Placed 2nd in tournament at Club One Fresno. (3 Viewers)

[Chips523]

Hello PCF! I have been playing poker at a home game once a week for 2 years. We usually get somewhere between 14-24 players. I had never played poker prior before being introduced to this game. Like most of the poker players I have met I love the game. At first I would lose it was easy to make big mistakes. I wanted to get better so I started reading about the game and watching live play streams. The results began to show and after a few months I started winning and fairly often. Two of the regular winners started going to the local casino nothing big just 1/2 100$ max buy in. They wanted me to go and I just didn’t feel ready yet. They both came back with a few hundred profit. Next weekend one of them goes back and places 6th out 315 players for 4400$ they chopped the pot. Buy in was 200$. So I decide to give it a shot and placed second in a 70 person 60$ buy in the week after him. I won 864$. Should I keep going back or am I just lucky?

 

[ChipEnvy]

Tournaments are high variance... If you can afford the time, keep going but keep your expectations in check. I think I read even good players only cash in like 10% of their tournaments.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Hello PCF! I have been playing poker at a home game once a week for 2 years. We usually get somewhere between 14-24 players. I had never played poker prior before being introduced to this game. Like most of the poker players I have met I love the game. At first I would lose it was easy to make big mistakes. I wanted to get better so I started reading about the game and watching live play streams. The results began to show and after a few months I started winning and fairly often. Two of the regular winners started going to the local casino nothing big just 1/2 100$ max buy in. They wanted me to go and I just didn’t feel ready yet. They both came back with a few hundred profit. Next weekend one of them goes back and places 6th out 315 players for 4400$ they chopped the pot. Buy in was 200$. So I decide to give it a shot and placed second in a 70 person 60$ buy in the week after him. I won 864$. Should I keep going back or am I just lucky?

Welcome! You can go back but you definitely got lucky to some degree, variance wise. We dont mean that as an insult, tournament poker just has lots of variance and even those playing perfectly dont expect to cash or win the majority of the time in bigger many table tournament. None of us can say whether you played well or played like a donkey, not enough info. Asking the question without more info makes me lean towards lucky lol.

Congrats on the win, great feeling! Poker has a way of humbling people, but nice job with the score, keep it up. Take your time and save money until you have a bankroll that can handle some up and down swings if you want to take tournaments seriously.

 

[Chips523]

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate the advice. I’ll play another one next week and let you guys know how it goes.

 

[Chips523]

I’m going back today. I will update this post later and let you know how I did.

 

[desselBANE]

Good luck!

 

[Chips523]

I made it to the final table and busted in 9th. Hit two pair kings and queens lady jams it all in I call she hits runner runner diamonds and makes a flush. 9th place paid 189$ I bought in for 60$ and put in the extra 20$ at halfway point for a extra 5000 chip. If the two pair held I would have been second in chips.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Good job! Sounds like you're playing well and seeing good results. Instead of posting about some variance (losing to runner runner), try and remember some hands you played or questions you had. Skill can only get you so far in poker, luck takes over sometimes and we all know that, just have to be happy with the situations we've created. You'll probably remember losing to runner runner more vivivdly than when you win with runner runner.

After playing a bunch, you're probably learning more about position and stack size considerations. Next time you go, remember (I usually take basic notes on my phone) a situation where you were in the tank or confused, and come back and ask us what we think. This forum's been helpful, talking me through their thought processes and discussing what to do.

 

[Chips523]

Overall position and stack sizing is what I have been relying on to stay in the game. I have been doing pretty good at avoiding the major bluffers in the start. I like to see these players war it out and lose to each other. This is also a great time to catch the donkeys shoving into major hands so be ready for them. After the first 20 or so players lose it seems to really start to get good. I make sure to try and keep up with the chip leaders and not fall to far behind. At this point I know the blinds are coming in hot so I’m looking to score major. I like to raise in first or not play the hand. I will limp in if others have already and I’m last to go with decent cards (not premiums). Overall I’m having fun and playing low stakes that I can afford. I started last week with 60$ and I’m up to 1264$ In total earnings this week. I made a couple more hundred dollars playing 1/2 cash game.

Last night I played three small tournament home games with 15 players. I placed 2nd in the first game, last in the next and fourth in the last. Definitely getting use to variance. Played roughly 20 hours this week.

 

[DeadheadDave]

You will learn that each cardroom, casino... or, home game, that you go to you will have to be a quick read of the room, and that table. The variance is HUGE. I am in So Cal, and there are a handful of large poker casinos very near each other. And each one has its own subtle nuances and generally different players.

One casino I go to has great tournaments... but I am only good at the 11am start version. When I go to the 5pm start ones, I lose.. and I lose quick. Different players in the afternoon using different strategies. Certainly what I was doing at 11am and cashing was not working at 5pm.

Certainly, in my opinion, play tight at first when at new locations to catch the bluffers and all in addicts... and watch them eat each other alive.

Lastly, my opinion is that when you are playing in a tournament with more than 100 players, you have got to make smart and timely moves. You have to build your stack without falling victim to the players who... suck. Later on, you should worry about falling victim to players who DON'T suck! EVERY card room, casino and home game has good players. At least, in my experience. I would say once 20% of the field is on the rail, you are mostly dealing with 'decent' players. At the 50% point you are dealing with 'good' players. Once you are down to the last few tables, its 'very good' players.

 

[Chips523]

Thank you for all for the feedback. I have been busy so I haven’t had time to update this post.
I haven’t been able to make it out to the casino for another tournament yet.

Saturday I played in a small charity fundraiser event (27 entries). In this game there was a mix of mostly crazy all ins or nuts bluffing or calling with anything. I sat back watched what was going down and played a good game. I made it to the final table of 9 with only 4 blinds left and somehow worked my way up from there to a heads up game.

So it’s me and 1 other player left. I had 30% percent of the chips and felt like winning it all was definitely possible. At this point people are starting to tell the other guy in first that he’s going to lose. His friends keep pouring it on. All of a sudden he tells me straight up that he only wants the bracelet that they were giving out for first place. I could have all the prize money for both first and second place he just wanted the bracelet for bragging rights. I’m not much of a bracelet guy so boom I cashed out 490$. Event cost 75$ to enter bbq and beer included all you can eat and drink plus we raised enough money to buy a bunch of kids tracksuits for there wrestling matches. It was a good fun time.

Next day I lose 120$ in 1/2 at the casino. I was up and down for a few hours pretty decent game. I lost to a pretty bad beat. Board comes out hot all diamonds I have the flush king high already. I made a raise and got 1 caller who had checked to me previously. This is where it was already over for me. Turn comes no more diamonds no pairs on board villain shoves all in I call it and lose villain shows ace three suited diamonds. Wipes my king high flush down the toilet.

Next day I hit low stakes home game for 150$

Not sure if this is posted in the right section of this forum. I’m trying to play a tournament next Monday. I’ll let PCF know how it goes