Hi All, I'm still new....and trying to learn from my mistakes! First round of the tournament last night went almost according to text book. The few early big betters busted out and things started heating up about 5 hands from end. I didn't take first...but got second highest chip count which (due to low numbers) got me to the final table....but hey...I'm not proud....I'll take at seat at the final table anyway I can The final table did not work out like it was supposed to! There were early big betters here too...but they did NOT bust out. Everyone started with $1,000...min. bet $25 and max. $500. Unfortunately.....this BJT is timed...20 minutes for final round. It is nearly impossible (for me...maybe not the pros here) to figure out where the button is going to be early in the game. Heck....don't even know how many hands there will be. However....there is a chip count when we are down to 5 hands....so I can do the math at that point BR1 took the lead early and stayed there the entire time. By the 10 hand, she was so far ahead it would have been very risky to catch her. At that point, I decided to continue playing my usual game.. and try to settle for 2nd or 3rd this time. However.....3 or 4 other competitors started making max bets midway through the tourney .....What should I have done then? I was not sure...but it didn't take a genius to realize I was going to need a lot more chips to be anywhere near a cash prize (BR1,2,3). At that point, I made a couple max bets when I was betting after everyone...but that strategy was wasted....they were quite happy to throw $500 in chips in the circle at their first opportunity. On the last hand I bet $500. If I won or pushed and anyone of the other top 3 players lost, I would have had 3rd....but I got a hard 17 against an 8 up. Everyone else made their hand....and I went home with no $$....but lots to think about and try to improve for next time. Suggestions/comments/critiques welcome and appreciated! I am sure I could have done things better...and would like to next time! Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer some much needed advice/coaching!
Lucky Donks Get used to it. Luckboxes are a big part of this game. All you can do is hope they come back down to you. They very often do. Sometimes they back off for a few turns,but just be patient when they do that. Most can't resist the temptation to go back to chunking out those big bets of play money chips.
1. Monkey is spot on, as usual. This scenario is exactly why longer rounds (more hands) don't help the bombers. Most of 'em cannot resist the temptation to keep blasting away even when they've got a massive lead and a higher number of hands allows variance to catch up. Your bigger problem is a bomber who jumps out to a huge early lead then backs off - and stays there. 2. You needed at least a half-swing on any one of three players and a 17 will rarely do it unless one of them is dumb enough to bust. I'd have doubled that 17. 3. A timed BJT round is a travesty and you might consider a friendly conversation with the tournament director at another time. It's far too easy for a smart player to manipulate position for the final hand when a clock determines the end instead of hand count. If I had that talk with a TD and met a brick wall, I'd smile and thank him/her for the time and ask that I be contacted if the rule changes so that I could come back to play another of their BJT's.
