Texas Hold'em
Tournament Tips
1.
Be
patient- the number one problem that befalls
tournament players is that they get impatient as the
blinds move up. Be patient it’s a marathon not a
sprint.
2.
Don’t
be a hero- the concept of playing in a tournament
is to out last the other players. It is not to beat
everyone at the table. Other players will eliminate
themselves. To often people build an early chip lead
only to watch it dwindle from making loose calls. If
you are in good shape don’t be afraid to sit out or
play tight.
3.
Take risks
early -if you plan to take risks, do it early. The
lower blinds mean you can afford to see more flops and
make looser calls than normal.
4.
Sit
out a round when you join a new table- you will be
moved several times during a tournament. After each
time you are moved, take at least one round to get a
feel for the table. Learn how each player plays before
getting caught in a hand and not having any idea of
how your opponent plays.
5.
Watch
for traps- Often, players will trap more in a
tournament than in a ring game. Be careful when making
a bet with a dangerous board even if you plan to fold
if you get raised. These small mistakes will dwindle
your chips quickly as a tournament progresses.
Recognize the possibility of a trap and try to make a
smaller bet to entice your opponent to reveal a little
more information about their hand.
6.
Don’t be
afraid to go all in- When you’re playing in any
no limit tournament, chances are you’ll have to go
all in at least once. The key is to not fear going all
in but to recognize when you have the best hand and
force someone else to catch you.
7.
Avoid
pushing all in on a draw hand- I see this happen
all the time, a person will have a solid draw hand and
someone will make a large raise and force them all in.
In this case, it is often the right play to fold.
Going all in should be reserved for instances when you
feel you have the best hand.
8.
Try to
steal blinds- If you’re in a late position do
not be afraid to make a play for the blinds. For every
blind you steal it’s like not having to post one the
next time around and can buy you time while you wait
for a big hand.
9.
Be
a bully- if you see someone is low on chips don’t
be afraid to push him or her around. Make them
uncomfortable and force them to go all in. They won’t
like you very much, but it is a great way to win small
pots if you are facing someone who has a lot fewer
chips than you.
10.
Blinds
are going up- if you have a decent amount of chips
you should play extremely tight in the later rounds.
This is when low stacked players will be looking to
move all in and chip leaders will only be playing the
“nuts”. Your starting cards become extremely
important because it is very likely every hand will
result in someone going all in. Adjust your game
accordingly, even if you’re not where you want to be
as far as chip count, be extremely patient and wait
for a very strong hand.
