Is there such thing as tournament strategy?

[John]

When it comes to tournament play, I'm always looking to play my natural game, which is essentially conservative until I get dealt a good hand in which case I am looking to play aggressively.

Do you approach tournaments in a different way? Are you more keen to wait for opponents to knock one another out before making your move against a depleted table or are you looking to get an early advantage?

I always play hands on their merit, no matter what stage of the game I'm at, though I've seen many that prefer to play tightly until the table numbers drop a little hence giving them better odds at winning pots and ultimately going through to the next round.

[duece7off]

For me I have always tried to let the more aggressive players do each other in then make my move. This does not always work for me though I find myself having to play certain hands that are dealt to me; I am for instance not going to throw away small pairs just because I would like to wait out my opponents. So the answer to your question is yes that I do approach tournaments differently then I approach the cash games.

[winningedge]

Yes, hand selection deffinitely is different for a tournament than a cash game.. Like duece says, there are no two card you have to play in a cash game, but thats not always true for a tournament.

My number one rule that I always keep in mind when playing tournaments is that I have one objective: To Survive. If I can't survive to a position where I am in the money, I cannot win.

I've developed a new strategy recently that I havent tested out enough to say for sure how well it works, but I try to see a lot of hands as cheaply as possible, and wait until I hit a big hand. When I do hit the big hand, I'll usually get a fair amount of action because I look like an action player from my history, hopefully making up for any money i've dumped off seeing the other hands. I used to just play very tight at the begining so I could exploit that later when the blinds are high, but I wanted to try something new.

[r8rpwr]

For me I have always tried to let the more aggressive players do each other in then make my move.

This generally works for me. This may just be the tournaments that I play in, but inevitably there are a few schmucks that bet recklessly, just because they have no clue. Once they get out of the way, then the real play begins.

[markdjones82]

For my style of play, I usually play conservative in the beginning of a tourney only playing agressive on very strong hands. Once, I have a stack, I begin to play much more agressive muscling weaker stacks out of hands and money. This usually works for me on a consistent basis. I mainly just play live tourney's though and I have found that online it works well, but with the chaos and speed of online strategy almost gets thrown out the window.

[Sabrina]

I usually play to survive too. Unless it is the first couple of hands. Then, I might go ahead and take a chance. You always seem to have those guys that go all in on the first hand and if you have a great one to go for it...why not...it can really give you an edge.

[AcesCrackedAgain]

Tournament strategy is much different than playing cash games. In cash games, you can always buy more, the game never ends. In tournament play, the game ends when you're out of chips or have all the chips. I personally play tight early in tournaments, loosen up just a bit when everyone tightens up close to the money. Once you get into the money, tighten up again. Everyone tends to gamble more. Then as you get down to the last 10-12 players, you can steal some blinds since everyone tightens up again to make the final table. No matter what, when I play a hand, I get very aggressive. More so than in cash games. There are some good tournament strategy books out there, and the one I keep reffering to is T.J. Cloutier's book. Championship NL and Pot Limit Hold'em.

[kelkat]

My number one rule that I always keep in mind when playing tournaments is that I have one objective: To Survive. If I can't survive to a position where I am in the money, I cannot win.

The only problem with this is that you are never the only one to have it. Play smart and play the players!

[pinnie]

You learn the right strategy by playing and from few good books (Harrington 1-3 are best I think). In the beginning when the blinds are low relative to your stack I like to see cheap flops with suited connectors and small pairs to see if I flop something really good. This is good way to bust those overly aggressive people who just cant let go their big pair etc.

Middle stages is all about tightening up hand selection and playing those hands strongly, stealing blinds and making re-steals. When stealing blinds and re-stealing you need some reads of your opponents to be succesful.

On the bubble you hopefully have good to semi good stack so you can bully smaller stacks and beware confrontation with the big ones.

Until final table game is usually very aggressive so you need to be able to read your opponents to get best out of every situation.

Final table is time to tighten up a bit if you have nice stack. Otherwise you have to be able to choose best times for those allin steals.


Tournament startegy is no easy subject and everyone has their own style. Read a bit, play lots and create your own.

[AcesCrackedAgain]

Tournament startegy is no easy subject and everyone has their own style. Read a bit, play lots and create your own.

That about sums it up.

[Liz]

Yeah you have to find out what works best for you. But I like the "19 hand rule" pretty safe to play by when playing with fish. Also helps to keep you out of crap hands that you should have never started to play. Cause once you get a piece of something you should have never started its a lot easier to want to chance it.

[kelkat]

Tournament startegy is no easy subject and everyone has their own style. Read a bit, play lots and create your own.

I have to agree and to say that every tournament will be different as well. You have to adjust your stradegy somewhat based on whether or not you are playing aggressive or passive players.

[Liz]

I think having a strategy comes in to play more and higher limit games. With low limit games there are so many fish that play so different. That its really hard to know what to expect. Like kelkay said you just ahve to adjust your stradegy a lot.

[PokerPrincess]

Pinnie you expressed it very well. The only place I would question is when you said on the "bubble" play aggressive and steal those blinds. Unfortunately, sometimes, when you play aggressive you become the "bubble" and go out.

My suggestion is when it is down to the "bubble" sit back and wait if you have the stack and let someone else be the "bubble". This is not a time you want to get a bad beat. I have often been low person on the totem pole and made it to the money by folding, even ppA or ppK.

After you get to the money then you can start playing the game again.

[ester11]

Just doing your best and try to think about some other things besides the game when you are having a bit of bad luck. You can accept that you may lose and so you can think about.. oh. i'll be doing X (some happy thing) after this is all over. So its not so bad when your'e finding your self getting your tail kicked.

[kelkat]

If you go into it thinking I have to win, then the pressure will get to you. You have to play the tournament one hand at a time. I'm with Pokerprincess, though. If you have the chips, don't push your luck. Make it to the money table first.

[winningedge]

well, i've always beleived the number one thing in tournament play is survival.. if you have a desent hand, make them pay for it in a big waty.. otherwise, get out.. true poker, in my opinion, only enters into tournaments when the the crowd has been severely thinned..

[kelkat]

That sounds like a good plan winningedge. I would think true poker comes in to play now and then on your way to the end because occassionally you run into that "real" player that you have to get past. Other wise, survival should be all of your mantras.

[queenofthetables]

There is definantly tournament stratedgy. I know that what I do at a sit and go is I let the heavy hitters chase each other and knock each other out until we are down to the last 4 players then I start taking a stab at some pots. With MTT's I will usually be a little more agressive but I will generally lay low and let the others at the table take each other out and will only play when I have a good hand or a good feeling.

[kelkat]

I've seen this strategy play out on television quite a bit. But it only works if you've got some aggresive players at the table - otherwise there's just a lot of checking going on .