X'S AND O'S

PLAYING IN TOURNYS AND LASTING FOR HOURS TO MAKE A FINAL TABLE IS BOTH A MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CHALLENGE. AFTER ANOTHER MARATHON 5 HOURS IN A 2$ BUYIN TOURNY AT POKER STARS I PLACED 8TH AT THE FINAL TABLE AND MADE 68$ NOT BAD FOR 5 HOURS OF WORK AND ONLY SPENDING 2 DOLLARS. IT SEEMS MY RECENT STRING OF CASHES MAY BE DUE TO A NEW STRATEGY I APPLIED. TO PROS OR THOSE THAT BEEN PLAYING FOR LONGER THAN I HAVE IT MAY BE OLD NEWS BUT TO ME ITS NEW AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING. FIRST OF ALL I LIMIT THE KIND OF HANDS I PLAY MEANING I PLAY TIGHT AND IF I CALL THE BLIND AND THE FLOP DOESN'T IMPROVE MY HANDS I FOLD IF A PERSON MAKES A RAISE OR RERAISES MY BET I FOLD. I ALSO TRY TO STAY OUT OF BIG POTS AND ALL INS EARLY ON UNLESS I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MY HAND IS THE NUTS. I ALSO PACE MY SELF ONCE I MAKE IT PAST THE FIRST BREAK I TRY TO WIN HANDS BUT KEEP TO THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK. I BELIEVE THERE IS SUCH A THING AS PEEKING TOO EARLY IN POKER. WHEN YOU HAVE A BIG STACK OR THE CHIP LEAD EARLY YOU TEND TO PLAY MORE LOOSE AND GO FROM HERO TO ZERO IN A HURRY. ONCE YOUR IN THE MONEY TRY TO IMPROVE YOUR CHIP STACK BUT CONSTANTLY REMIND YOUR SELF THERE'S ALWAYS A BETTER HAND AND FOLD RATHER THAN CALL OR RERAISE ONCE THE BLINDS ARE LARGER PLAYERS WILL TEND TO FOLD RATHER THAN CHANCE A CALL OF A RERAISE OR HIGHER BET AT THIS POINT . THE BLUFF IS SINK OR SWIM WHEN IT WORKS YOU MAKE OUT AND FEEL GREAT BUT ALL IT TAKES IS BLUFFING AT THE WRONG TIME BEING CALLED AND GETTING KNOCKED OUT AT A LOWER PAY OUT THAN YOU WOULD HAVE IF YOU JUST PLAYED IT SAFE. IM ALL FOR PLAYING FOR 1ST BUT NOT AT THE RISK OF ALL MY CHIPS ON A STONE COLD BLUFF. ONCE AT THE FINAL TABLE USE YOUR CHIP STACK TO YOUR ADVANTAGE AND GO AHEAD AND START TARGETING THE SHORT STACKS MORE THAN LIKELY THEY WILL FOLD LARGE BETS FOR FEAR OF BEING KNOCKED OUT WHEN THEY BET BIG CALL OR GO ALL IN MORE THAN LIKELY THEY HAVE THE HAND THERE GONNA MAKE THERE STAND WITH SO TILL THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE AND STEEL THE ANTES AND BLINDS WHEN YOU CAN. WELL THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE FOR NOW IM STILL FLYING HIGH FROM MY FINAL TABLE 8TH PLACE FINISH I KNOW ITS NOT QUITE 1ST BUT IM GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY .