STTs to MTTs - anyone written a guide?

[bjsaust]

Had a bit of a look, couldnt see one. I figure there are quite a few MTTers used to be good STTers, so should know where I'm coming from. I seem to be finding the transition harder than I thought I would (not that I'm changing full time yet, but I'm trying to mix some $4.40s in for a change of pace).

I think probably one of my big issues is my raising range at a full table when I get to around 15 BBs. Well, maybe my issue is getting to 15BBs in the first place, but once I do I get a bit lost. In an STT the table would normally be shorthanded by then and I can raise from position, however at a full table in late position theres very often a raise in front, and from early - mid position I just dont know what kinds of hands I should be raising.

Anyway, if anyone can point me to a guide for STTers playing MTTs that would be great, otherwise any advice from folks who have made the move would be appreciated .

Thanks.

[martindcx1e]

15bb's is pretty much just push/fold range which means if there's a raise in front you definitely can't be calling with any intention of folding later in the hand. Your early/mid position play should be push/fold as well just with a tighter range. I don't know of a guide though. Sorry.

[badgers]

With 15 BBs in an MTT you have a perfect sized stack for resteals. So you should be looking for more restealing opportunities and raising less as yoiu have to be aware that other players may resteal wide.

[bjsaust]

Good advice, came in handy .

Talked to Kmind a bit today, and played a few. Finally had a breakthrough. Final tabled 2 out of 5 $4.40s. Unfortunately I didnt go on with either of them, taking home 8th and 4th. Was short in both, but the 8th was QQ vs 55 with 10BBs left AI pre (he hit a 5), and the 4th was probably a mistake:

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t3000 (4 handed) Poker-Stars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com (Format: FlopTurnRiver)

Hero (t27212)
Button (t69041)
SB (t52474)
BB (t121273)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with A, 6.
Hero raises to t26912, Button raises to t50824, 2 folds.

Flop: (t78336) 6, 3, 2 (2 players)

Turn: (t78336) 9 (2 players)

River: (t78336) Q (2 players)

Final Pot: t54424

Results :
Hero has Ac 6c (one pair, sixes).
Button has Ad Qh (one pair, queens).
Outcome: Button wins t54424.


Is that a bad push UTG with 9bbs?


Anyway, apparantly what I was doing wrong was not making big hands, and if I did make them, not being paid off. Getting sucked out on also wasnt helping my results.

I guess thats how it goes, you play that many hands, sometimes other folks will just get lucky eventually, but gotta make the most of it when luck runs your way.

I think I may have been a bit passive still around bubble and on the FT. Might post up a tourney if anyones bored enough to look through it.

[Hal]

Hey mate,

Was great to see you in action today - thought you did really well waiting for those hands and pushing them hard.. Plenty of stealing too which looked good!

Unlucky on the QQ vs 55. Would have put you in good position on that table

Glad you're still at it and have moved up so far..

FYI: I've been stuck with my same crappy initial buy-in and playing between $5NL and $10NL (really outside my bankroll - but I breakeven/win at it) - but been enjyoing a few of the $1.10 MTT tourneys occasionally - always seem to make the money - but no final tables or anything to speak of yet .. Why'd you decide to stick with SnG/MTT rather than FR/6-max? While I enjoy the tourneys - having a wife I kinda need to get offline at short notice lol and so often can't commit to the time..

[bjsaust]

Mainly I decided at the time I was a losing player that I enjoyed STTs the most, so whilst I was bad at them, I decided to focus on them and improved eventually. I'm kinda tossing up atm between whether to move to cash (probably 6-max) or MTTs. The MTTs intrigue me, but theres something about putting in a lot of time for little or no reward that doesnt appeal that much. Even the 4th today was only about $56 after more than 3 hrs play, whereas last night in 1.5hrs I 6-tabled $22 STTs and earnt about $90.

So mainly playing STTs still atm while I build my roll, but starting to spend more and more time on 10NL 6-max (will probably start moving up to 25NL now) and some MTTs to get better at both styles. Think of it as paying for my lessons with winnings from STTs .

Check my operation, click my sig for link or just go to that forum.

Now I wanna know how the hell you found me to rail today, havnt seen you for ages?

[Hal]

hehe, I've been playing a wide variety of times and every day or two I've been trying to see if you're on and see how you're going - sharkscope + forums told me you were still active but hadn't been able to catch ya ... found you today

[bjsaust]

Ahh. Yeah I stopped for a couple of months between maybe Nov-Jan or so, but active again now. Like you, the times I'm on vary a lot though.

[mcatdog]

A6 hand is standard, you should be shoving a very wide range there.

[shazbox]

Ya, I would say A6 wasn't a bad move, just got unlucky.


Also, with MTTs you can't expect instant reward like you can find in cash and STTs. For instance, I was hovering around 200 on Party Poker for 3 weeks, then I won a MTT and came 4th in another and my roll is up to 1600. Then I was hovering around 225 on FullTilt for a month, then I won 2100 and took my bankroll almost 10x what it was. Key is to just wait it out until the cards go right.

EDIT: Another way to look at it is you make $90 a day playing STTs, so after the week you have 630. You break even for the first 6 days of the weak in MTTs and then on the 7th you come in top 3 and make 600-1000 and you are right around the same as STTs

[GatorJH]

The MTTs intrigue me, but theres something about putting in a lot of time for little or no reward that doesnt appeal that much. Even the 4th today was only about $56 after more than 3 hrs play, whereas last night in 1.5hrs I 6-tabled $22 STTs and earnt about $90.

That is the exact dillemma I am facing. I 3 tabled $22 single table SNG's last nightand won 2 of them, netting $114 in an hour and a half.

However, I have been toying with the idea of playing in some MTT's, not for the win rate or to increase the bankroll, but to learn how to play them in case I decide to play in a live one at some point and I know the mid game strategy in MTT's is so different than the strategy in a SNG.

[bjsaust]

Yeah, I get what you mean Shazbox. Intellectually I know thats the case, but I guess until you actually hit that first win maybe its a bit harder to accept the days when you play for hours and barely get your buyins back (or not even that).