By using the correct strategy you to can make a nice profit playing on-line poker!!!

Tournament Guide

Here is my brief guide to playing the early, middle and late rounds in an on-line tournament. You can choose to ignore it, but you’re more than likely to become fish bait for the sharks waiting to pounce.

Playing the Early Rounds of a Tournament

Most poker tournaments are structured about the same way. Players are given a very small amount of chips (about 1000-2000) and the blinds start off pretty low (5/10 to 20/40) but escalate quickly (about every 10-15 minutes in normal-speed tourneys). Essentially, you should be playing a very tight game as the first few levels and the blinds pass you by. The reason for this is simple and lies in the risk/reward ratio. So during the first few rounds of the blinds only play your premium hands and when you do play, bet more than you would normally. Example, say you’re dealt pocket Aces, bet at least 7 times the big blind, this should drive out most of the players who have rubbish hands and hopefully you will only have one or two callers at most. Note: if you only call or bet a small amount to try and entice some action you will run into trouble as the lesser experienced player will call you with virtually anything in the hope of hitting a monster. What you don't want at this stage, is some monkey calling your small bet with 5 -9 offsuit and hitting a straight ( I have done this to so may players I have lost count).So it's better to play it safe and raise a larger amount than normal and drive out the weaker hands. Also, the top pocket pairs don’t stand up well in a multi player pot.

Using the same analogy above, if it’s not going to cost you much to take a stab at the flop with mediocre starting hands go ahead. If the flop doesn’t go you way be prepared to fold. That’s not to say you should have a stab at every flop, you should keep it to hands that lend themselves well to straight and flush draws. Hands like 7-8, 8-9, 10-Js, A-5 etc. stay away from hands like Q-5 offsuit they will only get you into trouble.

Something else you will find during the early stages of the tournament is players who are hell bend on doubling up their stack. These players will commit their whole stack of chips in the hope that they will double up. My advice here is don’t even think about calling them unless you have pocket Aces or Kings. If you think about it, even if you have A-K you’re only about a 50/50 chance of winning, so I repeat don’t call unless you have Aces or Kings. You have been warned!!!

During this time watch how the other players bet and make notes on what sort of bets they make. So, if their normal raise is 7 times the big blind with A-K and then 3 or 4 times the big blind with A-A make a note. This information will help you later on in the game when the blinds go. Also, make a note of the tight and loose player at the table.

So to recap, keep it tight and only play your premium hands. Let all the maniacs go out, bide your time, wait for the right hands and you will emerge from the early stages with a health chip stack. Remember, if you think your beat FOLD!!! Don’t lose any more chips than you have to.

Playing the Middle Rounds of a Tournament

If you have followed my advice and successfully survived the early rounds of the tournament, you will have the image of a tight player because you have only play premium hands and haven’t taking to may risks. This will set you in good stead for the follow stage.

As the blinds increase and it cost more for players to see the flop you will find fewer players tend to bet unless they have decent cards. This is where we need to change our playing style slightly and play aggressive style and play more starting hands. Because we have a tight table image we can use this to our advantage. As the blinds go up you have to make a move and start rising before the flop if you don’t the blinds will eat you up and you will be out before you know it. Depending on you stack size; the correct raise is about 3 - 4 times the big blind. This bet forces other players to make a decision, is my hand worth the risk. At this point most of the players will probably fold and you have just won the blinds. If you have a small stack of say 2000 chips and the blinds at 200/400 your best bet here is to go all-in, but obvious you must have a hand that justifies this move. Take the example above we have 2000 in chips the blinds are 200/400 and we are in late position. We are dealt A-10s we have one caller in middle position and everyone folds, what should we do? We raise, (why, because the player in mid position has called indicting he has no strength in his hand) now we are supposed to raise 3 – 4 times the big blind that would come to 1200 or 1600 chips. If raised that amount we would be pot committed after the flop (regardless of what the flop brings) as we have put about ¾ of our chips into the pot. So my advice here is go all-in, we have a decent hand with the A-10s and the player in mid position has only called so the chances are he will fold (in which case we will pick up 1000 chips). If he doesn’t and he calls we are still in good position to win the pot and double up.

If on the other hand you have a large stack compared to the rest of the table, bet and raise more than normal and bully the other players out of the pot. They will not be willing to take the risk if they only have average hands. Don’t do this too often as players will catch on to what you are doing and call you. Although, they may call you when you do have a hand.

This is the stage where most players are either get busted out or make a play and build their chip stack. Because the blinds increase so rapidly, you'll have to loosen up your game in order to really make a run at winning the whole thing. Playing only premium cards will usually lead to a slow demise as the blinds eat you up.

You will find, as the money draws near, most players tighten up completely and only play the top 6 -10 hands in the fear they will be put out and end up with nothing for the time and money. Do not employ this strategy. I can understand why many players want to be guarantee a prize, but the prizes at the bottom of the money list are usually only a couple of dollars above the entry fee. Typically, you're just going to win your money back plus a little change. Why play hard for hours only to earn a few bucks? If you have the right cards or you're in the right situation, play your hand aggressively no matter when the money is coming. I know players who have folded pocket Aces preflop because they don't want to finish outside of the money. Don’t do it, it is complete and utter madness!!! Continue to play as normal and with a bit of luck you may win the whole tournament.

The Finale Table

Hey, CONGATULATION you have made it to the finale table.

How, you play finale table depends on the players at your table and your chip stack.

If you have a health chip stack you can bully the small stacks and steal their blinds. Obliviously this won’t work all the time but there is no way they will call you unless they have a hand. Note: by this time your going to be on level blind level 20 (20,000/40,000$) plus your ante. So use this to your advantage force the small stacks out of the pot.

If on the other hand you are the small stack and the blinds are going to eat you up soon, you have to pick a decent set of cards, close you eyes, hope for the best and go all-in. At worsted you will be out drawing and be out of the tournament or you will get lucky and double up giving you some extra breathing space to make another move. As they say "a chip and a chair". I have seen guys come back from nothing to contest for the tournament and even win it. So it's never over till it's over.

If you're on a tight table you can raise on every hand, this will make it extremely difficult for the other player to get a read on you. Please be aware, if someone re-raises you can try the re-raise again (only if you chip stack will allow) to see if they are bluffing you, but you have to be prepared to fold.

Another trick, is to flat call when you know the odds of you winning are in you favor. Example: let’s say you are dealt 8-8 and you call the big blind. The flop comes 2-8-Q rainbow, you check and your opponent bets (say he has A-K), you think for a few seconds and then flat call him. The turn card is K, now your opponent thinks he has you beat, he has the highest pair and the highest kicker. You check and sure enough he bets into you, wait for a few seconds and then flat call his bet again. The river comes 3, there are no straights and no flushes on the board. You check and sure enough he bets into you again because he thinks he has you beat, this is when you wait and wait and then re-raise him so he thinks you are trying to steal the pot, little does he know you have trip 8’s and you have him by the short and curllies. Note: this type of play can and does back fire but most of the time it will work.

When you get to heads up you do need a bit of luck, but most of all you have to take control of the table. You want to bet, bet, bet until your opponent has had enough and comes fighting back. At heads up you want to bet heavy (or all in) with any sort of pocket pairs, any two face cards or A anything. During heads up it is basically a coin flip or if you like 50/50 who is going to win.

As i said before, if you are betting on every hand it is very difficult for player to get a read on you. If they can read you the person with advantage during the full tournament will be you.

Good luck, and i hope to see you at the finale table.

Back

Pocket Card Selections

The Flop

The Turn

The River

Tournament Guide

Sit & Go Tournaments

Ring Games