General Tournament Strategy
Right - here's where it gets interesting. Suggested general strategy for successful single-table tournament play. Always remember that the goal is to finish at least third place so ensuring a profit on the tournament. If after that you can finish second or even win then so much the better. Applying a solid strategy is the key to "in the money" experiences. Most of the things referred to in this chapter are covered in more depth in later chapters.
The basic approach is to play a tight game but to do so with aggression. Controlled and selective aggression. You won't do much winning playing meekly. The meek do not inherit the earth on Planet Poker!
Early stages - the blinds are still low
Just don't get involved. Sit tight, fold, fold and fold some more. Protect your stack of chips. It's simply not worth taking any risks in the early stages while the blinds are low. Of course, when you're in a blind you have to put chips in but it won't hurt you early on.
If you're in the big blind and there has been no raise before you and you can still check, do so and see the flop. Then reassess. If you flop a "monster" hand think about killing the pot there and then if you're sure you've got the best hand.
Otherwise, keep folding and let your opponents start to knock themselves out. You'll be amazed at how badly some play and eliminate themselves. LET THEM DO IT. Every person that goes out early by poor/reckless pay is one less person for you to worry about. I've played in tournaments where three, four or even five players have gone out before the first blind increase.
While you're sitting back and folding - stay alert at all times. Watch your opponents closely to pick up on how they play. Are they loose, tight, aggressive. Do they call then fold when put under pressure and easy to push off their hand. Do they play few hands but do so with conviction. Collect as much information as you can about how they act, how they bet, how much they bet etc.
And in particular if they show their starting cards (after a showdown for example), what cards were they dealt. Were they dealt a monster pre-flop which then got better post-flop. Or were they dealt garbage and tried to bluff it through. Or perhaps they were "chasing" cards in the hope of getting lucky - for example chasing cards to make a flush or a straight.
Any information you can pick up on your opponents at this stage can be extremely helpful later on when you do get involved seriously in the tournament. Poker is not just a game of cards - you are also playing the person as well as your cards.
We would suggest that during the early stages and low blinds, only enter a hand if you can check (big blind as above) or you are dealt a great hand pre-flop in late table position (see chapter 5 for table positioning). What we would call a "great" hand is AA, KK, QQ or AK suited. If you get such cards in a late position then stick in a healthy raise to narrow down the number of people seeing the flop. If the flop helps you and/or you still think you're ahead, bet aggressively again to take down the pot. But beware if somebody raises you straight back. Even if you have AA pre-flop it's not always going to be the best hand post-flop.
Don't take any risks in the early stages. And that even means thinking about folding a "premium" hand pre-flop under some circumstances. Say you're dealt the big AA in late position. Three players before you go "all-in." Consider laying down your aces. With three players "all-in" one, possibly two of them could be going out. You can move closer to the money for no risk.
Middle stages - the blinds are rising
OK - now we're at around level three or four. The blinds have risen to around 25/50 or 50/100 or thereabouts. A few players have been knocked out. You've played tight poker so far and either have roughly the same amount of chips you started with or have hit a "monster" and now have a biggish stack (possibly even chip leader). Worst case you've tangled with somebody, got mauled and are short-stacked.
Of those left in - some will have nice, bit chip stacks after knocking out a player or two, others will be worse off that you. Whatever your chip stack size - remain calm. By watching your opponents in the earlier rounds you have a bit of a "read" on them. The blinds have reached a point where not winning a few will hurt you.
If you have a large stack - don't assume you have a right to cruise in to the money. You still have work to do. Keep that stack large and protect it. Select the hands you get involved in carefully. Stick to premium hands as before. Do not tangle with any other player who has a bigger/similar chip stack as you because that can hurt you badly. Stay out of their way unless you have a "monster" and have them beat. Wait around for small stacked players to be blinded out or if you get a chance and spot weakness, pound away at the small stacked players and pressure them.
If you're around the same stack size as you started with, loosen up your starting hand requirements a little. They've seen you're a "tight" player and only enter a pot when you have good cards so throwing out a few chips now may make your opponents wary of you and that's good. But be careful with those chips and select your targets carefully. Don't tangle with a player with a huge stack - they can take you out in a single hand. Look for opportunities to play against (ideally) a smaller stacked player when you spot weakness. The best position to do this is from a late table position and if the pot has not been raised before you. And consider attacking the players in the blinds if you have position, they have small stacks and all others before you have folded. Generally, seek opportunities to grow your stack and stay in the money-hunt for that top three finish.
If you've become short stacked and in serious danger of being blinded out - the best form of defense is attack! Caution to the wind, pick a hand and "go for it" while you can still do some damage. Any pair, two face cards, an A with a decent kicker stick those chips in the middle and hope for the best. If you get a caller or two and double up you're right back in the game. If not and you go out, at least you've done so in a blaze of (almost) glory.
Late stages - blinds are big and/or five or less players remain
Now you're close to the cash. Half the field or more has gone. Everybody starts thinking about the money and because of that fact, play can become very tight as people want to make that top-three spot. But the blinds are becoming seriously high so sitting on your stack (unless it's h-u-g-e) waiting for others to knock themselves out isn't an option. Another important consideration now is that fewer players mean less likelihood of anyone having a great starting hand because fewer cards are being dealt pre-flop.
You can take advantage of the tight play that generally arises at this stage as thoughts turn to money. Look for players concentrating on the money finish and give them an excuse to fold. They are looking for one anyway so help them along a bit.
Either way - at this late stage almost anything goes and you must be more aggressive than before and absolutely cannot wait for the premium hands. You can actually turn being one of the first to act in to an advantage as well - if you have the hand for it, raising from an early position can be very effective. Stealing blinds at every opportunity (see chapter 15) is similarly essential to stay in the game.
The loosening up and highly aggressive play doesn't mean you go all-in with 7-2 offsuit though. It's still controlled aggression balanced against risk. Yes, you want at least third place. But if you're still in with five or less players you're still a contender and you don't want to ruin all your hard work to get this far with a reckless move. Stay clam and pick your moments.
If you make it in to the money, don't think "I've done enough now" and go to pieces. Even if you're the short stack try to hang around as long as possible because the bigger stacks might lock horns and one get taken out by the other in a monster pot. |
