Have you ever heard the expression, a chip and a chair? I have forgotten most of the details, but the expression describes a legendary 1982 WSOP poker tournament feat.
Jack Strauss, the player involved, thought that he had been eliminated. But, as he was preparing to leave the table, he discovered one remaining $500 chip hidden beneath his cocktail napkin. With that one chip he went on to win the title.
The moral, of course, is obvious. Never give up.
When you are down to a handful of chips, summon all the inner strength you can muster. Turn on your mental toughness. Do not get discouraged. More than ever, play hard, play smart, and most of all, play to win.
How do you feel when you lose a big pot, ending up with only a hand full of tournament chips?
Desperate? Defeated? Many players do, and they will simply give up. They will often act quickly to end their misery. They just push their few remaining chips in as quickly as possible.
Basically, they seem to willingly submit to elimination. They just do not have the heart to continue the fight. They feel beaten, and they are ready to move on to the next tournament. Instead of planning to survive, they play to fail.
More than likely, you have already experienced several of these seemingly hopeless situations. If not, then eventually you will. These are a common enough occurrence. But, no matter how bad the situation there is always hope.
Here are a few of my more notable survival experiences.
Once, when in the money in a single table tournament with two other players, I lost down to only 45 chips. With remarkable good luck, I came back to win the tournament.
On another occasion, I recovered from only 90 chips to win the tournament. Several times I have come back from near tournament death with 100 chips or less to make the money.
My most remarkable come back occurred after losing all but 35 chips in hand #19 of the very early rounds of a fast sit n go. With the blinds at 40/80, it required some good luck to initially survive. Then, with a very cautious push or fold strategy, I began my come back march. Then, 109 hands later I won the tournament. It was my narrowest escape.
Perhaps, you have had many similar come backs. I hope so. If not, the message is simple and clear: never give up! Ignore setbacks. Condition yourself to fight to the finish. Give luck, and your skill a chance. Here are a few tips for playing to come back. I recommend a strict push or fold regimen.
A recommended come-back push or fold strategy:
- No limping, just push or fold.
- No calling, just push or fold.
- No chasing, just push or fold.
- No exotic moves, plays, or steals, just push or fold.
- No completing the small blind, just fold, unless pushing all-in against only the big blind.
- No raising, just fold, unless pushing all-in.
- No re-raising, just fold to any raise.
- No playing any hand, just fold, unless pushing all-in.
- With each push, have a targeted opponent.
- Avoid multiway pots, never more than two possible opponents, preferably only one.
- Only push from last, and less frequently from next to last position.
- Only push from the blinds when against the blinds.
- Never push into a raised pot, just fold.
- Never push into a pot with more than two limpers, just fold.
- Never push against the chip leader, a maniac, or a calling station, just fold.
- Never call a push, just fold.
As you will notice, this is a very strict, somewhat overly cautious, take no risks approach.
It is not designed to engage in numerous opportunities to double up. Instead, it is about exploiting those more favorable situations where a player can exert maximum leverage with minimum fold equity in order to steal pots so small that an opponent or two would be unwilling to mount a battle.
The double up opportunities will always come. But, with any showdown there is a huge element of risk and an associated possibility of elimination. So, you would prefer to avoid any potential showdown situations, at least until you have become the chip leader.
Your goals when on the come back trail are simple:
- To survive the blinds.
- To make the money.
- To avoid bigger stacks.
- To protect every single remaining chip in your stack.
- To avoid unpredictable opponents. And,
- To avoid showdowns, until your stack could survive another possible loss.
In conclusion.
Remember that when your stack has become so small that you can count your chips on one hand, it is important to resolve against defeatism.
So, immediately start planning your come back. Then, execute your plan. Who knows, you might come back to claim a victory.
And regardless of the outcome, the exercise in discipline will definitely strengthen your game.
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Read my Article Review of this article, How to Come Back in a Sit 'n' Go Hold'em Tournament.
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Copyright 2009 R. Steve McCollum
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