Online Multi-Table Tournaments Part 2

Monday, November 21st., 2005 (By the PokerStrategyKing)

Several months ago, I wrote an article which dealt with online Sit and Go strategy. Today, I’m going to do something a little different. Today, I’m going to go into the strategy to use when playing in Multi-table tournaments with larger fields of players. I will present a concept and then a short paragraph or two detailing the idea. This is part 2 of a two-part series.

Know when its Time to Stop a Bluff
This is more true as it gets later in a tournament and the Blinds and Antes become increasingly significant. I think whenever you see an opening and you are in late position, you should go ahead and take a stab at the Blinds. If you are successful, you add to your stack and have put yourself in a better position to win the whole tournament. But when is enough enough? I’ve seen many players, and done it myself, I might add, make an attempt to steal the blinds and then take it too far when they are being played back at. If you raise from late position in a steal attempt, by all means, I suggest you make a reasonable post flop stab. But don’t put so many of your chips at risk if a call will pot commit you if you are trapped by a big hand. If you raise preflop, you MUST come out betting but if this attempt after the flop fails, don’t get yourself any deeper than you already are. Being able to cut your losses could prevent you from a premature exit from the tournament.

As a Big Stack, you are not the Policeman of the table
So you’ve been rolling and you have a larger chip stack than anyone at your table. You are in the Big Blind with A-10 offsuit and a middle position player goes all in. What do you do? To me, unless the player has a microscopic stack, this is an easy fold. Just because you are outchipping the field, that doesn’t mean it is your responsibility to maintain table law and order and knock everyone out. I would say that unless you have AQ or better or a pocket pair higher than 7, just get out of the way and let this player stick around. Wait until you have a monster and then take them out. Don’t waste chips being the hall monitor. Other players want you to make that call so your chips become more vulnerable. Don’t play into that trap.

As a Short Stack, pick your spots
Being the short stack is quite an unenviable position at the table. You need to double up if you are going to survive, much less win the tournament. That doesn’t’ mean however that you should play desperately. As long as you can survive a couple rounds of blinds, you can afford to be somewhat selective. I’ve seen smallish stacks go all in with poor hands like A-5 offsuit only to be busted out by an unimproved AQ by the caller. You want to wait until you have a semi-strong ace or a pair. Once you pick one of these up, its off to the races. At this time that you actually have a hand, push your chips in and see what happens. Think back to this year’s World Series of Poker final table. The eventual winner, Joseph Hachem was the short stack almost throughout the entire final table. He made laydown after laydown when most players would have pushed their chips in. Ultimately, we waited out his competitors and picked his spots with the utmost precision. Now, he is a multi-millionaire.

Don’t get Tentative around Bubble Time
You have a reasonable stack and the next 5 players busted will finish out of the money. How do you play? Do you get tight and tentative or do you attack? You should absolutely not being playing scared hoping to cash, you should be more aggressive than usual. Think about it. When you entered the tournament, did you do so hoping to finish in the money only? No, you were trying to win the whole thing. To do so, you must take advantage of the fact that everyone has tightened up and try to steal pots whenever possible. Why? To give yourself a better chance to win outright of course. Timid players may get into the money, but the winners attack. Never forget that.

Don’t Lose your Focus until the Tournament is Over
You’re approaching the final table. You have a respectable stack and you may even be the chip leader. So you begin to check the tournament scoreboard to see how much money you stand to win. Guess what? Don’t do this. By counting your chickens before they’ve hatched you’ve lost part of your edge, part of the hunger that’s gotten you to this position. You need to focus on your table, focus on your cards and your opponents and continue to grind away. Only by doing this and concentrating can you be crowned the champ.

I hope you pay attention to the 10 tips I have discussed. Doing so will make you a winner.

Until next time, may the chips fall your way.

(For more poker strategy and tips, please visit the PokerStrategyKing’s website at www.pokerstrategyking.com )