Shoot-Out Strategy
 

Winning players play to win. That is a given (hopefully), but last night's quit shoot-out got me thinking about how that particular tournament structure might alter or influence strategy.

The payout strucuture in this case was...

1 $327.68
2 $215.04
3 $133.12
4 $81.92
5-16: $46.08
17-64 $15.36

As could be expected, there were some outright donks, but for the most part, there was always 1 or 2 players at my table that were really playing to win the whole thing.

The two questions I am pondering:

1. In those first two tables (which are out of the money), how you adjust your aggressiveness (as opposed to your tightness)?

2. How does your strategy change once you are either ITM or at the final table?

My own thoughts on these questions...

1. I found that I was very focussed on the number of people in the pot. Heads up at any stage, I was much MORE agressive than normal, where I was rather cautious/opportunistic in multiway pots.

Also, I found I was looser in general, since the only positions at a full table (in this case) were CO, Button, SB and BB. Granted my realtaive aggressiveness for these positions is probably the same, but 4 handed, everything is late postion.

2. I don't think I made any real adjustments here. Also, I don't think I noted any major changes in my opponents on this issue. Shoot-out structure would seem to encourage the "play-to-win-it-all" mentallity.

I think that you should be playing much looser and more aggressive simply because it was 4max. You shouldn't get overly aggressive though, just enough agression to negate the fact that you will be in the blinds one half the time.

I also think that you wouldn't want to use SNG strategies until the final table. Because the payouts are like a MTT the value of winning a few chips at the second to last table is not worth the risk of busting before making the FT where the real cheddar is at.

Obviously there are going to be donks out there because it was a lower buy in tourney. I would suggest watching them and taking note of adjustments they DON'T make. They may still be playing as tight as they would if it were a 6m or full ring. If they are still playing extra tight, take advantage and steal more pots.

I would also suggest that because it is a shootout, you do not need to gamble as much to win the thing. You can play solid tight poker and lay down some big hands in tough spots and wait to get your money in better. In a tournament like the Sunday million where it would be best to get your money in if you KNEW you were racing, here it might be best to lay it down and wait for a better spot simply because you don't have to beat 1024 people, you just have to beat 3 other people 5 times in a row.

I think the bolded part above is the most important. It plays like a sng, but pays out like a MTT so you need to adjust your play more to focus on that.

Thanks Fildy. The bolded parts above get the "way cool" nod.