Which cards to play when number of players reduces

i brought up something similar in another thread. Ive been thinking about this ever since i played my first 5 person sit and go tournament and got my ass wooped

im used to playing online with like 8 to 10 players. So i try to play solid/tight-agressive by only playing high pairs and top cards eg. AK etc (the top cards from this list

so how do you gradually change your play as players leave the table or if your lucky enough, getting to the end of a tourny and the number of players reduce

do you start playing hands like 4 and 8 etc if theres only 4 or 5 players ?

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No you would not start playing 8 4 os unless i was playing perhaps a limit game where i was already in the blind. Nor would I call a raise even in the big blind with those cards. As you read and play alot more and your poker knowledge starts to grow you will see as far as starting hands go that you have alot more opportunites such as playing 10 9 suited on the button with no raises or even 6 7 suited. Most of the money made in poker is all post flop. you can have A K suited everytime and play it well pre flop and horrible post flop and lose a ton of money.

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As strange as it seems, the majority of winning poker players - players who actually beat the games and have an expectation of profit - are broke or nearly broke most of the time. Why? Because they spend their bankrolls. Think about it.

i found it difficult in the 5 person sit and go tourney
i didnt play the first few hands as i didnt have good cards - but when i did have good cards the flop didnt go my way - at this point i had only played like 3 hands but the blinds were getting big and it was difficult to play a hand without going pretty much all in due to raises etc

i agree with you that its just down to experience - it was my first time playing at a small table and i definately need to work on this aspect of my game

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When you are on a five player table, imagine that the imaginary first 5 have folded so you are playing from at worst a middle position. Hands like A9, K10 now start to become more dominent because of the lack of players left in the pot. If you are on the button then small connectors and suited cards lose their value as there will be fewer callers to allow you to play for the draw after the flop, you won't get the pot odds and therefore start chasing, not to say that you should fold them, but think very carefully after the flop.

yes but with a table of 10 people and say 5 folded leaving 5 in the pot, the 5 that remain (assuming that they are decent players) would have much much better hands compared to a 5 person table

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Fonz, just because 5 fold doesn't meen to say that the other 5 have good hands. How many times does a high card or a small pair win the pot? Playing on a 10 seat table, if the 1st or 2nd person after the blinds makes a bet, they have 8 people coming after them and know nothing about their strength, so their hands should be quite strong. When you are in the middle position you can bet on weaker hands, depending whats happened before hand.
Look at it like this, I would never bet in an early position with an A6, the kicker is too weak and the chances of there being another A on the board too high. I'd fold it. Now with the same hand in the small blind with no callers I would actually raise, because the chances of the BB having an ace is a lot smaller So when there are only 5 players there are only 10 cards in the pokets and it is quite possible that there is not an A on the board, probable that there are not 2. Where as with 20 pockets it is very posible that there are 2 aces on the board.

im not saying that because 5 fold the remaing 5 have great hands - but they should be better than a 5 person table where all 5 people have went in. Obviously not all the time but if your at a ten person table with decent players then there is less chance of all 5 going in with low cards like 5 8 offsuit

id much rather have ace, 6 in a 5 table than in a ten person table. Because the chances of someone else having an ace is much smaller statistically

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Say we are talking about a six max game here. First off depending on why I was even in the hand with A6os to begin with, supposing that I was the big blind is my reason. When the flop comes out assuming there were no preflop raises because i would not be in anyway even in the big blind A6os is a dominated hand say the flop comes out A 10 4 The small blind checks I bet to see what eveyone has. If I am raised at that point seeing how many callers I would most likely drop it there. But lets say i am not raised and I have two callers on the turn. The turn comes out a "X' card I will throw at it again. and if I am called to the river I simply check the river and 75% of the time you will show down. The main problem with some players and what you percieve to be kicker problems is that you do not test the water first. You show agression you do not simply call and fold. Supposing we are talking about a ring game here and not a tounrament because those are 2 different stragties. Now back to 5-6 people table like you all were tlaking about. Playing K 10 os or s is a good call I would ponder calling a raise with it unless I am just putting in half the bet like if I was in the BB. And if you would also lead yourself to believe that suited connectors say 10 9 s loose value I would beg to differ. 10 9 s in a 6 person game actually gains alittle in my eyes I may even raise with it to be alittle deceptive. Meaning if a 10 hits and it is the high card on the board I am pretty sure unless I have other reason to blive that some one has pockets bigger such as if I was reraised before the flop, that I have the best hand at this point. I would not advice raiseing with 10 9 s everytime do not misunderstand what I am saying here. Just the simple fact as you put it that there are less people in make it less likely for someone to hit top pair as I do also. If you worry about callers when drawing on a straight ot flush try "betting the come" and if you connect just keep betting, or if you want to try to be sneaky check it when you hit it if you think you can get a bet and then raise. It would take awhile to go over all strategy playing a 6 person table but bassically you take what you have learned from 10 person table and play on 6 the only way for you to get better is to keep playing.

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As strange as it seems, the majority of winning poker players - players who actually beat the games and have an expectation of profit - are broke or nearly broke most of the time. Why? Because they spend their bankrolls. Think about it.