Just played in this (entry 500 FPP), $20k top prize.

Finished 2759 out of 5000, which was very disappointing.

In the first and second blind levels I was cursed by a rash of low pocket pairs (77 and below) which had to be called against a moderate raiser and which didn't connect with the flop.

Should I abandon the small pairs early on? Comments appreciated.

I identified two overt LAG/bluffer/bully types who were nevertheless susceptible to the a move themselves if it was for enough money to damage them, and built my stack up to well above average near the end of the first hour.

Just before the first break I limped in EP with pocket tens with 2 others. The flop came like 5,6,J rainbow. I bet the pot out of position on the flop to go against one opponent (one of the LAGs) who called and the turn came 2. I bet the pot again thinking I'd give it up on the river if I got called. I did get called, the river was a K. He checked and so did I. He had K2o. I was quite amazed. He was a medium sized stack and he had stood two pot-sizers with virtually zip.

Comments on my/his play appreciated.

That set me back a bit, and then the coup de grace came after the break when another LAG (who was the big stack but lost like 80% of his chips a few hands after I went out) limped from MP. Folded around to the button who also called. I was in the BB and had a below average stack with K9o. When the flop came KT6 no flush draw I decided to push, as the amount in the pot amounted to about a third of my stack and the LAG would have raised preflop with any two big or A-medium+ (note: and the LAG would have bet regardless to take the pot away from me if I'd have checked). Anyway, the LAG calls, and I have a pair of kings and he has T5 for a pair of tens.

Of course he spikes a T on the river and I'm out.

Comments on my/his play appreciated.

I don't normally play tournaments and this is only like my 3rd MTT ever. I would appreciate some advice on tournament play because I'm now a bit at a loss to explain to myself how I went out so quickly. And how does one cope with these massively aggressive types who will pursue any part (or even no part) of the flop?

hi tetsuo,

i am not an expert by any means, but i probably play more of these freerolls than most of the people on this forum. i play the $1k freeroll on prima once or twice a day.

i have had more success since i stopped playing small and medium pairs unless i can limp in for less than 5% of my stack. in most of these tourneys you start with very few chips, and there are a ton of wild players who either don't know anything about tourney strategy, or don't care because it is free, and they don't want to sit there for two hours unless they have a big stack, and can have some fun.

because of this i treat my starting chips as very dear. don't worry about these LAGs running over you. you only need one good hand to double through them. i like for the LAGs to gather up all the chips at a table while i am biding my time, it is like money in the bank for me if I can just get a couple of good hands before i am too short.

if i am in the blinds, and catch part of a flop, like 2nd pair, or top pair w/ no kicker, i usually dump it. i am waiting for a spot where i am a big favorite, and i am saving every chip i can, so i can double up for more.

of course sometimes you don't catch anything, and end up having to pick an alamo hand (that's ATE's term) to make a stand before the first hour is up, but usually i am in decent shape at the first break. anything over half the average stack at the first break, and i am feeling good. i let the kamakazies flame out around me, enjoying the spectacle. the good thing is, there is plenty of action when you do catch that big hand. of course when i get on a good run, and get a big stack, my strategy changes, but i am still conservative until the bubble, it is very easy to piss away a huge stack in these things.

the other day, i was in one of these, and played 3 hands the first hour, but had a stack well above average at the first break. i have been in the money 2 out of the last 3 of these, one was a 3rd place finish, and in the third, i busted out on the bubble when i had a great chance to double up. don't get the wrong impression, i play these to win, and often bust out on the bubble rather than get blinded down to the point that the best i can do is stall for $3, but the first hour is not the time to be aggressive with speculative hands.

You've definitely helped me with that post.

With the small pairs, I was looking at a 5-10% max investment preflop so I'll scale that down to 5%.

I do abandon immediately second best or speculative hands pretty quick unless the conditions are right for a bluff, but following your advice I might abandon the bluffs in the first hour.

I love the concept of the LAGs being a kind of 'bank' for doubling through!

It comforts me to know that with a 50% of average stack before the break is actually OK. I had been mentally anguishing if I went much below average, so that's a big change.

Thanks a lot.