Hi Fellow Poker Players;
I have a question that I hope many of you will comment on and give me your thoughts.
Quick intro - I have been playing NLHE part time since 2008 and consider myself a reasonable player maintaining ITM around 18%-21% and modest earnings. I am ITM more often than most players but rarely get deep into the tournament (only made the final table once in the thousands of large player tournaments I have played although I have won several small player tournaments).
One of the reason is that, I believe, the consequence of playing tight aggressive often gets you short stacked by being blinded down when your cards are not running so when you do get a decent hand and play (either initiating the bet or being bullied into playing) you run into players with bigger stacks who can take more gamble with lower odd cards and then out draw you.
More specifically, I FREQUENTLY come up against players who play stupidly and luck it - some that defies explaination. Most recently I was ITM at the low money levels. With a AK I raise pre flop and the "villian" reraises and I call. Flop is AK2. I bet, the villian reraises I reraise and the villian goes all in which I call after some considerable thought - the villian displays Q3 clubs (there was only 1 club on the flop) hits a runner runner club and I am out. On another I have AA, the villian raises preflop before me, I reraise, the villian reraises and I reraise and the villian goes all in which I call. The villian displays 35o and hits a 5 on the flop and turn to boot me off. I admit, these are extreme examples of stupidity but there are TOO many hands like this where I was out drawn by lower probability hands played by loose aggressive players to list here and booted off a tournament at the lower money levels to prevent me going deeper into the tourney.
My question is not what to do with these players (although if anyone has any suggestions I would like to hear it).
The question is, when I check the ITM of these players on the poker rankings website they often have low ITMs - around 8%-10% (some lower) but their earnings are significantly greater than mine as they have reached the final table more often or gone much deeper into the tourney more regularly.
I realise the ITM isn't a bible but the stats and their played hands indicates they are loose aggressive players who plays with an all or nothing approach - they lose a lot but when they win they win big.
Whilst winning money isn't the only objective for me for playing poker, it is still an objective.
In summary, my question to you all who play different styles, is it better to play loose and aggressive with a low ITM but earn more or have an decent ITM but modest earnings as a tournament playing strategy.
User tag: Valsomething
I have a question that I hope many of you will comment on and give me your thoughts.
Quick intro - I have been playing NLHE part time since 2008 and consider myself a reasonable player maintaining ITM around 18%-21% and modest earnings. I am ITM more often than most players but rarely get deep into the tournament (only made the final table once in the thousands of large player tournaments I have played although I have won several small player tournaments).
One of the reason is that, I believe, the consequence of playing tight aggressive often gets you short stacked by being blinded down when your cards are not running so when you do get a decent hand and play (either initiating the bet or being bullied into playing) you run into players with bigger stacks who can take more gamble with lower odd cards and then out draw you.
More specifically, I FREQUENTLY come up against players who play stupidly and luck it - some that defies explaination. Most recently I was ITM at the low money levels. With a AK I raise pre flop and the "villian" reraises and I call. Flop is AK2. I bet, the villian reraises I reraise and the villian goes all in which I call after some considerable thought - the villian displays Q3 clubs (there was only 1 club on the flop) hits a runner runner club and I am out. On another I have AA, the villian raises preflop before me, I reraise, the villian reraises and I reraise and the villian goes all in which I call. The villian displays 35o and hits a 5 on the flop and turn to boot me off. I admit, these are extreme examples of stupidity but there are TOO many hands like this where I was out drawn by lower probability hands played by loose aggressive players to list here and booted off a tournament at the lower money levels to prevent me going deeper into the tourney.
My question is not what to do with these players (although if anyone has any suggestions I would like to hear it).
The question is, when I check the ITM of these players on the poker rankings website they often have low ITMs - around 8%-10% (some lower) but their earnings are significantly greater than mine as they have reached the final table more often or gone much deeper into the tourney more regularly.
I realise the ITM isn't a bible but the stats and their played hands indicates they are loose aggressive players who plays with an all or nothing approach - they lose a lot but when they win they win big.
Whilst winning money isn't the only objective for me for playing poker, it is still an objective.
In summary, my question to you all who play different styles, is it better to play loose and aggressive with a low ITM but earn more or have an decent ITM but modest earnings as a tournament playing strategy.
User tag: Valsomething
