Strategies for Modern Poker Tournament

Poker tournaments have changed tremendously over the years. What worked many years ago may not be effective today. Keep in mind poker is about playing and knowing your opponents. Therefore to have an edge over opponents, you need to know strategies others aren’t aware of. Or at least apply strategies that aren’t expected. This article covers some of the points you may have missed on other tips websites of casino gambling forums.

Identify The Weak Players

Once you identify a player is weak, play as many hands against them as possible. This at least gives you a chance at moving up the ranks. So even if you don’t place first, you have a better chance of secondary prizes.

Naturally you may not have a choice in later stages on the game. But sometimes you do in the early stages.

Consider Ranges Instead of Individual Hands

Of course the player’s individual hand is mostly what determines who wins or loses. But the best Poker players consider ranges, not just hands of individual games.

Experienced poker players are aware particular ranges have specific frequencies. Be aware of the frequencies to modify your behavior and play. Don’t be afraid to use your gut instinct, but use it in conjunction with your logical mind. Some of the best gambling advice websites have conducted statistical studies into gut instincts, and there are real substance in it. Especially in a game like poker, where your subconscious mind notices things your conscious mind isn’t aware of – somewhat like a gut feeling you get when someone isn’t being honest with you.

Don’t Play Favorites

Most players tend to have their favorite hand. And I’m not just talking about a winning hand. For example, you might like a lot of aces in your hand. After all, who doesn’t?

But if you make decisions with a bias towards seeking a particular hand, you will reduce your chances of winning. For example, say you had two aces, But you knew it was only possible to receive one further ace. Now consider that you also had two kings. So you have two pairs, and things look pretty good.

But what happens if another player has three of a kind? You may not be absolutely sure of it, but perhaps your opponent dumps all but two cards. Of course it could be a bluff, or not.

At the same time, you may not know of any kings held by other players. So what do you do? To recap, you have two aces, two kings, and some other card – let’s call a three of hearts.

Do you dump the three, the Kings, or the Aces? Let’s say hypothetically you had to make the decision to win a particular hand. Well you already know that having two pairs probably won’t win the hand. And you already know the chances are you won’t have an Ace to complete your three of a kind. And because of the shortage of Aces, you already know your opponent probably doesn’t have three Aces. So the best choice in this case is to dump all cards except for your two kings. This means you are dealt a further three cards, which have a higher likelihood of containing a king. And that’s all you need to win the hand.

Know When To Fold

If you have a bad hand, the only way you will win is if others fold, Or if others have an even worse hand.

If you fold every time you have a bad hand, your opponents will get to know your behavior. Don’t be so predictable, and once in a while continue playing. But if steaks get unreasonably high, it is probably time to fold. It doesn’t mean your opponent is bluffing you. Again keep in mind that poker is playing real human opponents. You are not playing the casino – you are playing the people. And people can it be easily manipulated.

Know When To Bluff

The less predictable you are, the harder you are to beat. Most websites that explain tips to bluff will cover matters like physical mannerisms. For example, you may have a nervous twitch when things aren’t going your way. There are some tell-tale signs in your eyes, that are easily hidden.

But beyond the typical nervous tics, your opponents will look at your behavior and decisions with cards you are dealt.

For example, in some variations of poker, you can easily discard two of your cards. You will be dealt replacements. To any observant opponent, it may appear as though you have three of a kind. Of course you may have nothing but a two, three, and a seven. So you would be bluffing. But you would only apply such a bluff in cases where your opponents may discard all but one of their cards. They may have an Ace, or similarly valuable card such as a king. The single card with nothing to match up doesn’t hold much value.

Be Aware Of Your Opponent’s Bankroll

If you are playing against someone with virtually nothing left in the tank, and your bankroll is much larger, your opponent is most likely to be conservative. This doesn’t mean you can but much higher than them and wipe them out. Remember they only need one good hand to get back in the game.

If you have played against an opponent before, you will be more inclined to know how they behave when the chips are down. And this puts you in a better position to know the best course of action to remove them from the game.