Starting hands for MTT's

[mconstab]

Does anyone know of a starting hands chart or something similar for the early stages of a MTT with average stacks? I've got an understanding of the type of hands I'm opening the pot with but am a little unsure as to what hands I can profitably call and re raise with once someone has entered the pot.

[taz115]

I don't really know of any... it really depends on not only position but stack sizes as well. When stacks are deep calling, raising or even reraising with hands like pocket pairs could be profitable but it woulnd't necessarily be when stacks are small or medium sized.

I personally think there are too many variables to make starting hand charts effective.

[mconstab]

Yeah I thought it might be a long shot as it's so situation specific. The areas I'm struggling with the most pre flop are small to medium pairs and defending from the blinds.

I'll try and post some examples later.

[taz115]

Early on calling with small and medium pairs is justifiable if you and your opponents have enough chips pay you off, on average, 8:1 when you hit a set. I often play medium pairs passively behind a raise early on but I tend to raise small and medium pockets pairs first in when the blinds are low instead of limping.

Defending on blinds typically depend on lots of things just as it does in limit. Definately post as many hands as you come across where you wonder what options you might have. Lots of times there are multiple reasonable lines to attempt and getting feedback will increase your learning curve for sure.

In addition to the suggested videos and books, I'm not sure if you checked out any of the tourny's linked in the notable tourny's thread. There are several low and medium stakes tourny's that are good learning tools linked in that sticky post.

If you have questions as to how other people have played hands post those too.