How can i last in an online no-limit poker tournament?

Question

against 5 or six opponents, i can do pretty well, and heads-up i consider myself really solid -- but how can i outlast 200 or even 2000 opponents, many of whom raise all-in constantly?

oftentimes i will outlast better than 50% of tourny entrants, but i guess i get complacent and start hanging in with mediocre hands too often, just to keep my interest up. did i just answer my own question? what do the experts say to do to make it to the money, or better yet, to final tables?

which are the best books you would recommend on the subject of internet texas hold 'em tournament playing? (i also like to play 5-card draw and 7-card stud.)

Answer 1

Doyle Brunson has published 2 amazing books on playing poker...."Super System" and on his site there is a very cool education section with really cool tips and tuturials....

thought this might be helpful....

http://www.doylesroom.com/

Answer 2

To answer your book question first...Harrington on Hold 'Em by Dan Harrington is a GREAT resource.  It sounds like Volume 2 has the info you're looking for...but VOlume 1 is a good read too.  

The huge mulit-table tourney's online invariably involve some luck...  you have to take some chances early to build your stack.  BUt continue taking them so you don't just hang around til the blinds eat you.  Online poker shares a lot of  traits with Live poker.  One key example: Patience is king.  Early on, if you find yourself with a huge stack..you now have the ability to be patient and wait for some hands, and see cheaps flops by limping in...but if the blinds are getting high, you can't afford to wait around for pocket kings or aces... you're gonna have to press with some hands you might not want to.  Harrington lays it out in excellent detail.  But I have a feeling you already have the knowledge...it's just the discipline to consistantly execute it.  Which I'll be the first to admit, that discipline eludes me quite often.

And as far as those all-in guys go... just let them do their thing....  if one of those crazies is left to act after you, don't even enter the pot without a great hand you're willing to devote a lot of chips to.  Those all-in guys usually slow down when/if they build a stack...and if they don't...they lose enough of those all-ins and they're not a problem any more.

Finally, never forget that ALL poker involves some amount of luck...you WILL lose to someone that made a terrible call...and you will win with what your opponent thinks is a terrible call.  You have to stay out there...  if you don't play, your stack will just keep shiriking,

Answer 3

You can't.

Well at least, not everytime.

If you think you can enter a 2000 players tournament and make final table everytime, you're wrong. The idea behind these tournament is that...

You'll  lose a few of them, and then you'll get a big win that'll repay more than all you lost before this. (Obviously, this is assuming you're good enough ).

There's no strategy to get "deep" in the tournament everytime. You just need to play well, and you'll get deep more than the other players, and that's what you're looking at.

NOw.. what is "playing well"?

In the first round of the tournament, play tight ( but still, aggressively ).

You don't want to lose 25% of your stack with 7-7 that miss the flop.

But if you have KK and your opponent want to play for stacks, it's your chance.

Now, suppose you're in the latter stage.. Just before money.

Everyone will be "scary" to play, because they don't want to lose before the money. So steal a lot of blinds. And I mean A LOT.

90% of the time, people will fold. So 90% of the time you win 1.5bb, and 10% of the time, you see a flop, and ( at worst ) you lose the 3-4bb of your steal attempt. Overall, you win lots of chips by doing this. You can even "steal" the blinds with any two cards.

and now, the money bubble burst, there's not much players left...

You must now play "standard" poker, but still aggressive. No more "fooling around", because you'll likely have few bb now, like 15-20 maybe...

If you're shorter than that ( 7-10 ), don't enter a hand without shoving all-in. But you must be ready to shove "light" because you don't have a lot of hands to see, with the blind that big and the ante...

That's about it! Good luck!

Answer 4

Most online players play 'loose'; they will bet, call or raise anything, so you have to play tight.  Play premium hands, play position, and try to keep from going all in against a player with more chips than you.  Most of the online sites show how many hands you have played in a tournament, if it is above, say 30%, you're playing too many hands.

Answer 5

You can't.

Answer 6

Early to mid tournament, play almost exclusively top 10 hands.  The only exception is that I will play any pocket pair cheap in case I flop a set.  

If you get behind early, don't worry.  As long as you stay 10x blinds or better, you have a shot.  Play is loose and you can double up very quickly.   Like someone already said, once the bubble hits, play aggressive pre flop.  You can take a lot of valuable blinds by simply raising 2x blind.  Once the money comes, you can play your game a bit more.

Some things I keep in mind:

1) Don't bluff.  I don't mind playing good draws, but pure bluffs often get called no matter what you represent.  In the money, I will bluff a bit.

2) Play low pocket pairs cheaply.  Anytime I can see a flop cheaply with 22+, I will.  A set is a crushing hand in these tourneys.

3) Avoid slow playing.  I see a lot of good players get busted because they slow play and someone catches a crazy river card.

4) With a big stack, avoid other big stacks.  This is my biggest problem.  If you are within the top 10%, don't get after anyone who is going to hurt you.  

5) Don't limp in with decent cards and make people pay for doing the same.  I steal a lot of pots post flop after raising 3x blind pre flop regardless of whether or not I make a hand.  

6) Don't go on tilt.  You will take some bad beats along the way.  If you can't handle, then don't play.  

Most importantly, have fun.