Turbo Tourney Statistics, Why Keep Track, Note Improvement

Edit, Important: there was a mistake in my Memory Banks (heehee). I did NOT lose the One Hand Wonder Tourney due to QQ on first hand, but Actually AQo, so I will need to re-edit documents to reflect this hand. It wasn't till I pulled up the Hand History for THIS POST, that I realized the mistake).


I have blogged statistics after most tourney games for the Stars challenge in many posts. There are various reasons for this. For personal blogging, lets me and others note that the number of hands played can tell whether you are on tilt or not. Also, there will be a tendency and need to play more hands (depending on chip stack and Turbo Tourney level), than in regular tourneys.

However, the next reason is to see the BIG difference in finish positions pre and post application of the Turbo Tournament Strategy (mine, not another one that is published). Before, for three tourneys, I thought I was starting to be card dead. During the next four tourneys played after I developed a strategy, the results were significantly improved.

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The six tourneys played PRIOR to writing the strategy (following a normal speed low buy in strategy), INCLUDING personal notes (the first 3 tourneys were played on different day):

1. First Game: First hand in BB, 98 suited resisted the urge to go all in, even though would have won. Flop came 10sQc2s, with 7s on the river. Oh well. Some dope on table running all time clocks off. 5th hand, went all in with AKs, 2 callers with 55 and 44, lost. 7th hand, in BB and 20 chips, won with Q8 off. 8th hand in SB, went all in with AJo, lost to 88.
   
   Finished in 244th place.
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 8 hands and saw flop:
   - 2 out of 2 times while in big blind (100%)
   - 1 out of 1 times while in small blind (100%)
   - 1 out of 5 times in other positions (20%)
   - a total of 4 out of 8 (50%)
   Pots won at showdown - 1 of 3 (33%)



2. Second Game, started in BB again. First round won 1, but lost with open ender (some chips, not out yet). On 16th hand, went all in with QQ (blinds at 100, utg1), got called by BB with QJ suited, he won with straight on turn. Had player keep disconnecting, slowing game down (think they did it on purpose), but he went out when I did. He actually had AA in small blind. Gonna tighten up next gaame, but if I start in the BB again, there is something up with the app here.
   
   Finished in 162nd Place.
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 16 hands and saw flop:
   - 2 out of 2 times while in big blind (100%)
   - 0 out of 2 times while in small blind (0%)
   - 4 out of 12 times in other positions (33%)
   - a total of 6 out of 16 (37%)
   Pots won at showdown - 2 of 4 (50%)
   Pots won without showdown - 0



3. Third tourney, got lucky on split first hand, Went from first to bust. Tired. 77 got me again, though best on flop. Per my usual, will need to play a few more games until cash. Time to break for lunch, meds, etc.
   
   Finished in 52nd.
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 51 hands and saw flop:
   - 2 out of 6 times while in big blind (33%)
   - 2 out of 5 times while in small blind (40%)
   - 15 out of 40 times in other positions (37%)
   - a total of 19 out of 51 (37%)
   Pots won at showdown - 5 of 9 (55%)
   Pots won without showdown - 3



4. Fourth Game: Moved to other tables a lot. Caught a couple of good hands, built up to 8k, shouldn't have cbet the AK. Next time, simply 3 bet, not five bet, or simply fold in early position.
   
   Finished in 94th.
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 26 hands and saw flop:
   - 4 out of 5 times while in big blind (80%)
   - 0 out of 3 times while in small blind (0%)
   - 3 out of 18 times in other positions (16%)
   - a total of 7 out of 26 (26%)
   Pots won at showdown - 3 of 6 (50%)
   Pots won without showdown - 0



5. Fifth Game: Up to 4K, got a little lucky, then switched to table with higher stacks. Never got any higher, bad stats, levels at 250. Kick the limp with K3 suited. First game my AA lost to 55, with 5 on turn.
   
   Finished 88th.
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 40 hands and saw flop:
   - 3 out of 5 times while in big blind (60%)
   - 4 out of 5 times while in small blind (80%)
   - 9 out of 30 times in other positions (30%)
   - a total of 16 out of 40 (40%)
   Pots won at showdown - 4 of 7 (57%)
   Pots won without showdown - 1



6. Sixth game: Card dead. Must be on that list to lose. Finished in 146th place.
   
   Stats of Card Dead Player:
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 20 hands and saw flop:
   - 1 out of 2 times while in big blind (50%)
   - 1 out of 2 times while in small blind (50%)
   - 2 out of 16 times in other positions (12%)
   - a total of 4 out of 20 (20%)
   Pots won at showdown - 0 of 3 (0%)
   Pots won without showdown - 0

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Improvement, the Statistics AFTER application of the Turbo Strategy (note, after each game, tweaked the strategy a little bit more):

1. Tournament 20: Final hand (he had bigger stack than I, he made the appropriate call). Lost 99 against AJ suited. 99 is 52.7 against AJs, 46.83% (so this WAS a decent race hand). However, next hand, he flopped the nuts, and won again with 72 spades, made full house.
   
   Finished 54th (I was stacked to get to the cash, made this play to bust out).
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 61 hands and saw flop:
   - 4 out of 7 times while in big blind (57%)
   - 4 out of 8 times while in small blind (50%)
   - 7 out of 46 times in other positions (15%)
   - a total of 15 out of 61 (24%)
   Pots won at showdown - 4 of 6 (66%)
   Pots won without showdown - 4
   
   
2. 21 tourney: Went all in with AQo my First Hand (my bad).
   
   Finished 343rd
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 1 hands and saw flop:
   - 0 out of 0 times while in big blind (0%)
   - 0 out of 0 times while in small blind (0%)
   - 1 out of 1 times in other positions (100%)
   - a total of 1 out of 1 (100%)
   Pots won at showdown - 0 of 1 (0%)
   Pots won without showdown - 0
   
   
3. 22nd tourney, my own donk move (hand study next few posts). Again, I had plenty to cash:
   
   Finished 41st
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 67 hands and saw flop:
   - 4 out of 9 times while in big blind (44%)
   - 1 out of 8 times while in small blind (12%)
   - 10 out of 50 times in other positions (20%)
   - a total of 15 out of 67 (22%)
   Pots won at showdown - 5 of 7 (71%)
   Pots won without showdown - 0
   
   
4. 23rd tourney (Note, made Final Table, ONLY dealt 95 hands):
   
   Finished 9th
   
   During current Hold'em session you were dealt 95 hands and saw flop:
   - 9 out of 13 times while in big blind (69%)
   - 3 out of 12 times while in small blind (25%)
   - 11 out of 70 times in other positions (15%)
   - a total of 23 out of 95 (24%)
   Pots won at showdown - 8 of 12 (66%)
   Pots won without showdown - 12

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Now, for an examination of the statistics. The FIRST important statistic to note is how many hands you are dealt. To consistently win, you will need to make the best decisions with the cards you are dealt, in order to move up the Food Chain. In my pre-turbo strategy, tended to blame a lot of this on slow play. I later learned more patience, and to adjust to slow play as needed. In a normal speed tourney, your hand count will be about DOUBLE the 95 that made the final. In these tourneys, to cash, need to wait out about 70+ hands or so.

Second Most important statistic: saw flop x out of xx times in other positions. While you can't help if its folded around to you in the blinds, or your small blind hand is good enough to call a raise, the hands you call with OUT OF THE BLINDS you can control. Pre-Turbo Strategy, average Out Of Blind Calls (from above), around 26% (counting a little over because of earlier tourneys with total around 43%). Post-Turbo strategy, average Out of Blind Calls, 17% (not counting the 100% for the first hand all in, not a typical result. There WILL be strong starting hands, such as AA, for the first hand, that you will shove, and lose - I've seen it. Now, Aqo is not the best shove first hand, and I definitely should have know better). So, post-turbo strategy, your average SHOULD be around 15% to 20% for calls not in the blinds (most pros play around the 20% level, unless they go on tilt - WHICH I have observed).

Third Statistic to Examine: Total percentage of calls. Again, if you are looking at 40% or more, you are probably playing too many hands. My pre-turbo strategy, my total call percentage was 30%. Post-Turbo strategy (again discounting the one hand wonder), is about 23%. This is a statistic common across most of my Near the Bubble, In the Money, and Final Table finishes. What you REALLY WANT here, is between 22% and 24% (25% at the most), on a consistent basis. Good preflop selection in the early stages, with appropriate moves due to chip stack sizes in the middle stages, will keep this percentage at an average level.

Last statistic we want to look at is Finish Position. We'll again do an average, but in the money is more important. Pre-turbo strategy, averaging around the 131st mark (which is still the top 50%, but top 50% isn't in the money). Post-turbo strategy, average finish is 35 (which IS in the money). Now, to consistently play tourneys, and each one finish that close, I don't feel is a coincidence. IF I had not made some donk moves (trying to get that chip stack so could win, INSTEAD of being satisfied with making the money, and THEN making the moves), I would have cashed in ALL the tourneys except for the One Hand Blunder game.

After doing some more tweaking for Near the Bubble and In the Money plays, I believe I will have a more sound strategy to get in the money (or at least finish in less the 100 position) a larger percentage of the time. And this means time will be better spent playing the tournaments.

All Comments welcome (including dissensions).

Submitted for Your Approval, Turbo Tournament Strategy Development

The work on the Turbo Tournament Strategy continues. I have four aspects I am looking at:

1. Writing Up the Pre-flop Strategy


2. Observation of Other Games (and excellent time to take notes on your opponents, snyder321, I've got you noted :-)


3. Playing actual games and analyzing the results (also, time to keep notes on other players, including when you bust out, which is hard to do.)


4. Tweaking the strategy to match the results

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A note on Observation, paying Attention to the Types of Players you are surrounded with:

• One that doesn't really know poker, much less tournament strategy. Likely to go all in first hand with J9 off (or such other ridiculous call).
• One that doesn't really care about the tournament (low cost excuse, "its only 10 cents" will be on many players minds).
• Of course, the general fish, and the opponent that seems to be out to prove how many pots he can steal with a bluff and big stack (watch for this player to go on tilt, got lucky early in the game with that J9 off, and will start going all in with any 2 cards).

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Second Aspect, Observation. For this, I simply observe tourneys. Plenty of opportunities here, just pick one and watch. Or, look up a known player (such as the one noted in my Multi-Table study, or the infamous snyder321). You can keep notes on the folks you watch, dependent on your setup for note taking. You will then start to find some previous noted players in your own tournament.



You can also pull up notes/labels while observing from tourney lobby when find noted players, or after searching for a player, and finding their table.

The purpose of observation was to see how well my strategy would play, and to note other folks using the same sort of play. I have noticed at the lower level of buy in, a few start off with the good strategy approach, with later donking due either to the reliance on Luck Variable, or because of regular Tournament Strategy, not applicable to Turbos. So application of the strategy can prove invaluable in that edge against opponents without this knowledge.

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Third Aspect, Actual application of the strategy:

I have to keep reminding myself to keep notes on other players. It is STRONGLY recommended that while learning the strategy, to play MANY games, and not MULTI-TABLE. The reason being, you will want to learn the key elements prior to playing more than one table, so that when you open more than one table, you have the skills needed to play.

My play has improved greatly with the strategy. Prior to the study, I had played 19 tourneys total, with varying results. After some application, the next 4 tourneys proved more closer to the money, with the exception of one. The next post will address those tourneys.

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First and Fourth Aspect: Writing the Strategy, and Tweaking with Study.

I developed the strategy (soon to be published), based on some study of blind structure, position, pre-flop play, and recommended hole cards. Since Turbos are a Pre-Flop Game, the two starting cards are MOST important, followed by Chip Stack size relative to the Blinds, then your position on the table. After that, we have stages for the tournament, which I have broken into early, middle, late, nearing the bubble, in the money, and final table.

After some work, I have the early, middle and later stages going pretty well. With the help of analysis though Holdem Manager, I have noted some additions and subtractions to basic Hole cards based on position (not only stack size). A lot of my prior study did not include In the Money Play, nor actual Final Table. Nearing the Bubble, I've had to incorporate a few different strategies here. I am tweaking the Nearing the Bubble, In the Money, and Final Table stage through actual application via observation, actual play, and tourney analysis.

The next posts will address some of these aspects, where I fell off, and lastly, offer a READER CHALLENGE for your consideration (think Rod Serling here).



Passing Personal Note: VERY IMPORTANT, Man, I need more coffee.

So, What the Heck Have I Been Up To? Study and Tweaking.

Well, its been a few days since I've posted. Want to cover a few topics, and catch the readers up with What's Going On.

I've been sick for a few days, throwing my daily life into a little bit of an off array. Didn't play any poker, because the medication made my mind a tad fuzzy. I recommend to everyone, DO NOT PLAY POKER if you find your mind is not up to the game. This isn't WOW, this is real money against real opponents with skill and huds vs. your abilities. Ergo, no points have accumulated on Full Tilt, so I won't be vying for the point a day Freeroll next month.

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Another aspect of the game I would like to discuss is observation. Even though I have holdem manager, I do not record observed hands. For one thing, at the level I'm playing, it is HIGHLY unlikely that I will run into repeat opponents over and over again. So, I will have created a large database without real meaning. However, I have played online, and observed many different types of games at ALL stake levels over and over since 2003. This gives me a distinct advantage to recognizing patterns, even as PRNG's or TRNG's evolve for different Poker sites. Therefore, when I start to see a certain sequence of cards being dealt in a tourney, I can tell when a LOSING STREAK is about to happen. It is simple Mathematics. and the ability to recognize patterns in a pseudo random environment. While observing, I WILL keep notes on players, AND I highly recommend keeping notes on Players while at the table. HuDs will be useful at the higher levels, but your opponents are probably using them also. And, as I've seen repeatedly in other blogs, despite High VPIP readings, the Villain tends to win a big pot anyway. So HUDS can be off.

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Are you folks doing the computer Maintenance as described in this post? Its very important to SHUT the machine down, at least weekly. Hibernation is not the same thing. Desktop users will want to unplug the Desktop for 1 to 2 minutes in order to clean out Memory, as opposed to Laptop users removing the battery. Windows builds up a lot of residual, the Service Host Process being the largest, and for Vista/Win 7 users, DWM, Desktop Windows Management, keeps using up larger and larger amounts of memory as you do more playing, and visit more websites, etc., without clearing the Memory. Rebooting does not clean all this residual out, only clearing the memory by disconnecting the Power Supply will work.

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As to the question of adding RSS feed to the Sidebar of your blog, I downloaded firefox last year when I got my new puter, and transferred the settings and add ons from my old Computer. I also have the Sage Reader add on (others can do a quick look for different subscription readers, as Sage may be outdated for the current version). For IE users, I do not know how you would accomplish the same thing. When I reach a site I want to add for feeds to other posts, I open up Sage, and click on the Search for Feeds, add RSS feed, and then right click the new link in sage, select properties. In separate window, tab, I select Edit Layout, Add Gadget, and the the RSS Feeder shown. It will ask for the URL, which I copy and Paste from the Properties box (or you can simply copy and paste to notepad), and upload the Gadget to Layout. Place the Gadget wherever you want it to show up, and then Save Layout. I then Delete the link from Sage (unless I want to keep the site in there), and I am done. IE users, please comment as to your methods for doing this. I have switched to Firefox since a potential Nasty tried to hit my old computer in 2008, and with Vista Use, very rarely use IE for anything. So other browsers with blogs, feel free to help a commenter out with how to add RSS, Atom feeds through the Gadget for BlogSpot.

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Now, for the Current Status of my Poker Playing. I am tweaking a new Low Buy In Multi Table Tournament Strategy. As described in my Turbo Tournaments post, Turbos are a pre-flop Game. My finished page will have strategies for all kinds of tournaments, but Turbos are the strategy I wish to start with. So, I have made a preliminary list of pre-flop hole cards to work with at different stages of the Game. Another Study is the Pre-Flop Strategy by Chris Ferguson (though the challenge is for ring games, its meant to translate into tournaments also). I will be observing some games, to see how these hole cards hold up at different stages. I will play approximately 10 Turbos, and then analyze the games and Pre Flops in Holdem Manager (maybe between 3 or 4 games at a time). As I tweak the findings, I plan on being more in the money (which is the goal here anyways). So research and study has been the duty of the day (which is a necessary part of Playing Online Poker).

Boy, my posts just keep getting bigger than earlier days. Hope you find them useful. My current status is played 19 tourneys on Stars since start of challenge, 2/7/2010. My current bankroll is $6.04 (I think). Last played on 2/23/2010, because of the losing streak feeling I had coming on. So hopefully, new play at later date will have dropped the streak.