$11 STT's on Poker Stars

I went through a bad run for a while. I cannot say it was all the cards either. Probably a bad run of cards as well as a bad run of impatience resulting in bad decisions.

So I took some time off.

I stopped playing ring games for the moment. I will go back to it later. Right now I need to build my confidence back up...and my bankroll. I started this road with a $600 bankroll - $60 of which I gifted to my dad to try his own poker luck at the ring tables. That bankroll grew at one point to about $800. Now it is down to about $215. Ouch!

So...I am now playing 9-Man Single Table Tournaments (STT) on Poker Stars. I am keeping track of where I place on an excel spreadsheet. So far I have played 50 tournaments. Here are my stats:

Tournaments = 50

ITM = 17

ITM % = 34%

1st = 7

2nd = 7

3rd = 3

So when I make it ITM (In The Money), which is the top 3 spots of 9, I place it in either first or second 80% of the time and third 20% of the time. I like those numbers.

What I do not like, however, is losing 66% of the tournament's I play.

I have had one great run where I won 7/8 tournaments in a sitting. That was my first 8 tournaments of the 50 - started out wonderful!

But I have had at least 3 sessions where I literally lost 7-8/8 tournaments. Ouch. Those are bad runs.

However, I have adjusted my strategy to compensate. I now pretty much do the following:

1. Until it is 5 handed I only play AA-QQ, AK. When I do play those cards - I played them aggressively. BUT if I have pocket KK and the flop has an A - I bet the pot and fold to any resistance. Basically even on those good pocket cards - I am willing to fold to dangerous flops.

Additionally, in late position I will limp in or call 3Bets with Ace-suited or pocket pairs. Then it is fold or flop a set or flush. If the price is right I will call a raise to the turn on a 4-to a flush.

Additionally, limping in with set or flush potentials is only valid if I expect there to be 3-5 people at the flop. I need those implied odds to justify the 7 times I won't hit the set or flush.

2. Once 5 handed or when the blinds become 1/10 of my stack - I go into phase two. This is where I begin blind stealing. Blind stealing for me is defined as open raising. It is not blind stealing if someone limps in ahead of me. When I blind steal I will either do 3X BB or double the BB and add $75 - really it is whatever is effective.

My blind stealing range is: Any A, any Pocket Pairs, any two Broadway cards (face cards).

If I get called, it is flop or fold. I only continue after the flop if I think I have the best hand.

Additionally I will continue limping in late position with Ace-suited, K-suited, or 77+ pocket pairs hoping to flop a flush or set.

3. Also - during phase two I try not to get involved in multi-way pots without monster hands. If I open raise the pot with AK or QQ and get two callers who start betting the flop - I probably am folding. No point fighting with what may be the second best hand or worse.

4. Once we get to the bubble - we go into phase 3. Basically here the bubble is about blind stealing. I avoid calling any All-Ins that can take me out of the tournament - unless I have AA-QQ. I will go all in myself with less than 10BB with Ax, Pocket Pair, or two Broadway cards. I will only call an All-In if I have A7+, AA-QQ and at least 150% of whatever short-stack is going all in. Basically I want to survive if I lose calling a short-stack's all-in with at least 10BB.

5. ITM - this is where the gears change. I am looking to win small pots and avoid calling All-Ins or going All-In myself. Of course I want all the chips in with AA-QQ. 3 handed is about cat-and-mouse.

If 3 handed gets to the point where I have less than 10BB or more than double a short-stack's going ALL-IN - I will go All-In or Call an All-In.

6. Heads Up - again - cat and mouse game. I am looking to blind steal pre-flop and continuation bet the flop if I catch something. I am looking to set up a trap when I catch Pocket AA-QQ or flop two pairs or better.

So far this strategy is resulting in more finishes ITM. The most valuable part of this strategy is playing very tight until it gets 5 handed.

Currently I 4 table $10+1 9-Man STT. Once I get my ITM back above 45% I want to increase this to 6 Tabling. Eventually I want to be 12 Tabling at 40% ITM+.

The basic idea is to start taking a profit once my bankroll gets above 100 Buy-Ins. I want that 100 Buy-Ins to protect against the inevitable major downswings.