. In position with JJ and TT there is nothing wrong with taking a flop and then attacking any non AKQ board. Its a less volatile way to play those hands. Out of position however i think to keep things simple you need to re-reraise or fold.

The other thing to pay attention to is your Q. If you are close or above average stack you probably want to stay away from races for more than 10% of your stack or so. If your Q is down around .7 or less then you need to take more risk and go for those races.

One can't pass up edges anytime in a tournament. How to play these hands is very situational, based on reads, stack sizes, etc.

In the first hand, assuming no read on the pf raiser and it was going to be head's up, I'd call and evaluate the flop. I'd c/r a glorious T, and lead out with a half-pot sized bet any non-threatening board. Examples would be 973, Q44. I'd likely c/f flops like AJx, KQx, etc...

In other news, playing a $20mtt on stars last night, 1000/2000/ante blinds; 20 of 740 remaining. Sitting around 20k with average at 80k Pick up A9 in the CO, soooted mind you, and go for the all-in blind steal, whatdya know BB wakes up with AA, lol, gg me! ENDGAME. Yea..that sucked.