strategy help for wsoof

de-coder · #1 05-27-07, 09:49 AM

There are a lot of rebuys and turbo rebuys on the schedule for this thing. I've never played in either a turbo or a rebuy. What's the plan for these types of tourneys?

Talking Poker · #2 05-27-07, 12:03 PM

Quick and dirty response:

Turbo - Play much more aggressively. Open up your game and play many more hands. Gamble early (by betting, not by calling).

Rebuy - You need some stones (and a roll) to play in these the right way. Always rebuy any time your stack drops below the starting chip count - including before the first hand of the tournament.

Advanced Rebuy Strategy - Shove with any two until you double up at least once and perferably until you have WELL over the average stack (5-7x?). Most people won't do this, and this strategy isn't for everyone... but starting off with that big pile of chips is a huge advantage. Then play big stack poker and don't look back.

Kurn · #3 05-27-07, 12:15 PM

In a rebuy, the key concept is "spend money to make money." The idea is to gamble like crazy during the rebuy period with the goal of having a giant stack after the add-on. Rebuy the minute you take your seat. Rebuy every time you have 1500 or fewer chips. Double rebuy every time you go broke. Take the add-on unless you have > 10% of the total chips in play.

That being said. Pay attention to who is doing what at your table. If most of the table is playing like its a freeze-out, you must become the rebuy maniac. If there are 2 or more rebuy maniacs at the table, you can often hide in the bushes and call their pushes with better than average hands - 99+, 87s+, Q7+. After the break it becomes deep-stacked NLHE.

Turbo-rebuys are like this with the added aspect of becoming pure preflop games after the break. You will have to push with and A, any 2 paint, any pair. You will call pushes with 88+, AT+, any 2 paint.

de-coder · #4 05-27-07, 12:34 PM

thanks guys

that's basically what I've been doing, but it looks a lot like donking...

I hadn't won a race until the last hand before the break...

de-coder · #5 05-27-07, 01:16 PM

wow... I got fortunate a few times, but that seems to be required for this kind of play (I was also unlucky a lot too, but it may have evened out).

Overall my play was super aggressive and I'm happy with the way I played - particularly since this was my first turbo event ever AND my first rebuy event ever!

I won a seat to the wsoof main event!

Invigilator · #6 05-27-07, 01:27 PM

well done

Invigilator · #7 05-27-07, 01:28 PM

I noticed that for the Freeze-out tournaments both the $5 and $10 tournaments offer a seat in the main event for every $55 of prize pool. This should mean that there are more seats per capita available in the $10 events. Since I am more of a freeze-out guy, I think I will try that.

Invigilator · #8 05-27-07, 01:31 PM

How many rebuys did you make?

de-coder · #9 05-27-07, 01:42 PM

8 rebuys plus 1 add-on. I did rebuy for the first hand and was maniacal before the break. I pushed every PP and opened pots that were folded to me in middle and late position with just about any 2 - very little calling, if there were limpers I'd shove with any 2 facecards or suited connectors (not always of course) - I wanted to play first-in or fold poker (unless I was pushing, which I did quite a bit).

It got frustrating near the end - I had a big stack (biggest at my table) and there were 3 or 4 guys very short compared to the blinds. I basically put them all-in every hand and tried to knock them out, but they kept hitting on me. In all it was very fast and hectic and I'm certain that I don't want to live a life of poker that way, but I'd do it again occasionally.

Talking Poker · #10 05-27-07, 07:13 PM

I'm assuming you mean near the end of the entire tourney, and not near the end of the rebuy period, yes? If that's the case, this is very much so backwards strategy.

In a satellite, "near the end," the short stacks pick on the big stacks, and not the opposite like you are used to. If you had a big stack, you were all but guaranteed a seat. Just sit there and fold everything, or litertally walk away if you can't control yourself.

Remember, when you are on the bubble (extreme example), you're not playing to win - you're playing to NOT lose. In this tourney, for example, with 10 players left, there were about to be 9 winners and only one more loser. Just fold, and let the short stacks battle it out to decide who the loser is going to be. There is no need AT ALL to risk any of your chips and potentially your seat. There was no upside of you gambling there - only downside. So just fold and pat yourself on the back when the bubble finally bursts.

Overall though - nice job. Sounds like you played just right during the rebuy period.

de-coder · #11 05-27-07, 08:21 PM

I do mean near the end of the tourney. I think I was not too bad during the rebuy period.

I had a stack, but the blinds were so high I didn't think I could just fold my way into the top 9 (top 9 got a seat). The I lost a hand against a BB I was ahead in and knew I would have a hard time hanging on. Another loss like that and I was in trouble again. I managed to steal the blinds a couple of times and move from 7 or 8 up to 3rd. Once I had enough money and we were down to 12 or so people I did fold pretty much everything.

I wasn't really sure how big a stack I was going to need in order to fold my way in, so I may have taken on more risk than I needed to.

Kurn · #12 05-27-07, 08:38 PM

I was watching. As with most turbo rebuys, he was chip leader with an M of about 5. IN these, the big stacks are never safe until its HFH and there are a few people with M<1.

de-coder · #13 05-27-07, 09:31 PM

I did feel like I had to keep pressing because I didn't feel safe at all. I'd be 3rd but only have 7 or 8BB... It wasn't until I had, I think it was close to 10BB, and the 10-13 spots were less than 2 o3 BB that I figured I was good.

As you were watching KURN - any feedback on how I played. I know I made it, and that's great, but I'd like to know I played OK and, if not, how to do it better next time.

Kurn · #14 05-27-07, 10:58 PM

You played fine for a turbo rebuy, I mean, there isn't a whole lot of deep strategic concepts there. Its basically shove and pray after the 200/400/a25 level. You seemed to understand that trying to play "good poker" will lead to a slow and painful death.

Talking Poker · #15 05-28-07, 01:36 AM

Well, that changes everything... I've never played in a turbo rebuy. Sounds like quite the crapshoot in the end - All the more reason to build (buy) that big stack early on.