Illusions of Grandeur - Tournament Strategy

[PokerGob]

Because the blinds increase in a poker tournament there is not always time to wait for quality hands. The worst part about always waiting for quality poker hands in a tournament is that when you get them, they don’t always hold up. So if one chooses to wait and they don’t get enough quality hands to win poker tournaments and those quality hands don’t always hold up, then how can one possibly win one a poker tournament? One must create the illusion that they are getting better cards than others. They must constantly be looking for ways to pick up easy pots, orphan pots, or little pots. The big pots can and will come, but you’re waiting for that one anyway.

You should do this occasionally never often and maybe just once, here is a quick example:

You’re on the Big Blind, with a “Twenty Hand” something like :qc: :td: The cards don’t matter so much, but you need a little something in case you’re called, this way you may have enough to win the pot on the river, but generally you’re looking for everyone to fold. In a live tournament, I’ve done this without even looking at my hand; I just pretended to look at my cards.

With the blinds 200/400, three villains limped in for 400 and the small blind splashes in 200 so there are 5 players and 2000 in the pot. Stacks are generally even with each player around 9,500 to 11,000, this is important to observe because each player can’t really call a big raise, but they can fold because they are not committed to deeply, basically each player can “afford to fold.”

I make a big raise to 3,200 and everyone folds. My stack increased roughly 20% from 10,000 to 12,000 because I had the guts and the skill to identify the situation and sense weakness. I made a good move at a good time and gave the illusion that I had good cards.

My opponents didn’t want to play a big pot and they were all trying to see a cheap flop with speculative hands. If you use this move sparingly and even if it goes wrong sometimes, the sum is usually a gain.

The post was named Illusions of Grandeur not Delusions of Grandeur and by the way I peaked back at my cards, it was :7c: :5h: good hand!

Definitions

Twenty Hand: Any Hold'em hand with two face cards or a ten and a face card with or without matching suits and are not paired, for example queen-ten is a Twenty Hand and a pair tens is not.

Illusion: something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality.

Delusion: a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact

[Dacooler]

Nice post Gob. This is a play that I use occasionally. I like to call it "punishing the limpers". Like you said timing is everything and you are representing a big hand. I like suited connectors myself but like you said "twenty hands" have a good chance too especially if connected or suited.. If you are called by one player you still have a chance. Especially of you have something like 45 suited and the flop hits they wont put you on that hand and you might just pull it off even with one caller.
It is very risky and like you said your read and timing must be really good. Also like you said you must be almost or last to act..

[PokerGob]

It works with any hand really, if you're called you almost have to fold after the flop if you don't hit, or you can attempt to further the bluff, it all depends on who calls you. You're right, you should punish limpers for not having the nerve to raise pre flop. You just have to make sure they're not trapping with a monster, but generally it's a risky play with outs. This play works really well from the small blind too.

[dikamon]

Nice post... I usually put more emphasis on people's stacks and position. I usually only like to do this from the Dealer, SB or BB position preflop. Also when the caller/limper stacks are less then mine, this is a no brainer play bullying from position. However always beware of someone with a huge stack that is still in the hand.

[PokerGob]

I see your point, Dikamon, but I would be more concerned with a small stack in this spot, because they may limp-raise themselves all in forcing me to call. For example I raise to 3,200 and a stack 5,500 just moves all in, I'm trapped, that's why I would rather do it against players who can "afford to fold." If a large stack raises, I'm out 3,200, but it would look completely ridiculous (not just look but actually be ridiculous) to fold to a bet where 40 to 60% of the money in the pot was mine.

[pjr54]

I agree this is a very good move as long as the other players will fold and you don't have a super agressive player in the hand.

[PokerGob]

I agree this is a very good move as long as the other players will fold and you don't have a super agressive player in the hand.

it's a good move, but would you try it is the question, it's hit or miss! :)

[mannyfest]

This is one of those genius plays where a player finds themselves faced with calling an all in with 83 off because someone picks them off because they recognize the play. I like the idea conceptual, bt how many times do you think it will work to be profitabe? Is there any equation that we can come up with like if it works 3 out of 10 times it is profitable? I also think that this situation doesn't occur as much as you might think in order to do it.

[FinalTable]

Great post Gob. I like this one a lot. Very well said and extremely important in tournaments. In any tournament, your going to have to steal pots from somewhere. I think you did a great job of saying when and how to use this move. It does work although I agree with pjr54 as to watch out for aggressive players.

Sometimes some people are just going to call no matter what. You just have to recognize the correct time. Every time that I have made it to a FinalTable or won a game. I always used this strategy. Although Gob you have worded this in a way that it helps me to understand even better of what I'm doing.