So sick by the extremely bad plays at the tables

[scrawnybob]

hi

ok great to see your already getting some really constructive feedback on your hand ... thats great and always a help to have all ideas

there is alot to cover in your OP that many have covered already ... including pot odds which every player must must must get at that least the basic understanding and rough calculations of ... even if you cant do it accurately - the mechanics will save you alot of bad calls and also get you to understand why others do what they do

which brings me to my point (finally) - and why your and their decisions are NOT governed solely by odds and starting hands ...

your situation as I understand it 1800 chips with BB at 600 ... so your not short stacked your desperately short stacked

if you have to call the BB and the SB you have halved your chips to scrape another orbit of the table (at best you might double up to end up back at 1800) ... so you have to go ALL-IN with somthing approaching a hand before you are commited to the blinds

now your stack is so low that position at the table is almost irrelevant (in terms of forcing a fold to pick up the blinds as someone can easily cover you and look you up) - however position is still useful as the action before you will tell you if you have next to no chance or some chance ...

But the most important thing for you in this situation is that you only have 2 options ...

FOLD or ALL-IN ... calling the blind to see the flop commits you 600 and leaves you only 1200 so you cant fold anyway (mostly)

so you may as well get it all-in preflop and (with a reasonable but not great hand) hope to hell that no-one has high pairs etc and you just pick up the blinds (then to 2700 chips)

or you get a hand and you push all-in and hope that maybe a couple call your all-in and you win (3600 chips)

The crucuial thing is to get chips and quickly - with as little risk as possible, the blinds allone are massively valuable so just allin to get them

other players situation is most of them will have you more than covered and several of them are bigger stacks and they want to get players out - so they play loose and will call or go all-in with 2nd / 3rd tier hands ... knowing you (short stacks) need far more reason to call than they need to bet they are pricing you and other short players out of as many hands as possible, making you fold and picking up blinds along the way or going to a showdown and either winning & taking another player out (so nearer the money) or if they loose they are just "loaning" the short stacks some chips for them to get into trouble with (and get them back)

the logic and mindset of a short and big stack player should be totally different - the cards should play less of a part of the game - its about control and domination

hope thats a help
cheers scrawnybob

[Arjonius]

When your stack is 3BB, you have only two possible pre-flop actions, push and fold. Limping is way too weak. If you win the blinds, it adds 50% to your stack - a good result. And if you have to play the hand, you want to be against only one opponent if possible; pushing is your best chance to get in this situation where, you either only have to draw out on one person or fade being drawn out on by one.

Also, taking a step back, you should try to avoid getting so short in the first place by looking for opportunities to push earlier when you still have more chips and thus more fold equity.

[me_kjm1]

I am not sure what kind of torny this was but it sounded like it was free or $1 buy in? In that case just be happy your in the money. The bad beats will come. You don't have to be a great poker player to get in the money on these "freerolls". You just have to be lucky and be lucky at the right time.

[natbk2kicazz]

WOW!! What great responses from everyone!! This game was a private freeroll game. Just to let everyone know. I know that people play more loosely in a freeroll game, but usually in the private games that I play in, there isn't that much all in's and bad play. I watched for awhile the people at the table taking out the others with very little in their hands preflop by going all in constantly. I also know that some play for fun, but usually when your in a private game, your playing amungst serious players... or so I thought LOL!! I just hate it when people are always going all in before the flop with 78, 24, Q9...etc. That night, I sat there and watched 5 of them at my table, do it repeadedly. I was so mad because of how lucky they kept getting, and then once again they got lucky with me. It was just depressing that's all. It happens all the time at the tables, that night it just struck a nerve....

Thank you to everyone for all your replies!! It helped me see some things differently, like the pot odds call. I do understand the call now, but still don't agree with their play at the tables that night. Calling people all in preflop when you only have 78 in your hand and winning repeadily and then laughing about it, isn't my idea of fun poker. That night, like I said, their was 5 of them at my table. So half of the table, and everyone of them kept getting lucky. Ahhhhh anyways I can take a deep breath because that game is well over.... THANK GOSH LOL!!!

Natasha

[MoreheadD]

Pretty sick, you just got unlucky.

[PokerJonny]

It has been commented in previous posts that your only options pre flop were to fold or push all in.

This is basic poker strategy in this situation.

If you (or anyone else) is serious about playing any tournament then you should read the books 'HARRINGTON ON HOLD EM' volumes 1 and 2 by Dan Harrington.

These books are basically the bible of NL Holdem tournament play and the strategies/theories discussed are in the arsenal of every good poker player.

The books may cost £10-20 (there is also a 3rd in the series now) but its some of the best money I have ever spent and these books have probably made me £thousands.