Texas Hold'em
Tournament Tips
Be patient- One problem that befalls Texas Holdem tournament
players is that they get impatient as the blinds move
up. In order to be successful in tournament play, you
must have the discipline to wait for a solid hand.
Let players eliminate themselves-
The goal in a tournament is to outlast the other
holdem players. The goal 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.
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.
Sit out a
round when you join a new table- You will be moved several times during a tournament. 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.
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 eat away 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 more information about their hand.
Don’t
be afraid to go all in- When
you’re playing in any no limit texas holdem
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.
Avoid
pushing all in on a draw hand- Going all in should be reserved for instances when you feel
you have the best hand. In order to go all in with any
sort of draw hand, you must be getting tremendous pot
odds. Be absolutely certain that if you do hit your
hand, it will be good enough to win.
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. You can buy time while you wait for a big
hand.
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. It is a great way to win
small pots if you are facing someone who has a lot
fewer chips than you.
Latter
rounds-
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.
