Tournament Stages

Tournaments stages

Early Stage Play

At the start of poker tournaments the blinds are relatively low compared to your stack size. This means that you can play a lot more marginal hands if there are no big raises. Small pairs and suited connectors often give huge payoffs when they hit, and if you get to see the flop cheaply you should play these hands. However, you shouldn’t take any unnecessary risks in the beginning of a poker tournament. Play conservatively after the flop and fold if your hand doesn’t hit.

Your aim in the early stage should be to build up your chip stack, don’t be concerned with knocking other players out of the tournament (the prize list is too far away). Choose the playing style that suits you the best - well-timed aggressive play or a more conservative approach. Both these poker strategies will be effective if you play your cards wisely.

Middle Stage Play

As the blinds increase in, the middle stage play, they become more desirable. In the middle stage of a tournament you have to start playing more aggressively. If you’re first to act, you should consider raising in order to steal the blinds. This tactic will actually work quite often since the other players will be risking a large part of their stack by calling.

At the same time it will be difficult for you to call if another player makes a raise. When you do enter a pot you have to be aggressive; if you become passive the other players will bully you around and your stack will start shrinking rapidly. A good thumb role is to try to win the blinds at least once a round as this will give you some breathing space.

If you have a small stack in this stage of the tournament you’re in a weak position. Since you eventually will be forced to play more marginal hands most your raises will be called by players with bigger stacks. Have the patience to wait for really strong hands as long as possible, since this will give you a chance to double up. If you get a chance to limp in with an average hand you should do so, since you don’t know if a better opportunity will show up. If you have a big stack you should play aggressively and pick on the poker players with smaller stacks. If you get the chance to knock an opponent out you should take it. However, you shouldn’t get reckless as things can turn around quickly in a poker tournament.

Late Stage Play

When you’ve reached the late stage of a tournament your aim is obviously to get into the money. The blinds are very big at this stage and play is becoming short-handed. If you want to reach the top spots you have to make some moves.

If you have an average or large poker chips stack, you should play very aggressively when you get the chance. Make big raises even though your cards are not that strong. On the other hand, you need a really good hand to call another player’s raise. In general you should only go up against players with smaller stacks than you, since they will be afraid to get knocked out. This tactic will help you steel a lot of pots and further strengthen your position. Players with big stacks should be avoided unless you have really strong cards.

If you have a small stack (but not desperately small) it might be a good idea to play a tighter game. If you’re really close to the money you can wait for other players to get knocked out. You won’t win the tournament this way but you at least will get something. If you’re in a desperate situation you have to pick a hand and move all-in with it. If you’re really lucky you might get back into the game.