Stuart Rutter's Poker Strategies - Tournament Strategy Part II

Tournament Strategy part II

Previously we started to look at how your poker strategy changes as a poker tournament develops. Let’s have a look at the opportunities you will have as the tournament reaches its pressure points:

Approaching the bubble

The tournament is going well for you, and you are part of the lucky crowd left surviving as the bubble approaches.

You should aim to be in a state of mind where you are not scared of elimination around this pressure point. Instead, see it as a great opportunity to gain some chips. Take advantage of any tightening play by changing your play in the other direction:-

• Put a lot of effort into sniffing out the players who have decided they are going to pass their way into the money. Their blinds are up for grabs.
• You may notice one or two other players seizing the opportunities that the bubble brings, and themselves getting busy. The biggest stack at the table will often be one of these players, as he realises that he is free of the pressure that others are suffering from. One clever move is to realise when the aggressive player is trying to steal the tightest players’ blinds, and to re-raise yourself. This is especially effective if you are not in the blinds, as you will not be suspected of the re-steal.
• The stacks that feel the most pressure around the bubble are not necessarily
  the very smallest, but the medium-sized stacks. They are the players who know that they can pass for a while and emerge in the money positions without too much damage to their stack.

If you have about the same sized stack as them, apply the pressure. They may feel able to call a raise from the blind with a marginal hand like , but your real opportunity comes when the flop comes something like . Now, a reasonable sized bet from you is challenging them to make a decision for all their chips.

Your bet is strong because it carries an implied threat. Your opponent will know that a call now will mean that he may have to call again on turn and river with just one pair. He may reflect on the pressure of the bubble, and think it better to pass his hand.

Just after the bubble

This is a situation which is rarely acknowledged as being important. However, after the bubble has burst, the play can change more than at any other time in the tournament.

The release of pressure has a big effect; people are prepared to gamble again, and often too much. As in most situations, the right tactic is to go against the majority, and shift your play in the other direction. Your re-raises and bluffs are less likely to succeed than ever before, so tighten up.

The heads up

You continue to play well, have your share of the luck, and reach the heads up stage of the tournament. This is one of the least practiced parts of the game.

Any marginal hand or small piece of the flop becomes much more valuable, and the game therefore becomes more aggressive. Here is how to adapt:

• You should raise with a much wider range of hands before the flop. Any pair, ace, or hand like  becomes a strong hand.
• Raise far more when you are in position. It is usually the small blind who has position after the flop. Being in position gives you so many advantages, that you should aim to make bigger pots. Raise maybe three times as many hands before the flop in the small blind as you do in the big.
• There are more flops on which your opponent has no piece of the flop than flops on which he has. Use this information to bet many flops. When you are in position and your opponent has checked, bet most flops. 
• The correct style of play changes depending on the texture of the flop. If you have  for middle pair on a flop like  and your opponent bets strongly, you have to make your decision now whether your hand is good. The correct style is to either pass or raise.  If you feel that you are ahead, there are so many draws that you have to raise to deny your opponent the odds to draw.

However, if you hold  for middle pair on a far drier flop like , there is less rush to get active.

The correct style is to check and call. This stops the pot getting too high if your opponent does have you beat, and gains you a lot of value in the more likely scenario that he is bluffing.

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