"Winning Poker Tournament Tactics"Think of poker tournament tactics as gorilla warfare. These tactics make you a tough opponent on the green felt battlefield. Play tight in early stages of the tournament. Blinds are small compared to stack sizes in the first 4-6 levels of the tournament which makes taking big risks a big mistake. Establishing a “tight” image pays off in later rounds when you loosen your hand selection. Your tight image allows you to steal pots that your cards cant win. Loosen up your hand selection when... · Other players play too tight · Antes and blinds are a substantial amount of opponents’ chip stacks · You’ve established a tight image · Late levels of the poker tournament Aggressive play allows you two ways to win: one with your bet and the other with your cards. It also puts your opponents on high alert. When they get involved with you they’ll think “I afraid to play this hand for my whole stack because he’s so aggressive”. That’s what you want your opponents to think every time they’re in a pot with you. You’ll be feared and it’ll be easier for you to win pots. ATTACK! · Tight players- they’re easier to steal pots from · The blinds- they’re out of position giving you a huge informational advantage. You can fold when they bet, bet when they check and raise when you have the best hand. · Short stacks (especially the tight ones)- they’re more likely to fold and try to make it to the money. · The closer you get to the money the more you can attack any one of the three players above. Usually a phenomenon happens in tournaments as players get closer to the money. They tighten up almost completely and wont play until they make the money. This allows you to pilfer chips with ease. One un-bluffable player Don’t bluff "show me" players. By the time you start bluffing you should know who the show me players at your table are. Make sure you have a hand when you get involved in a pot with these players. Also make sure you do show them a hand at the showdown, the best hand! Melt these poker tournament tactics into a sharp sward and you’ll do some damage in tournament poker. Good luck! |
