Do you change your game on the final table?

In a final table, stack is a crucial factor. Mastering the short stack playing in fundamental to achieve good results in this fase of tournaments.

I'm waiting for ladder, if i have such a big stak, otherwise it's not worth meddling without a good hand. (But sometimes things are not like that, but much, much nastier)...

Andyreas said:

Hi forum,

I am wondering if you change your play style on FT? Or do you think other players do?

Recently, I had the situation a few times that I enter the FT as top 3 stack but ended up busting as first or second at the table. 😵

Sometimes I have the feeling I need to improve my FT play and related to that, I get the feeling especially the mid stacks have a much tighter range, than I assumed?

What are your thoughts on that? 🤔

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Hi Andy, without reading the replies so far - you are right in what you suspect. FT is still expected to be played thight (unless it is not some hyper-turbo or else, where you get there with 10-16 BB's). So there you may expect to face tight play until 4-5 players remaining. After that you may change and wide your range

DanielNeg said:

I wish I was able to teach you this but I am also. struggling alot these days and feel like there’s alot to learn.
However whenever I play on final table.
I play very tight since there are also factors like pay jump.
Since I am only playing freerolls tournaments and 50cents $1 tournament everyone goes allin on final table because of that I am not able to learn anything new just playing on luck with tighter range😓

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thats not true in many ways
let me explain

Going all in may look fishy and at the wrong times it is

but when you go up study levels we learn concepts and stuuff

We have polarized ranges in GTO

meaning we bet big with the best !! and the worst hands in our range 79 suited


USUALLY how we apply fold equity to our opponents is by increasing our bet sizing

So in no limit holdem
you can push it as far as you need it

It is almost always ok to shove with any 2 on a FT with 10 BB's

but it is Widely taught and believed you must be tighter with your calling range than your shoving range

I do whatever the heck i want
Only because I understand those other concepts entirely .. ANd can deviate appropriatley

Andyreas said:

Hi forum,

I am wondering if you change your play style on FT? Or do you think other players do?

Recently, I had the situation a few times that I enter the FT as top 3 stack but ended up busting as first or second at the table. 😵

Sometimes I have the feeling I need to improve my FT play and related to that, I get the feeling especially the mid stacks have a much tighter range, than I assumed?

What are your thoughts on that? 🤔

Click to expand...

Iv'e been working on that recently!!

boy oh boy

ICm ....

You shoulda seen mondays league game

i was the chip leader...duuuh
(i'm not gonna tell you all the secrets i been working on for FT ICM)
but I'll tell you one technique you have never heard that your'e gonna love
and if you go around respeaking my knowledge make sure you respeak my name as well xD

playing 3 handed against Debi and Greg
(greg was to my left and sitting out) with only 4~ BB's
and people avoid me like the plague when they want to go up a -place
taking icm considerations

Debi couldn't steal gregs blind with value or garbage

I just Jam all in every action and she has to fold due to ICM

greg was allowing me to chip her down every single hand had 30+
So i protect Greg and keep him alive xD
15 hands later she was not happy

She was really pissed when I started folding my sb to Gregs away stack

she saw that I had her in checkmate ICM Prison

She fliped 50/50 just to get out of the ICM trap I created and possibly gone out before a person that is sitting out

just an fyi Debi made the comeback and won it

I took second

but its not about the results

georgi krastev said:

I'm waiting for ladder, if i have such a big stak, otherwise it's not worth meddling without a good hand. (But sometimes things are not like that, but much, much nastier)...

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think about that deeper

the aggros are wider?
they are throwing around chips and will fold to a well timed jam correct?

mabey instead of waiting for a hand we can wait for someone to come along that doesnt have one either

Keep in mind the many layers of a people vs people game
not just cards

Playing the final table requires a lot of attention and concentration. Big money is being played, and most rooms have the option of splitting the prize between the remaining poker players. I don't change the game.

At the final table, I play extremely tight.

Sure, it depends if I am the chip leader or not

At the final table, I'm starting to play more relaxed because I'm already doing great. This helps me get better results.

I try to play more aggressively, to destabilize those who want to go up the ICM.