Tactics to Put You In the Money
One factor that becomes critical as a tournament progresses is the goal of finishing "in the money." For example, suppose the prize structure for your single-table tournament gives money to the top three finishers. In that case, there is no meaningful difference between finishing 10th or 5th; but the difference between finishing 4th or 3rd might be the difference between losing your buy-in or breaking even.
This fact should not be neglected in your tactics. Let's imagine a situation where there are nine players left in a tournament and money will go out to the top eight:
1. If you have a big lead in chips, your goal is to win the tournament. Your stack is a tactical weapon that cannot be left idle. Sure, there is a chance that your lead will erode if a few things go wrong, but more often than not, you will increase your lead and make your victory more certain. It's worth the risk to try to lock up the big prize.
- Avoid confrontations with players who have enough chips to really hurt you.
- But look for stealing opportunities against players who have meaningful stacks but are trailing the pack. They are playing extremely tight to try to finish in the money. And if they call you and win, it's not a disaster.
- When you have a good hand, make value bets, bets small enough to be called, against players with the shortest stacks. They will call you with draws, weak pairs, and over-cards because they are desperate to see more cards. Letting them draw can't hurt you very much.
- If one of these short-stacked players makes a bet and you can beat a bluff, it is usually profitable to call or even raise to ensure that you get heads-up. However, this doesn't mean that it is your resposibility as chip leader to be the table's bluff catcher. Don't call unless you really think you can.
2. If you are in the middle of the pack, your goal is not to win the tournament, at least not yet. Your goal is to finish in the money. That means you should tighten up and protect your chips while other players get eliminated. Shorter stacked players will have to make desperate plays to stay alive. Let them, and if you can, let other players go after them.
- If a player goes all-in against another opponent, don't go all-in yourself unless you have a monster hand. Your highest expected value comes from folding and giving the all-in player a chance to lose all by himself.
- This phase of the tournament can last for quite a while as everyone plays tight. Try not to let your stack get cut down by the blinds enough to put you into the more desperate situation described below. If it looks like that's where you're headed, you are better off actively trying to go after shorter stacks, even if the money threshold is close, while you have enough chips to bet with authority. The fact that other middle-stacked players tend to tighten up now gives you opportunities to steal more than your share of small pots against them by bluffing.
3. If your stack is so short that a couple of blinds will put you all-in, your goal is to choose the best time to make your last stand. First, count up the chips of the other short-stacked players and see where the blinds are.
- If it looks like those players will be put all-in by the blinds, your best strategy is to hold on to your chips and wait for those opponents to get knocked out. Those opponents will have random hands, and they will probably find themselves heads-up against the best hand at the table.
- If you must steal the blinds to survive, try to make your move after the larger stacks have already folded; shorter stacks will be less inclined to call.
- If you are about to be blinded all-in, it's time to bet all your chips on any ace, king, queen, or two cards above 9. Good luck.