From Live Cash to Online MTTs: 5 Key Lessons to Level Up Your Poker Tournament Game

Discover 5 crucial lessons for transitioning from live cash games to online MTTs. Improve your blind defense, short stack play, and more.

Table of Contents

1. [Introduction](#introduction)
2. [Blind Defense: Don't Be a Doormat!](#blind-defense)
3. [Short Stack Strategy: Embrace the Shove!](#short-stack-strategy)
4. [Bluffing: The Art of Deception](#bluffing)
5. [Bet Sizing: Finding the Sweet Spot](#bet-sizing)
6. [Fold Equity: The Hidden Weapon](#fold-equity)
7. [Hand Analysis: Lessons Learned](#hand-analysis)
8. [Key Takeaways](#key-takeaways)
9. [Conclusion](#conclusion)

Introduction {#introduction}

Hey everyone, Alon Marcus here, back with another deep dive into my poker journey! This time, we're dissecting my 5th tournament in the 100 Tournament Challenge. As a live cash player making the transition to online MTTs (Multi-Table Tournaments), every session is a learning experience. I finished this tournament 65th place out of a field of 623 entrants, in the money but still far away from the final table.

Being a live cash player means that hand analysis is very challenging. I can't overstate how insightful it is to be able to review your hand history. Seriously, it's such a great learning opportunity. As with previous posts, I uploaded my hand history to Chat-GPT and had it point out some leaks I can work on in the next session.

Let's break down some key hands, analyze my mistakes, and extract some valuable lessons you can apply to your own online poker tournament game.

*Note: For some reason, I managed to upload only a portion of the live play. Instead of the full 2 hours of play, only a few minutes are available. I hope to work out these technicalities by my next session. Watch the session here.

1. Blind Defense: Don't Be a Doormat! {#blind-defense}

One of my biggest leaks (and something I'm constantly working on) is blind defense. I tend to over-fold in the blinds, especially when facing raises from late position. This session was no different. I found myself giving up too easily, allowing opponents to steal my chips without a fight. I must work on my calling and 3-bet ranges from the BB.

Remember: Defending your blinds is crucial in tournaments. Those small losses add up over time. Don't be afraid to mix in some calls and 3-bets, even with hands that aren't premium. Consider factors like your position, the raiser's tendencies, and the stack sizes involved.

Example: Holding K-10 offsuit in the big blind facing a late-position raise might seem like an automatic fold. But if the raiser is loose and you have a decent stack, consider calling or even 3-betting to put pressure back on them.

2. Short Stack Strategy: Embrace the Shove! {#short-stack-strategy}

When your stack dips below 20 big blinds, it's time to shift gears and embrace a push/fold strategy. This means shoving all-in with a wider range of hands, especially in late position. Fold equity becomes your best friend.

In this session, I missed some valuable shoving opportunities. I was too hesitant to put my tournament life on the line, even with hands that had decent equity against a likely calling range.

Example: Sitting on the button with Qc-9d and 12 big blinds? Shove it! You'll likely pick up the blinds and antes, and even if you get called, you're not in terrible shape.

3. Bluffing: The Art of Deception {#bluffing}

Bluffing is a crucial part of poker, but it's not about randomly throwing chips into the pot. It's about understanding board texture, opponent tendencies, and bet sizing. This session highlighted some missed opportunities to bluff or semi-bluff.

Semi-bluffing is especially powerful when you have a draw. It gives you two ways to win: your opponent folds, or you hit your draw.

Example: Holding 8s-7s on a 9s-6d-2c board gives you a gutshot straight draw and a backdoor flush draw. Firing a bet here can force out weaker hands, and if you get called, you still have a chance to improve.

4. Bet Sizing: Finding the Sweet Spot {#bet-sizing}

Bet sizing is an art form in itself. It's about finding the right balance between getting value from weaker hands and not overcommitting with marginal holdings.

In this session, my bet sizing was inconsistent. Sometimes I bet too big, scaring away potential callers. Other times, I bet too small, giving opponents the right price to draw out on me.

Example: Holding A-Q on an A-J-7 flop, a bet of 50-60% of the pot is a good starting point. It allows you to get value from weaker Aces and draws while keeping the pot manageable if someone has a stronger hand.

5. Fold Equity: The Hidden Weapon {#fold-equity}

Fold equity is the probability of your opponent folding to your bet or raise. It's a powerful tool, especially when you're short-stacked or in late position.

I missed some opportunities to leverage fold equity in this tournament. There were spots where I should have shoved all-in with a wider range of hands, knowing that my opponents would likely fold.

Example: Holding K-J suited on the cutoff with 15 big blinds? Shove it! The blinds will often fold, and even if you get called, you have a decent chance to win the hand.

My Biggest Leaks: A Work in Progress

- Passive Blind Play: Need to be more aggressive in defending my blinds.

- Overfolding to Aggression: Gotta toughen up and call down lighter in certain spots.

- Missing Shove Opportunities: Embrace the shove when short-stacked!

- Inconsistent Bet Sizing: Need to find the sweet spot with my bets.

- Underutilizing Semi-Bluffs: More semi-bluffs with draws!

Hand Analysis: Lessons Learned {#hand-analysis}

Let's take a closer look at some specific hands from the session:

1. Hand 1 (4h 8h): Shoving all-in from early position with 4h-8h was way too loose. Fold pre-flop and wait for a better spot.
2. Hand 2 (3s 9s): Folding to an early position all-in with 3s-9s was correct. But in late position, with several limpers consider limping in to try and steal the pot.
3. Hand 3 (Jh 9c): Folding Jh-9c in the small blind to an all-in shove was probably too tight. This hand has decent equity against a wide range.
4. Hand 4 (As Qd): Shoving all-in with A-Q after an early raise was risky. Calling and seeing the flop might have been a better option.
5. Hand 5 (Ac Kd): Shoving A-K from the small blind was aggressive. A 3-bet might have been a more balanced play.

Key Takeaways {#key-takeaways}

- Defend your blinds aggressively.

- Embrace a push/fold strategy when short-stacked.

- Utilize semi-bluffs with draws.

- Master the art of bet sizing.

- Leverage fold equity to your advantage.

Conclusion {#conclusion}

Poker is a game of constant learning and adaptation. By analyzing our mistakes and identifying our leaks, we can improve our game and achieve greater success at the tables. The transition from live cash games to online MTTs presents unique challenges, but with practice and reflection, you can level up your tournament game.

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Don't forget to follow the action and my progress on my  YouTube channel!

See you at the tables,

Alon Marcus

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Have you made the transition from live cash games to online tournaments? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!