MTT / Primo ceiling

dtm75

Hi All,

I played the Primo last night, like I try to do most weeks, but unlike the Open which I've final tabled a few times and won once, I can't seem to get into contention in the big one. Couple of min cashes in 2 years. Meh.

I think I'm a good MTT player.  Top 50% of the field I hope.

I have a tendency to get a good/better than average stack, get into the top 1/3rd and try and pick spots rather than be a shove monkey.  But, I seem to always lose my races at the same stage (around 10 before the bubble) and I'm gone.

I know with about 80% certainty that I'll be entering a race, but with a vision of going deep rather just limping into 30th (280 runners), I am happy with this (until I lose).

My question is, should I wait until I have fewer than 14/15 bigs and wait for real premium hands (praying they come), or is my shoving over a raiser/stealer with hands like 66 through to JJ an ok play?  Last night's exist at the bubble was typical...

I honestly hope I have the game to take something big down soon, and was purposefully avoiding confrontation and AIPF type scenarios and trying to play through the streets as much as possible.  

About 3 hours in though, I never seem to be comfortable with my stack, 10k at 200, 400, suddenly becomes 8k at 300/600 and I'm in my loathed scenario.

Player	Action	Cards	Amount	Pot	Balance
bigby	Small blind		300.00	300.00	30783.75
Canudigit	Big blind		600.00	900.00	6130.00
	Your hole cards	6 6
Wacko90	Fold
TimmyRaRa	Raise		1400.00	2300.00	6390.00
dtm75	All-in		7329.50	9629.50	0.00
bigby	Fold
Canudigit	Fold
TimmyRaRa	Call		5929.50	15559.00	460.50
TimmyRaRa	Show	A Q
dtm75	Show	6 6
Flop
		3 10 K
Turn
		A
River
		3
TimmyRaRa	Win	Two Pairs, Aces and 3s	15559.00		16019.50

...is the Primo really a lot different from other MTTs?

I've tried other tactics to avoid the above, touch more aggression, hopefully bigger/biggest stack, but this seems to backfire.

I expect this is just the fabled "tournament variance", and to win you have to win your races...

Would just be interested to hear others' views.

Thanks, Dan

YOUNG_GUN

Treat as any other matey and if you make the right moves it will come

In this instance i dont like the shove, TimmyRaRa is a solid player and you can gurantee at best your flipping 2 overs or totally dominated, his initial raise size shows he's not folding so i would wait for a better spot.

I find 10 Bigs is when you should be shoving give or take a couple of blinds. i prefer shoving in unopened pots or with a limper as its more likely that it will get through.

in the above spot i probably shove or fold but vs the player i'd fold as at best we're flipping

Dudeskin8

In this spot after a decent 2.3 raise I'd just snap fold the 6's. With his stack his should only be open shoving so for him to decide to raise like this I can put him straight away on at least overs and possibly 1010+ and I can't see him folding.

You have more than 10 bigs here and whenever I play MTT's that is a little place I like to refer to as heaven as even if the blinds pass you again you still have 10 and hence imo don't need to take risks like this.

I could be playing too tight and others will defo say easy shove but this is just how I play and seem to do quite well.

dtm75

Cheers YG sir.  I was regretting it as soon as I pressed it really.  Saw he had left himself 10.5 bigs, personally think he'd left that many and may fold to a shove.

The number of spots were limited too, WACKO90 was being pretty lairy; as was the big stack and eventual winner on my left.

Will hopefully live and learn. I lost a little patience after being card-blessed for 60 mins then relatively card dead for 2 hours.  You see the 300/600 approach, see a pair and play like a t*t

Run well mate

YOUNG_GUN

I dont think its terrible but obviously i'd prefer to take the flip a bit later if you can and find an unopened spot

if it was Wacko who opened i would be happy to shove FWIW, i saw you were going well was ul though cos if you hit there you would be in a great position.

Im sure your cash soon just make sure your doing the correct things and it will come :P

Good luck

grantorino

1 Why do people think timmy is never folding? Why should he always openshove that spot? Just curious because I wouldnt think either is always true (I havent played with timmy , assuming hes solid tag)

2. Its pretty obvious we are a slight dog against his calling range, so if he never folds folding is best, but Im not so sure thats the case

3. While stealing unopened pots is less risky, restealing is more lucrative. Would prefer have a slightly bigger stack though

Whether this is good depends a lot on villain. It also depends how easy it is for us to steal blinds when we open first. Without specific reads I think its pretty close either way, i would lean towards shoving though