Ask Ryan Laplante About Tournaments

[Ryan Laplante]

Ask me anything tournament poker related that doesnt involve a specific hand!

Topics like: Theory questions, studying questions, mindset, game selection, bankroll management, staking industry, sites to play on, software and tools, etc.

If you'd like my input on a handhistory please post it in the designated area of the site and I'll happily give my input!

 

[terryk]

Hey,Ryan! I play at PS and Party,was looking to add another site,what would be your recommendation? (i play 6-max and KO tournys mostly)

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Hey,Ryan! I play at PS and Party,was looking to add another site,what would be your recommendation?

Depends on where you live, and why you are looking to add another.

Main options are: 888, Americas Card Room, unibet, winamax, Ipoker, GGpoker, Merge.

My main suggestion is 888, but any of these could fit your needs.

 

[terryk]

I`m in canada,so options unlimited Just want to have more options is all,feel like i`m missing out on Specials(freerolls et all)Thx for ur thoughts:waveyprob should of added i bet sports)

 

[whiskers77]

Hi Ryan,

when you play tourney in NLHE, what kind of speed do you prefer?
Hyper, Turbo, normal or even deep stacked with long blind structure?

=^..^=

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Hi Ryan,

when you play tourney in NLHE, what kind of speed do you prefer?
Hyper, Turbo, normal or even deep stacked with long blind structure?

=^..^=

Deep stack, long blind structure, with large field and buy-in.

Thus my favorite tournament of the year is the wsop main event!

 

[whiskers77]

Deep stack, long blind structure, with large field and buy-in.

Thus my favorite tournament of the year is the WSOP main event!

Thanks for your fast reply. Some more curiosity by me...
Do you prefer them, because you have more time to think about your hands and moves?
How many tourneys do you play at all per week?

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Thanks for your fast reply. Some more curiosity by me...
Do you prefer them, because you have more time to think about your hands and moves?
How many tourneys do you play at all per week?

I prefer them because: The deeper the average stack, the more play involved, and the larger the skill edge.


I play around $500,000 in buyins a year. Around 3000 online tournaments and 200 live tournament entries.

 

[Dejange]

Hi Ryan,
Upon my own view, tournament strategy is split in between 3 major points: position playing, opponents reading and hands odds. Correct me please, if I am wrong, and tell me what you are paying the most attention?

 

[whiskers77]

I prefer them because: The deeper the average stack, the more play involved, and the larger the skill edge.


I play around $500,000 in buyins a year. Around 3000 online tournaments and 200 live tournament entries.

Huh, you spend some time at the tables. Rounded 60 tourneys per week and if you also prefer this long lasting ones... But probably also play some parallel online. Do you have complete poker free days?

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Hi Ryan,
Upon my own view, tournament strategy is split in between 3 major points: position playing, opponents reading and hands odds. Correct me please, if I am wrong, and tell me what you are paying the most attention?

Playing tournaments is based around more than those.

Those factors you gave are the simple descriptors of what goes into playing any game of poker.

(Position + Hand odds= Playing theoretically sound.

Adjusting to opponents = Using the above theory, but adjusting to exploit your opponents.)

These exsist in cash games as well.

Tournaments also involve adjusting for changing stack size, for icm factors, for structure and field difficulty, etc.

 

[Dejange]

Playing tournaments is based around more than those.

Those factors you gave are the simple descriptors of what goes into playing any game of poker.

(Position + Hand odds= Playing theoretically sound.

Adjusting to opponents = Using the above theory, but adjusting to exploit your opponents.)

These exsist in cash games as well.

Tournaments also involve adjusting for changing stack size, for icm factors, for structure and field difficulty, etc.

Thank you for the answer! Yeah, stack sizes I forgot to mention within the opponents reading. I am know putting more attention to this. ICM I am still exploring, rather mathematical effort, hehe. But really useful, especially in late stages. Glad to know your opinion

 

[whiskers77]

What means field difficulty for you? Could you describe this more?

 

[terryk]

How many hands does it usually take to be able to `exploit` your opponent and what points do you look for at first?

 

[Propane Goat]

What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome in terms of becoming good at poker, and how did you do it?

 

[Jacki Burkhart]

OK I'll play. I'm a little confused at some of the terms thrown around in the staking industry. I understand markup. what about makeup?

What are typical staking arrangements for pros and how do you find your backers?

Do you have staking goals for each tourney? or do you just plan to play no matter what and just sell as much as you can?

Basically, I'm looking to start selling for some of my $1k+ buy in tourneys and have no idea where to start.

 

[prw18]

How many hands does it usually take to be able to `exploit` your opponent and what points do you look for at first?

Great question. I usually play 9-man SNGs and I know how many hands it takes to get a read on a player stats in that game setting but what about MTTs, is it the same? Are there other things I should be looking for. What are some of your favorite HUD stats for MTTs? How many buy-ins do you generally keep in your bankroll?

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Huh, you spend some time at the tables. Rounded 60 tourneys per week and if you also prefer this long lasting ones... But probably also play some parallel online. Do you have complete poker free days?

I take lots of time off!

I probably average working 40 to 50 hours/week.

 

[Ryan Laplante]

What means field difficulty for you? Could you describe this more?

The more high skill pros the tougher the field.

 

[Ryan Laplante]

How many hands does it usually take to be able to `exploit` your opponent and what points do you look for at first?

Live can do it immediately sometimes, usually need a few orbits live, and 30 to 60 hands online to start to really exploit well.

 

[Ryan Laplante]

What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome in terms of becoming good at poker, and how did you do it?

Dealing with tilt and focusing on what I can control.

 

[Ryan Laplante]

Great question. I usually play 9-man SNGs and I know how many hands it takes to get a read on a player stats in that game setting but what about MTTs, is it the same? Are there other things I should be looking for. What are some of your favorite HUD stats for MTTs? How many buy-ins do you generally keep in your bankroll?

Pretty similar.

Main hud stats i care about:

Vpip -Voluntarily Enter Pot
PFR- Pre Flop Raise
RFI- Raise first in
3bet- Re-raise pre
Steal- Co/Btn RFI

Cbet-Continuation Bet

 

[Ryan Laplante]

OK I'll play. I'm a little confused at some of the terms thrown around in the staking industry. I understand markup. what about makeup?

What are typical staking arrangements for pros and how do you find your backers?

Do you have staking goals for each tourney? or do you just plan to play no matter what and just sell as much as you can?

Basically, I'm looking to start selling for some of my $1k+ buy in tourneys and have no idea where to start.

Make-up deals with long term staking, it is the money you are down from the previous time you profit chopped.

Most deals are 50-50 splits of profit, some can be better, some can be worse. Some can get side perks and access to loans/etc, some have difficulty with that.

Backers are found via networking and building a good a professional reputation. Start selling small with low mark-up and build up.

I have a certain level of variance tolerance based on difficulty of tourney, size of buy-in, how much make-up im in...etc.

Plenty of sites to go to to start selling, other major forums, or site like StakeKings/YouStake.

 

[dj11]

I just watched you in a 10K NLO8 tourney.

I asked at that table why there are ante's in NOL8 tourneys, and not in PLO8 tourneys.

Why do you think that is?

 

[AshK44]

Hey Ryan,

I am a fairly new player. I seem to have a lot of success when I play live. Online I do not Murrow to same success. Can you please give me some advice on areas of study that are more important when it comes to online play that could help even out my statistics? Thanks

Ash