Why do I crack up when I'm 1st?

  • Thread starter Thread starter vapandrei
  • Start date Start date
vapandrei

vapandrei

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Awards
1
Poker Chips
0
Casino Coins
0
Okay, serious question looking for serious advice.

Whenever I play a tourney and I'm in the right mood to sit and not play bingo, I find myself like 2 hours in, with a huge stack. I play on mobile so the tourney stats aren't on screen. Right after I think I've made a good nestegg, I check out the tournament info to see how many players are left, what's my position and chose one of the prize place as an objective.

If at that time, I see myself as being in the lead (and that happens quite often, a few times I had 3x chips over the 2nd place, too), everything goes to sh*t.

Of course, the obvious would be stop checking stats but that's not a solution. I need to know and if I don't I just make assumptions.

I checked out my HH for the last 4 times this happened and I do see a bit of a shift in my playstyle but nothing that really, really should get me kicked out. 2/4 times I lost considerably to a low pocket pair set, 1/4 lost KQh flush to a Ah10c and the other time I was a complete donk, hoping for a miracle.

These were, as I see them, the hands that sealed my faith. Thing is, I don't feel invincible and increase my range or make hero calls or something. At least I don't think I'm doing that, more than usual.

It's something strange and I can't put my finger on it.
 
once it happened to me too. Here is my explanation. I was a chip leader and when deep in the tourney small stacks started shoving. I was waiting and waiting but either was card dead or there were 3 allins when i got aq and obviously couldnt call... then i checked again and saw from chiplead i was seventh. This is were i felt i was missing my chances and when i got TT on the cutoff i shoved to steal blinds and ante and hit the KK from blinds.Anyway finisged around 100. But the key here is that did not play well when i got from lead to seventh i felt a rush...at least with me this was the problem
 
Lorpugo said:
once it happened to me too. Here is my explanation. I was a chip leader and when deep in the tourney small stacks started shoving. I was waiting and waiting but either was card dead or there were 3 allins when i got aq and obviously couldnt call... then i checked again and saw from chiplead i was seventh. This is were i felt i was missing my chances and when i got TT on the cutoff i shoved to steal blinds and ante and hit the KK from blinds.Anyway finisged around 100. But the key here is that did not play well when i got from lead to seventh i felt a rush...at least with me this was the problem
Click to expand...

Makes sense, and I've been there too. It's not the pressure of being first, I think. At least not only that. It's the missing chances and frankly I feel tightening up might be a mistake. Playing loosely requires luck at high blinds and I feel oblivious to a middle way..
 
Well, common sense tells you to be more aggressive when having chip lead in a tournament. That means opening a bit more, and C-betting more. Now it is obvious that you shouldn't do that with junk, and should still be mindful of your position when raising pre-flop. On the other hand, in my experience, having chip lead doesn't mean that you should call lightly when someone goes all in, even when short stacks or shoving.
Also, if it so happens that you lose against a shove and your stack drops, you shouldn't be too hasty to get it back up. Just think about the time you needed to play very good poker to get to the chip lead, it is senseless to achieve that in just a few hands after loosing some chips.
So it all comes down to being more aggressive, open more, not necessarily calling every time someone goes all in, and also not losing patience if you lose a few hands.
 
Personally, I absolutely love playing loose when I'm in the lead. I think it gives me an advantage. Granted, I'm not a pro. But that's my experience.
 
Having a stack lead offers many advantages,you can open wider,open raise larger and i have found many players will fold thinking of not loosing there stack. they know that takin that chance you would still be in and they would be out
 
Chip leading can easily give a false sense of confidence whether you realize it or it’s subconcious. Go through and analyze each big hand after the tourney and think to yourself “would I do this with 40bb?” That’s always what I recommend when I hear of situations like this. Hope it helps!
 
Push pleasure to other players , still blinds, play aggressive ! Put them to tough spot …
 
Lorpugo said:
once it happened to me too. Here is my explanation. I was a chip leader and when deep in the tourney small stacks started shoving. I was waiting and waiting but either was card dead or there were 3 allins when i got aq and obviously couldnt call... then i checked again and saw from chiplead i was seventh. This is were i felt i was missing my chances and when i got TT on the cutoff i shoved to steal blinds and ante and hit the KK from blinds.Anyway finisged around 100. But the key here is that did not play well when i got from lead to seventh i felt a rush...at least with me this was the problem
Click to expand...



Your story happened to me five or six times. From chip lead where i got duble more then second to 10 place and from bb with QQ rais all in and ran on KK, second time on AA. I think it’s just a bad beat nothing else
 
I advise you to focus on the end result, not the intermediate result. It's better to be a chip leader in the prize zone than at an early stage. Set the right goals and everything will be ok!
 
It's ok to check for ICM and payjumps, but don't put pressure on yourself.

I never say to myself "I have to get this place or that".
I only ever aim for 1st when I have a decent foothold in a FT.


What I just focus on is NOW. Not what happened or the future.
I focus on the decisions I have now and play my best poker
from there on.


Works best when you're in the right mood 😉


(try meditating and study more in free time)
 
the presence of a large stack gives you the ability to play sweat control and do not forget about the cyclicity - I wish you luck ...
 
vapandrei said:
Okay, serious question looking for serious advice ....

I checked out my HH for the last 4 times this happened and I do see a bit of a shift in my playstyle but nothing that really, really should get me kicked out. 2/4 times I lost considerably to a low pocket pair set, 1/4 lost KQh flush to a Ah10c and the other time I was a complete donk, hoping for a miracle.

These were, as I see them, the hands that sealed my faith ....

It's something strange and I can't put my finger on it.
Click to expand...
If those were the hands that sealed your fate, there's nothing strange about it. You just ran out of luck. It happens.
 
lolhave same problem week ago
so desithion is play like you always play
while opponents think you loose or bluff you take more chips from them
easy gaming
 
Back
Top