02-11-05, LearnTexasHoldem:

Tourney Style Of Play

Question: My question is in regards to the way I play sit n go tourneys. I usually play $10, 10 man sngs. I'd say I can place in these tourneys about 60% of the time and have a fairly decent profit since I started playing online. I play an aggressive style, try to push people around and steal some pots. This strategy seems to work fairly well at the level I play at. My problem is that when I don't get an early chip lead or someone else is the aggressor, I fall behind in chips. When this happens I usually just tighten up my game and can sometimes grind it out and work a chip lead back up. Is this the proper approach if I can't get an early chip lead or should I adjust my style and not rely so much on an early chip lead? Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Ben

Top 3 Beginner Rooms

Answer: The bottom line is that if this style is working well for you, continue with it. Tournaments, especially no limit holdem, affords people more leeway in how they play. When you play in cash games, every move you make has a direct money consequence, while in tournaments it is all or nothing. You have to have a gamble in you to win.

You aren't going to be a very tight player who waits for AA all day and get into the money very often. Most of the best no limit holdem players are "crash and burners." Their angle is that either they are going to go to the final table with a good chance of winning, or what's the point. On the flipside, you'll have people like TJ Cloutier who plays solid poker and does well.

Compare him with someone like Gus Hansen though and you'll see the difference. Gus Hansen is willing to put all his chips on the line at any point if his gut tells him that his hand is good or he can win with a bluff. And Gus does very well against the best in the world. Should you go out and try to adopt that style right now? No. Gus Hansen can get away with an ultra aggressive style because he has tremendous skill from experience.

Many pros think Gus Hansen is just lucky because much of what he does is unconventional. Unconventional relative to what though? Someone else's book that was written before he came into the scene? The point is that you shouldn't be trapped by labels, books or other people's bs. Do what works for you, become a student of the game and who knows, you could be the next wrecking ball like Gus.

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