There are many poker articles strewn across the internet concerning online tournament strategy, and most of them talk the same game. Stay tight early on, only play premium hands, maybe limp with pocket pairs and see a cheap flop. When the blinds get bigger and the antes kick in, the same articles tell you to become more aggressive, steal the blinds, and take calculated risks.
However, these articles are correct in theory, playing as a tight ‘rock’ may work when the blinds are small, but the same strategy will see you tamely lose all of your chips later on as the blinds consume your stack. What the articles do not tell you is how to adapt your strategy to complement the playing styles on your table.
What if you are faced with eight very tight opponents? What if your table is full of loose-aggressive maniacs? What if there is a mix of playing styles at your table? Clearly your own strategy has to be flexible if you want to win tournaments, and this article will show you how.
Playing poker against tight opponents
In a word: aggression. In three words: attack, attack, attack! Blind stealing is going to be your main source of income against a table full of tight players. Often, when you have a hand such as pocket fives, or queen-nine suited on the button, raising three-times the big blind will see you take the pot uncontested. You shouldn’t be stealing all the time of course, but when in position you should be looking to steal with any two cards. The majority of the time you will be picking up the blinds and antes, further beefing up your chip stack.
My own play used to be that of a very tight player throughout a tournament. I would eventually have to go all in with a very short stack, and because I had such a small stack, I’d get two or three callers and most likely head out of the tournament.
When someone would raise me on the big blind, I’d be incredibly reluctant to call, unless I had a premium hand, which is not very often! So looking at this from the point of the aggressor, you can see what a lucrative play it is to put pressure on tight players. When faced with a re-steal from one of these players, they more than likely have your queen-ten beaten!
Playing poker against aggressive opponents
Your strategy against aggressive opponents should be much different to the strategy described above. Oddly, stealing becomes more risky, as you are likely to get callers, or be put to the test by tricky re-raises. What you need to do is take charge yourself. Re-stealing, while still risky, can be a lucrative option when you have a premium hand such as a high pair or suited picture cards.
You should be willing to risk your entire stack against aggressive opponents when you have a premium hand. With medium to high pocket pairs, you need to pick your spots before you shove your stack into the middle of the table. Pocket pairs stand a much better chance of winning when against just one other opponent (heads-up).
There is another strategy you can use against aggressive players called the ‘stop-go’ play. In theory you can do it with any two cards, but it s best to try it when you have a decent hand. In late position, when faced with a raise, just call it, and when the flop is dealt, go all in, regardless of whether you hit the flop or not. It sounds crazy, but aggressive players look to steal later on in tournaments, and are not looking for confrontation on the flop.
Most of the time, your maniac opponent will fold, as most of the time, they will have completely missed the flop. Overall, this is a profitable move to make, when in position, and at least at casinos Singapore online platforms.
Playing poker against a mix of playing styles
Most likely, you will be faced with a mixture of tight, neutral, and loose players at your table, meaning your strategy should be adapted to deal with what type of players are in with you in a particular hand, and your position. It goes without saying that when you have a mix of playing styles at your table, you should be using a mix of strategies yourself, such as stealing when a tight players is in the big blind, and re-stealing when a loose maniac raises before you.
Playing poker short-handed
Finally, one thing to bear in mind when you are profiling your online opponents is how many players are on the screen, at your table. What many players forget is that the value of your marginal hand goes up when less players are seated at your table. Fewer players in a hand means fewer flop hits, so ace high may often be the best hand when you’ve checked to the river! Pocket pairs also go up in value, for obvious reasons.
Summary
In summary, changing your style as a poker tournament progresses is only half the story. First and foremost your play during the later stages of a tournament should be shaped around the reads you have on your table opponents. Not only will it train you to read your opponents better, but it will also help you understand different playing styles at the poker tables.
Being able to gather and use this knowledge to your advantage means you will gain a vital edge over many opponents, not to mention experience in using different playing styles yourself, helping you to keep the nemesis that is predictability out of your game.
Playing online poker for money is addictive and should be played within the financial risk attitude. Moreover, it is suggested to avoid chasing losses as the act may lead to further losses instead of winning, if the luck is not in favor on the day. Try to learn or know when is the right time to quit.
