[Jeffrey2010]

So for some of these low level tournaments, the play is pretty wild early on.

Let's say there's a 360 player tournament

After 20 minutes of play, half the players have been eliminated (no re-buys).

If you don't play for the first 20 minutes, about 10% of your stack will be blinded off. The big blind is now 7% of your remaining stack. Your stack is now 50% the average stack.

So are you better off just sitting out the first 20 minutes and joining in with half the prize money now dead money, even though your stack is half the average stack? Is there a better chance of consistently cashing this way?

[The Sensei]

no this is stupid. Just play premium hands early on. Usually what you just stated will happen and you wont play any hands for the first 20 minutes, but if you get a big hand you dont want to fold just because you are sitting out

[Jeffrey2010]

no this is stupid. Just play premium hands early on. Usually what you just stated will happen and you wont play any hands for the first 20 minutes, but if you get a big hand you dont want to fold just because you are sitting out

I hear you, I just have a tough time convincing myself it's the best way.

For example, 10 minutes in I pick up KK. Remember it's a really aggressive tournament, so say 2 players before me go all in. I go all in as well. 3 more players after me seeing a possible huge pot, also jam their chips. In this assortment of hands could very well be 74 suited, 10,9 offsuit, A7 offsuit, 66's, etc. Instead of being a 1 in 6 chance of winning the pot if we all had random cards, maybe my KK is a one in 4 shot.

But this still means I'm out of the tourny 3 out of 4 times and my money joins the dead money, and the one time I hit, I'l have about 6 times my original stack but at this early point in the tourny it far from guarantees me ending up in the money.

I just think giving myself 4 chances, in a somewhat disadvantaged position, but with half the prize pool being dead money is better than being in a more solid position one in 4 times, while being out of the tourny the other 3 times.

Just wondering if anyone has analyzed this kind of scenario more thoroughly.

[Buried_PIRATE]

Move up in stakes to where they respect your raises?

But seriously, getting it all in with kings is +EV. Play the premium hands... if you said you jammed with TT the first hand, that would probably be a different story

[Duff85]

So for some of these low level tournaments, the play is pretty wild early on.

Let's say there's a 360 player tournament

After 20 minutes of play, half the players have been eliminated (no re-buys).

If you don't play for the first 20 minutes, about 10% of your stack will be blinded off. The big blind is now 7% of your remaining stack. Your stack is now 50% the average stack.

So are you better off just sitting out the first 20 minutes and joining in with half the prize money now dead money, even though your stack is half the average stack? Is there a better chance of consistently cashing this way?

In those 360s on Stars the best strategy is try to accumulate chips in any situation where you are flipping or better. Your not playing to cash, your playing to win these. If you take the aggressive attitude you will win and final table these things regularly. (and as a side effect you get to blow your stack up occasionally in complete misread situation - that can be fun sometimes too)

[uofajoe99]

I think early is a good time to get comfortable folding.....later it will help. Let the crazies get out, but play some hands for small raises if you have position and a feel of the table. To me the biggest things in these tourneys is to realize you are going to be there for a while. Get you something to eat and get ready for a long night.