If by small stakes you mean micros, nerd out the ICM shortstack ranges and latereg at the last minute.Vendetta11080 said:
Earlyregging in micros is pure suffering, but I guess there is also quite a bit of money to be made if you limp with suited aces, suited connectors and low pocket pairs aiming to go for the nuts while raising large with medium/big pairs and big cards (if your table is weak of course, but 95% of early reg tables are very weak). Postflop is usually multiway, completely unpredictable and insane, so just go for your reads, as turning your mind off and going GTO-mode won't work there.
Here’s my personal cheat sheet — something a serious MTT grinder friend put together for me when I first started
- Early: play tight–aggressive, punish limpers with bigger raises, focus on value not bluffs.
- Mid stage: open wider from late positions, 3-bet vs nits, avoid big multiway bluffs.
- Short stacks: know your push/fold and ICM spots — especially BTN/SB jams.
- PKO: call a bit wider for bounties.
- Freezeout: protect your stack and apply pressure near the bubble.
- Table awareness: note who calls light, size up for value, and stay calm — mindset > ego.