Playing to Win in Poker Tourneys
Those who win Poker tourneys regularly are not elevated to the top by sheer luck, but rather by their skills and ability to strategize. If you want to be able to play winning Poker, it is important that you learn how to fine tune your tactics for each stage.
The way to play in the beginning is very tight. Everyone starts with the same number of chips, but this will quickly change as players try to gain the advantage early on. The result is that a lot of players will make several quick plays, hoping to cash in early.
Avoid this tendency at all costs. You will not make it to the next level playing aggressively. Just let the others play wild and crazy Poker. In the end you will be the one who will be picking up their chips.
In the middle stages of a Poker tourney, you need to alter your approach to the game. Here you will have to loosen up, but having had a tight image before in the early tables, this will not be to your disadvantage. With a tight reputation in hand, you will be able to steal blinds quite easily and play with more hands.
At this stage at a Poker tourney you also have to pay special attention to your chip stack. If it is large, focus your attention on the smaller ones and eliminate them. With a mid sized stack, now is the best time to steal the blinds. If you find yourself with the smallest stack, then you should be willing to take some risks.
You cannot just sit back in a Poker tourney and wait for the premium hands to arrive as your small stack will just be depleted more by the blinds. When you get a hand like JJ or JT or even 99, you should go all in. An aggressive approach will often cause the other ones with the big stacks to fold, as they will not likely want to risk what they hold.
The same Poker strategy should be utilized at the final tables. Of course with a big stack, your goal is to force the others to go all in. However, even if you do not have the lead stack, you should try to be aggressive.
You are at the final table, and the last thing that you want is to just get blinded out. Pick your spot, make your move and play to win.
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