I've often said that getting a chip lead early is no guarantee of winning.

First hand, believe it or not, I had 44 in EP, limped and managed to get two more 4s by the river. Guy bet, I went all in and the donkey called with QQ into a board of 44TTx after I called every bet he made. So, I doubled up.

Now, I had really great cards the rest of the tournament. AK several times, twice in the SB with the chip leader in the BB. I went out 5th when I lost on a suckout, after having lost 2/3 of my stack. The table was so weak/tight that they would play nothing but big hands and pairs. The only showdowns I saw were when I bet a decent hand and lost to a better hand. Ordinarily, I would have smoked this table, but it was like punching the Pilsbury doughboy in the gut. Everytime I had the goods to swing, I got air. AK was folded to, but AJ was called by AQ.

The point of all this whining is, a chip lead is never safe, and getting chips early is not as important as many people think. Third, if you want to push it that far, against 4 weak opponents who refuse to play anything but top 10% hands, is harder than playing against 4 LAGs, but I'm not sure about that.

I know I've never faced a table like this before.

PS Turbo 15+1

CJ

well in the end, you got in with the best of it and came up empty....that happens of course!.....

Interesting post....my take is half the battle is IDing your opponents....I think just knowing that you can pin them as weak tight or LAG is a TREMENDOUS help!.... I agree that I would prefer the lags but the weak/tights are right there with them!.....

I find my toughest opponents to be the ones that CHANGE gears!....harder to put on a hand, harder to see where you stand....

I would say that I have evolved from 'normal' tight/super aggro to a a 'tight most of the time'/regular aggro.

Just played another one, exactly the same. 5 players left, folding all around. This time I stayed patient and stole what I could when I could to stay in it. Had one good hand, 77, and ran into AA, but had him covered so I was still in it with 5 players left. Eventually, they ran into good enough hands to call each other. I went out with A3 in the BB vs. 33 in the SB.

I'm going to really work at these. I think the key is to stay patient and simply outplay them. If they are in the pot, you need a good hand, unless you're aggressive with position. Not sure about that, however. It may be you can steal with air, but beware if they call. They seem very afraid of all ins, tho, unless they have a good hand.

It is like attacking a bag of marshmellows.

CJ

Last one for tonight.

Out 5th when my AJ suited lost to QQ on the button. Blinds at 150/300, I raised 600 in EP, figuring I'd take down the blinds. Button, who'd just doubled up and had played very few hands raised. I should have folded, but thought he might be getting frisky. He was, because the card bus had come by his house. I didn't improve and was gone.

This is a very good example of what I was saying. You must be aggressive, but if they play back at you, get out. It's also an example of why the pushbot style would not work in these. If I'd gone all in, he still would have called and the result would be the same. Pushbot works if they aren't playing only strong hands. Every time but the last time.

I overplayed it, to find out if I'm on to something, and sure enough, I was. Or could be, as this is only three on this particular day. But I do think this is a trend. Loosening your hand requirement is the right thing to do, but it must be tempered with table vision and understanding the opponents. They've tightened up and found they are winning, but they are taking it too far. The proper form is Stick and Move. I think.

Anybody?

CJ