Strategy in crazy betting tournament
I often play in a live no limit hold'em tournament. It is a $20 buy-in for a $900 stack of chips, with additional buy-ins allowed in the first 30 minutes only if you lose all your chips. Blinds start at $1/$2 and double at 15 minute intervals. We usually have 8-10 players at the table to start.
Most players limp in on the blinds, with a few frequently betting from $50 to $300 pre-flop in almost any position. This is horrible equity for them, but usually three or four players will call the bet. The normal strategy of betting 3-4 times BB to protect a hand is useless since there will always be 4-5 players who will call with almost any hand. This becomes a short stack situation quickly and it is virtually impossible to bet enough to get only one caller.
My strategy has been to wait for a premium hand in position before betting, but by the time that happens there will be 2 or three players with big stacks who are bullying the table. Even pocket Aces have less than 50% equity with 3-4 callers. I often am at the table with a small stack and 3-4 other players with big stacks as people are eliminated.
I welcome suggestions for a strategy to deal with this type of game.
3 Replies
Don’t play?
Or jam any two and keep rebuying until you build a stack.
Starting at 450BB and with a lot of limped pots, I'd be overlimping a lot of speculative hands. I wouldn't necessarily change my raise sizing unless you really think they don't care to the point they're going to call huge bets preflop just as easily as small ones, in which case I don't think you should even bother disguising your hand strength with consistent raise sizing.
There's also nothing wrong with being a short stack. You can't be "bullied" because any hand you play you're going to get your chips in the middle. Study your short stack ranges and if you can't build a stack early, try to steal and/or get it in good and hope it works out.
I wouldn't aim to rebuy unless the rebuy gives you better value than the buyin (the same stack for a lower price, or more chips for the same price), although of course it will be inevitable because there are times you'll get it in good and lose. Playing good poker will still get you the money in the long run, but without more specifics about hands it's hard to say what you're doing right or wrong.
It sounds like the competition is poor but the structure is crazy fast. Your preflop ranges will be very important here beyond the early stages.
I mean, I guess this works if your goal is just to win the tournament and you don't actually care if you make money from it. But that seems kind of pointless to me.
I mean, I guess this works if your goal is just to win the tournament and you don't actually care if you make money from it. But that seems kind of pointless to me.
The comment about jamming any two was a joke, not a serious suggestion.
Although… our local poker room has an annual game which takes a chunk of the entries and rebuys to go to a local charity.
£10 gets you 2000 chips at 100/100 for the first hour, 100/200 for the second until rebuys end.
There, the accepted strategy is all in blind until you have somewhere over 30k. The record for rebuys stands in excess of 50!
It’s a fun night that generates lots for the charity and a sizeable prize pool to boot.
