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Tips for closing out MTT's

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  1. tube1 tube1 is offline

    Evanston, IL
    United States

    Posts: 168
    Joined: Sep 05

    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 5:00pm)

    I would like to see if I can get a dialogue going about tips for closing out more tournaments. Any words of wisdom you guys have for finishing them out once making the final table? I am increasingly frustrated with the amount of 5-9's I am getting once I get there.

    I feel very confident in my ability to get there but not as confident once it comes to closing them out.

    Can you think of any specific tweaks you made to your game that made a big difference in your closing ratio?

    Thanks!
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  2. allin4flush allin4flush is offline

    Portland, OR
    United States

    Posts: 372
    Joined: Jul 09

    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 5:34pm) in reply to tube1

    First off, I'm no expert, but I've found that at final tables it's really a matter of playing a good solid short stack game. Since pretty much everyone is reasonably short (10-20 BB for the most part) I just stick with fundamental short stack strategy.

    In my experience, people play really well and then seem to spew at the final table. I don't know what it is. I've had many times where I go in 8th or 9th in chips and breeze my way to a top three or four finish. But I'm more of a $5 90-man (or fewer) player, so I can't really bring up a ton of experience to back it up. The few times I make a large field final table, however, it still seems to be the same.

    Half the time, I wonder how five of the other nine even made it there. It's like they are so excited to make the final table they're suddenly ready to call all-in with K9 off.

    I look forward to hearing what more advanced players than I have to say, as it's a tricky spot. But for me, the trickier part is making it through the hectic period between in-the-money and final table. I only seem to survive those when I hit three coin flips in a row.
  3. Sh!p!tD0nk Sh!p!tD0nk is offline

    PW
    United States

    Posts: 375
    Joined: Jul 09

    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 5:39pm) in reply to allin4flush

    sick brag about getting 5-9's
  4. hookey91 hookey91 is offline

    Posts: 372
    Joined: Aug 09

    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 5:42pm) in reply to Sh!p!tD0nk

    Raise, reraise, and raise it again. NEVER CALL
  5. 13Jayhawk13 13Jayhawk13 is offline

    Olathe, KS
    United States

    Posts: 761
    Joined: Feb 08

    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 5:55pm) in reply to tube1

    I started out playing STTs and had some pretty good success at the micro levels (i.e., I didn't go broke playing $5.50s on a $50 br, amazingly). I have always played a very tight game early on FTs and try to allow other people to make mistakes and go out in the 7-9 spots. Once it gets down to 5-7 players, I start loosening up, but only slightly. Then finally once down to 5, I begin really opening up my game and trying to control the action.

    Of course, this strategy is pretty dependent upon a fairly deep structure, although, even if you are pretty short coming to the FT, I think the average stack becomes the more important method of gauging depth. Please note, that I have only 5-6 top 5 finishes in MTTs with more than a couple hundred players so I don't have all that much experience, but I've made plenty of FTs playing multiplayer sngs.

    If that doesn't work, try running good.
  6. bef99hwk bef99hwk is offline

    Manhattan, KS
    United States

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    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 6:44pm) in reply to 13Jayhawk13

    Pretty sure if ur the bottom totem pole of the start of Ft on ftp u'll finish top 3...stars, ur SOL.
  7. P33J P33J is offline

    Bloomington, IN
    United States

    Posts: 1,144
    Joined: Dec 07

    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 7:00pm) in reply to 13Jayhawk13

    Make the table full screen.
     
  8. Neek Neek is offline

    Boca Raton, FL
    United States

    Posts: 2,216
    Joined: Oct 06

    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 7:07pm) in reply to bef99hwk

    I agree that at FTs I've been at, most players seem to lose all ability to be patient whatsoever. It's like they read somewhere that aggression is the only way to take down a tournament so they shove 30 and 40xBB stacks over anyone they can. It's silly really.

    As long as your stack allows it, patience can be your friend at a FT. Remember, if you have 20-30xBB, I don't care if you are 8/9 at the table, you still have time to play poker. Try to avoid marginal spots. Try to determine who is being passive and looking to move up spots and put maximal pressure on them. If the chipleader is running over the table, hell let him. I was 3/9 in chips entering the 10r final table a few weeks ago, and unfortunately the top two stacks were on my direct left. I had to be patient and pick my spots carefully because they definitely showed the ability to try and pressure people. I didn't get into marginal spots and folded probably a little more than I should have...but when we were 4 handed I was 2nd in chips. He took out the other two in a single hand and I went into heads up play down about 2.8 million chips to 9 million. But I was still nearly 30xBB deep compared to the blinds. After 100+ hands heads up I ended up taking it down. (brag obv)

    Again, as everyone starts to get over-aggressive, pull it back and be patient. Find spots to put pressure on the smaller stacks, and try to catch one of the aggro chipleaders with a hand.
     
  9. gamma21 gamma21 is online now

    Redlands, CA
    United States

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    Sep 8th, 2009 (9/8/2009 7:25pm) in reply to Neek

    Run good.
     
  10. jcpeace jcpeace is offline

    Kansas City, MO
    United States

    Posts: 5,071
    Joined: Jun 07

    Sep 9th, 2009 (9/9/2009 2:11am) in reply to tube1

    I have no problem closing out MTT FT's once I get there, but it's getting there from 16-20+ spots that I've had trouble with of late. I agree, common sense seems to fly out the window once there. I'll work a short stack of 20BB or less much better than 50+ for some reason, perhaps it's the push fold. I tend to be patient and when pushing a short stack it usually is with the good, and seem to always get called light.

    My only advice is be EXTREMELY patient. When the blinds are massive and you are working a short stack, it doesn't take a whole lot to go from 9 - top 3 in chips at the FT, so I usually let someone else make the mistakes.

    Keep grinding, you'll get there soon.
  11. Raysfeve Raysfeve is offline

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    Joined: Nov 08

    Sep 9th, 2009 (9/9/2009 2:21am) in reply to gamma21

     
    Originally Posted by gamma21 View Post


    Run good.

  12. M8kingmoves M8kingmoves is offline

    Las Vegas, NV
    United States

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    Sep 9th, 2009 (9/9/2009 2:41am) in reply to Raysfeve

    look for the guys like me who raise alot, n 3 n 4 bet them allin to win imo.
    11
  13. jcpeace jcpeace is offline

    Kansas City, MO
    United States

    Posts: 5,071
    Joined: Jun 07

    Sep 9th, 2009 (9/9/2009 2:44am) in reply to M8kingmoves

     
    Originally Posted by M8kingmoves View Post

    look for the guys like me who raise alot, n 3 n 4 bet them allin to <STRIKE>win</STRIKE> get pwnt imo.

  14. dgillis dgillis is offline Moderator

    CA
    United States

    Posts: 1,903
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    Sep 9th, 2009 (9/9/2009 2:00pm) in reply to tube1

    IMO the biggest thing is simply paying attention and thinking clearly. recognize if he's tightening up or opening up. adjust there ranges accordingly. find out what kind of scores they have in the past, if he has lifetime 5K scores and your looking at 50K for first it will probably effect his decision to go all in.

    know who is likely to panic, who wont, who will push there hands and whos folding to cash. every one gets the same number of cards, aside from running good knowing your opponents is one of the biggest edges you can have.

    above all, adjust your opponents ranges with what you can find out. Perhaps you know that you should play X hand in Y way but thats often based in assumed opponent ranges and when their ranges change your hands play differently and you have to adjust accordingly.
     
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