I used to play the basic by-the-book strategy and early on (like 3-4 years ago) it worked pretty well in tourneys. But, over the last year - and TP can attest to this - i found myself getting low-cashes or being semi-short-stacked late in a tourney and losing a coinflip. Over and over - this is for like the last year now. Even in my local games i play for basic fun stakes, i used to always cash, now i finish late but dont win any money.
I thought (and still believe) that part of my problem was a weak middle game, but i found that almost always half-way through a tourney - i was always at the avg stack or just below it. well, 90% of the time. the other 10% i was low or out. Rarely, if ever, a big stack.
Then i noticed how a lot of accomplished tourney players (and Hersh mentioned this in one of his backing strings) either finish early or accumulate chips. So I am now thinking that i do need to gamble more, be a little more unorthodox early on. Take that 7,8 hand you mentioned. Before i would have thought like you say - dont get tied up in a mess with that hand early on. Wait for a better spot. But, the problem i am finding is that sometimes the better spot does not come along quick enough. Now, I think if i can get all my chips in on that flop vs someone with an ace-big-kicker or a str8/flush draw - so be it. Double up early - then i can do some real playing and splashing around, or be done with it and go see a movie (or fire up another tourney).
I have just started playing around with this - at some very low stakes and at a home tourney - so its early on. But, this has lead to me getting chips early in the tournament - which has allowed me to play a completely different middle game.
I dont know - there are so many different types of tournament strategies. just watching on television - you can see all kinds of different strategies get deep. But, think about how many times you have seen people kind of fumble and stumble their way deep getting lucky. I am thinking that maybe sometimes you have to force that luck. Play draws super-aggressive. If they fold, you take a small pot. If they call - okay - lets see if we can get lucky and double up early.
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