The Official KC Strategy

[dj11]

OK, because it got bumped, I reread it and can now comment.

2 years should be long enough to contemplate this strategy, right?

First off I get waylayed by typos. They screw me up immensely.

With the new RUSH tourneys at Full TIlt I think this is an EXCELLENT overall strategy. The beauty of RUSH is that you can take a strategy into it and see, and thus reinforce the lessons in quick fashion.

Unfortunately for me, I was using this strat for the RUSH tourneys and it seems now that some silly fool bumped this again that everyone in the whole ****ing world is now using this strategy in RUSH tourneys.

You did not, IMHO, express how important it is to be able to lay down a big hand, say JJ or QQ to an agro player not as much because you think you might be beat (or best FTM), but because it is better to control the game as much as possible and risking your stack preflop is not in the better interests of your overall tourney life. Same might go for post flop when you hit your 2 pair but the board is flushed (and other similar scenarios). I could almost guarantee that at some point in almost any tourney you will lose that overexuberance when you jam preflop with JJ or QQ, and run smack into bigger pair, or the turkey that plays Ax and hits the flop. It is then that we/you must be able to lay it down.

If you folks play this strategy 'as is', you will usually benefit greatly. Especially for you who don't get to the top half of half your tourneys, you should expect to get to the top half in more than half your tourneys dependent on how well you follow these 'rules'. Once you make the top half of the tourney, you should feel reasonably confident that you are ally be a lot of game leftdoing fine. DON'T LET YOURSELF GET COCKY! at that time. There will usually be a lot of game left, and patience will be the single biggest determining factor in where you end up.

 

[kmixer]

Honestly I am glad it got bumped I saw this a long time ago and never got around to reading. Now I have and I am glad I did. I will be giving this one a shot next week sometimes. The strategies here sound like something I need to start following more.

One quick thing though. Since most sites have synchronized breaks now it might be better to make a note in the guide about the first hour of play vs up until the first break. I am pretty sure most people already know this but you never know

 

[PPB Player]

thx again KC. I am implementing everything im learning into my poker game.


just going to try and mimic exactly what your threads tell me so that I will hopefully
be able to build my bankroll up to a mazzaratti



~The only way to achieve something is to learn from an individual
who has accomplished the task.

 

[fletchdad]

I actually subscribed to this, and forgot it. it got bumped again - glad it did - and gave it another read. Really good read, need to be a sticky IMO.

I am getting into higher blind play pretty SS, like by 125/250 I am more often than not < 20 BB. I play TAG and pretty ABC and have been told this is good, and I just need to adjust and play SS poker here. But I think BS play is where we want to be when the blinds get higher, and I am trying to find out why I am getting there to seldom with a decent stack. However, on re reading your OP here, I found a few spots where my play is going different to what you suggested in early play, so I will pay attention to your tips and strategy in games coming up, and make a post in a week or two how its going.

OK a couple of questions:

You mentioned starting a bluff thread, I did a search but didnt find it. Are you still gonna tell some thoughts about this?

Your OP in this thread is kinda old, any updates/revisions/ changes in strategy now? (Or have you given enough away already?)

I would like to rail, any chance you would PM me if there are regular tournys you play? Anymore thought about recording an MTT and commenting on your thoughts while playing? (again, or have you given enough away already

I read your Rush strategy article. I have never played rush poker. Is there any way to describe the differences in the games? Are they just totally different animals? Ive been thinking of trying some, but if, for example, a player like me who is not getting deep enough in regular MTTs should stay away from rush till regular MTT is more consistent? (Does this even make sense?)

Do you play STTs at all? If yes, want to do a similar thread on them?

Just for YI my games are in the 2-10$ buy in range. I dont play RB/AO, and usually not turbo either. I also play SnGs from STT to 180 man, I would be keen to know how your strategy differs - if at all - when the MTT is, say, 55 entrants compared to 4-500+ and upwards.

Thanks.

 

[KingCurtis]

I was possibly thinking about redoing/revising this strategy...I think I can make it a lot better because I do play differently now.

@ fletchdad...all my articles so far including the bluffing one is on the top right hand side of my blog....here: http://www.kingcurtisblog.blogspot.com/

I do not play STTs and have no good advice for them, I apologize lol

I do sweats via Team veiwer with rush and regular mtts when I can, It's just a matter of fitting it in and setting up a time. Me and kmixer had a good sweat the other day, unfortunately we both ran horribly, which made it harder to teach/talk about all the different levels...

If I get enough interest, Ill make a new one?

 

[fletchdad]

Who knows why, but I watched a neat vid from Tony Dunst and Andrew Brokos anylyzing a lot of their hands in an MTT - which they both lost, Tony said at the beginning "Im gonna show you how to lose an MTT" lol, but good stuff - And I re read this OP before I played. I came in third in the Daily Deuce (on PKR) and boosted my BR a bit, as well as my confidence, as my cooler has been bad.

Whats a good time for you KC? I would like a sweat. I have better BR at FT right now, but still have some at stars. Im on CET - germany - so dont know how it is for you. But Ill keep in touch, and thanks for the blog link!

BTW, I have BR at bodog, stars, FT, Victory and PKR. Micro BR at carbon and 888. Actualy my BR at stars is gettin kinda micro. Havent cashed in the last 75$ invested....:-(

 

[KingCurtis]

Ill have to get back to you, I just self excluded myself on FT because Ive been running so bad and the only way I stop is through self exclusion, its been a while since ive been getting beats like this, so Im just gonna take the next 3 days maybe even more to just get away from poker and come back fresh....feels better that way!

 

[fletchdad]

Ill have to get back to you, I just self excluded myself on FT because Ive been running so bad and the only way I stop is through self exclusion, its been a while since ive been getting beats like this, so Im just gonna take the next 3 days maybe even more to just get away from poker and come back fresh....feels better that way!

OK, good luck. I do that with guitar and music a lot. Of course, you dont get bad beats with music lol, but I get stale and uninspired, and a few days off usually means I come back with energy and ideas. Good luck.

 

[IamRude]

I was possibly thinking about redoing/revising this strategy...I think I can make it a lot better because I do play differently now.

pretty pretty please

 

[zebadie]

Great post and strategy kc, i must say mine is extremely similar although in middle stage i think i widen my hand ranges slighlty more than you. Thanks

 

[balrog910]

very nice KC, most useful

 

[balrog910]

Ill have to get back to you, I just self excluded myself on FT because Ive been running so bad and the only way I stop is through self exclusion, its been a while since ive been getting beats like this, so Im just gonna take the next 3 days maybe even more to just get away from poker and come back fresh....feels better that way!

and by this u mean taking down UB MTT's of course

 

[KingCurtis]

and by this u mean taking down Ultimatebet MTT's of course

LOL exactly!

 

[KingCurtis]

Great post and strategy kc, i must say mine is extremely similar although in middle stage i think i widen my hand ranges slighlty more than you. Thanks

TBH mine now is too, it's changed quite a bit.

 

[PURECASH4]

thanks kingcurtis. verrry nice.

 

[zebadie]

I would love to hear/read your updated version kc, but for now could you please give me a bit of advice on online C-betting?.

You see, i come across this situation very often.
When they call your C-bet on the flop (so you slow down), and then they push on the turn..... you have a read, but its a polarized range, so you know hes got nuts or a big bluff, but cant work out which. I always find myself thinking, that because ive slowed down and checked to them, that they automatically assume i was bluffing or im weak and therefore ill fold to a push, sometimes i make the hero call and win/lose, and sometimes i make a good/bad fold.

If i come across this situation and know the 'villains' range is wide and that he likes to bluff, but i only have 2nd pair or maybe think im a huge under dog, would i be better off folding because im not very sure what they have or if im in the lead?
I know your supposed to fold really if ya have no clue, but this bet just makes me think everytime.
This happening so often, makes me find myself continuing my c-bet all the way, and obviously this gets me in more trouble sometimes. I also have called to this bet many times, only to see my opponent have nuts or air.

 

[mhanabria]

this is a good read! thanks king curtis for this guide. it would help a lot to improve my game! :icon_thum

 

[LaserCats]

I'm not sure how great all of this works in an ever changing poker game but its a great blue print to work from to find your own style. Poker is all about "well it depends"....Take what curtis is offering and apply it to the actions, behaviors of the opponents in real time. One fatal flaw is getting into a pot with a donky and being ahead 60/40 but risking your tourney life on steal - or c-bet steal - gone bad. I'd rather pick a spot where I have a 70% plus chance of winning a hand b4 getting jiggy with the re-raises.

 

[Aldito]

Strong bump

 

[Muttley66]

Loved the post as it mirrors how i've been successfully playing mtt's for the last couple of years. It also helps me to believe that my strategy is good, despite having a 6 month cold run where i've barely broken even, after being used to making a thousand euros or so a month without a problem, despite only playing say 100mtt's/mth at around 10euro buy in.
What i am struggling with in this cold run is in the 1st hour or so when i've a premium hand like AA/ KK/QQ in late pos. on a loose table, where you will have several(fishy) limpers, and despite a 7to8BB raise 2 or 3 will flat call, then unless u hit a set or nut flush draw u really can't proceed to all the crazy raises coming before u can act. The same in reverse from early/mid positon is 4/5 people call your 3to4BB raise then u get callers and 3bets to your cbet and have to fold so often(when i don't i usually lose the hand)
I find just pushing pf wins me the insignificant blinds 90% of the time but doesnt help me keep up to average or above with your/my strategy.
Any suggestions as to how to play against multiple very loose fishy players would be appreciated.
Ps.Have been playing on DusktillDawn recently and it is the softest site i've ever played by far. Will need time to adjust to people calling all ins with gut busters on the turn with a paired board for half their stacks(and hitting at the moment !! ) but there must be good long term profits to be made there !

 

[NorskNewman]

great post, late tournament and almost ITM, I always tighten up so much and usually minimum cash, but then I wonder is it really worth getting my buyin back with a couple extra cents as opposed to playin to win the dang thing! But tightening up just happens automatically for me.

Going to try your strategy today and be aggressive late tournament.

 

[LaserCats]

One other thing - in MTT small field, turbos you have to loosen it up a bit early, or earlier. Bounty tourneys as well - a big stack early pays dividends. Turbos and small fields ramp up the speed of touneys usually - there won't be even stacks everywhere and you will get left behind by donks connecting a lil to fast on other tables. in Bigger fields, normal touneys theres plenty of time to catch the PP's, premiums etc... and I like this style.

 

[SofaKingCrazy]

This was a good read for a new member such as myself but TBH I'd like to see KC come back now and use colored notes to add the differences between this 2008 strategy and his current one.
Also it would be nice to mention what if any changes he makes to this strategy for various buy-in levels.

Thanks for the read

:evil:

 

[cdooley72]

Thanks for the good read. I know it is an older post but for some one coming back to poker after a long time away it has helped me out a lot.

Thanks again