1. Tight early, avoid ALL speculative hands like suited connectors and even A10, AJ. (play premium pairs strong, a double up early virtually guarantees a cash if you play the middle/end game correctly) Let others play dodgy cards early and knock each other out. 2. You only need top 3, you don't need to win, look at the other chip stacks and see who is in danger before playing a hand. 3. don't just play the cards, play the chip stacks. Punish limpers by squeezing to pick up the dead money. 4. On the bubble, play strong and try to bully medium/similar stacks by putting pressure on. Avoid doubling up the shortstacks when you are chip leader or you could be in danger before you know it. 5. be observant, look at your opponants and try to work out their calling/shoving ranges. 6. GET YOUR CHIPS IN FIRST! sometimes it is correct to fold to a shove on the bubble even with very strong hands.
There is an interesting dynamic to dyms, and although i find them boring sometimes, they are a good way to maintain and build a bankroll slowly but surely. Im hoping others will raise other tips/observations that i might have missed.
As greg said, don't play a hand for the early levels (I'd probably even open fold 10s or worse, sometimes jacks). Definitely avoid all speculative hands, they're definitely -EV in a dym structure. Once you hit 75/150 blinds, you'll ordinarily be down around 1600 chips or so and either 4-5 players depending on the action- I'd become a little aggro at this point and shove all the mid stacks- avoid guys with 3500+ or less than 500- that's where you'll get your unwanted action.
Try and avoid ever calling off your stack unless absolutely necessary, or holding KK/AA (even then, I went allin with kings, called by kings, he 4 flushed it- getting all your chips in is not good form in dyms when you can avoid it). Push the middle stacks relentlessly on the bubble. Make a tidy profit.
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My key tips for Dyms
1. Tight early, avoid ALL speculative hands like suited connectors and even A10, AJ. (play premium pairs strong, a double up early virtually guarantees a cash if you play the middle/end game correctly) Let others play dodgy cards early and knock each other out.
2. You only need top 3, you don't need to win, look at the other chip stacks and see who is in danger before playing a hand.
3. don't just play the cards, play the chip stacks. Punish limpers by squeezing to pick up the dead money.
4. On the bubble, play strong and try to bully medium/similar stacks by putting pressure on. Avoid doubling up the shortstacks when you are chip leader or you could be in danger before you know it.
5. be observant, look at your opponants and try to work out their calling/shoving ranges.
6. GET YOUR CHIPS IN FIRST! sometimes it is correct to fold to a shove on the bubble even with very strong hands.
There is an interesting dynamic to dyms, and although i find them boring sometimes, they are a good way to maintain and build a bankroll slowly but surely. Im hoping others will raise other tips/observations that i might have missed.
Scary's are just simple. Play all reasonable hands strong, bully, and shove like a mad man.
Well, this used to work for me when i played them.
Try and avoid ever calling off your stack unless absolutely necessary, or holding KK/AA (even then, I went allin with kings, called by kings, he 4 flushed it- getting all your chips in is not good form in dyms when you can avoid it). Push the middle stacks relentlessly on the bubble. Make a tidy profit.