Some simple Poker Advice on rebuys please

[Rod]

Hi All

I have been reading this forum for quite a while and have been really impressed by the apparent quality of players on it. So I thought I would make a post and ask for some advice :-)

I have been playing poker for the last two years mainly cash games and sit n go's (online and live) which I do quite well at. For the last few months I have been trying to figure out what is the correct strategy for a low limit (£5) no limit hold 'em rebuy tournament. The local casino in Cardiff has lots of these and I just can't figure them out and I don't know what I am doing wrong. The problem I have is building a stack during the rebuy stage.

The tournament is a £5 rebuy where you get 500 chips and the blinds start at 25/50 and go up after 45 minutes to 50/100. Rebuys then end and the blinds go up every 20 minutes after that starting at 100/200.

Lots of people call with all kinds of hands and there are lots of rebuys (as you would expect at this level) so I have tried just playing very tight with premium hands and playing any hands I get very aggressively (by that in this game I mean playing A-Q, A-K and any pair 8's or better even A-J in later position if there is no raise). This is OK but the good hands don't come along that often and when they get beaten it's usually for all your chips, and even if it's not, as your playing so few hands losing a pot is a big blow. It seems with such a low number of chips you can't actually take a flop and need to be pretty much pot committed preflop if you raise.

When I do manage to build a decent stack I usually do OK in the stage after the rebuys are over but the main things I want to know are.

1. How many chips should I be aiming to have at the end of the rebuy period
2. Am I trying to play this too tight in the rebuy and should I try a looser game or a different type of game altogether

Any advice would be really helpful :-)

Rod

[TightEnd]

Hello

£20 rebuy junkie here


I would want 15x bb at the end of the rebuy period...less is ok but 3000 is what I look for preferably more


You are IMO playing too tight, the early stages are about limping with many hands and hitting flops and implied odds. As you say you'll be playing good starting hands multi way so their chances of winning are much reduced. Try suited connectors, one gappers, some funky stuff


If uncomfortable with this, or you can't afford at least 4-5 buy ins, then you need to find a cheap freezeout



When you revert to tight aggressive post rebuy period with some chips you can clean up from people not adjusting their style of play in these cheap rebuys

[ifm]

Firstly if you can afford it play at a slightly higher buyin level, the difference even to a £10 rebuy is huge though there are still nutters
500 chips is awful btw.

1. I aim for 10k min with 1000 starting chips so i'd say 5k is a good target.
2. It's difficult to advise, i have played these and you literally have no choice but to gamble against 7 allins every hand, i tend to go with any 2 till i win a big pot then just nut up till the rebuys end.
This is when they are all nutters.

[pswnio]

That is a HORRIBLE structure!

Totally agree with Tighty, that's the way I play them online anyhow. Lots of limping with decent position is my motto, if you can get away with it, but if not, be prepared to push with any two! I find it generally impossible to bluff post flop early doors anyway - people will call anything hoping to spike their inside edge straight -  so you might as well make the most of the little fold equity you have by getting them all in. The real trick is knowing when to change gears...

[jezza777]

Limping isnt going to work with a buy in being only 10xbb. You have to gamble but you can still find an edge by playing cards that can do well multiway and being a bit tighter than the nutters. (Not too tight tho). Personally I would either pass or move in until I get myself a stack. If I hit 3k then I can chill out and mebbe try and see some flops.

[doubleup]

I think your strategy is pretty well ok.  If there is a lot of pre-flop all-in action, you do want to play the bigger cards plus as tightend suggested maybe suited connectors that will win their share of multiways.

You can't control the cards you get but you can control your rebuys.  The structure of this tourney is pretty appalling - an addon will get you 2.5 big blinds.  I think you could get more experience and value for money playing online.  If there are any live tourneys you can play that have 20bbs for a buyin at the start, these would be much more preferable.

[pswnio]

Limping isnt going to work with a buy in being only 10xbb. You have to gamble but you can still find an edge by playing cards that can do well multiway and being a bit tighter than the nutters. (Not too tight tho). Personally I would either pass or move in until I get myself a stack. If I hit 3k then I can chill out and mebbe try and see some flops.

True. I don't think I could bring myself to play with opening stacks at 10xBB though. I'd rather play bingo

[TightEnd]

I stand corrected

the rebuys i play offer 1000 chips and 20x starting bb, limping in these can be very worthwhile

with 10x bb I would allocate say 4x rebuys to pushing all in with hands with at least some potential and hope to get a workable stack to play sensibly with

[Sark79]

Welcome to Blonde Rod.   I will also enjoy reading the advice outlined in this thread, thanks.

[jezza777]

Limping isnt going to work with a buy in being only 10xbb. You have to gamble but you can still find an edge by playing cards that can do well multiway and being a bit tighter than the nutters. (Not too tight tho). Personally I would either pass or move in until I get myself a stack. If I hit 3k then I can chill out and mebbe try and see some flops.

True. I don't think I could bring myself to play with opening stacks at 10xBB though. I'd rather play bingo

hehheh, lets not forget that poker is a game of skill and these tournies must provide a juicy overlay IF you can find the right strategy.

[M3boy]

Get your table to ALL agree to play the first hand blind all in - and hope you win it! lol

Other than that, push with hands that have alot of potential - ie suited connectors.

[M3boy]

Just had a thought? Can you rebuy straight away? If so do this , its a must!

[totalise]

Hi Rod,

I'd start gambling a bit more in the rebuy period. If people really are shoving their stack in with anything, start doing similar, gamble it up a little, get a stack, and then use that cash game experience to take advantage once the stacks get a bit deeper. Dont worry about playing a preflop game with 10bbs, just stick it in and have a bit of fun.

[Rod]

OK I'm definately going to try playing looser next time I play one of these and try to get a decent amount of chips before the buyins end. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for all the advice - its great. I'll let you know how I do :-)

[daveymck]

If a couple of people are all in and you have a crappy hand that has potential and isnt likely dominated then call, ie suited connectors, unsuited connectors things like 67, 910 etc.  But dont so it with stuff like A2 or k8 etc as will likely not have 2 live cards.