In Tournament Poker we all start with the same amount of chips, but only 1 player can have them all, the winner. Does the beginning style of how you play make a difference if you can win or not? Is there any other variables that could possibly change how I should play, at least at the start of the tournament?
These are a few questions I get asked after a tournament, How did you play at the start? is the most common. Sometimes the answer was conservative and other it was aggressive. Then before they could get the next question out, I reply with it “it depends”.
It depends and always does. What it depends on is what your looking for here.
The Buyin and Payouts
It is rather a simple explanation here, if the buyin is cheap, the payouts is small. The cheaper the buyin results with less skilled players overall. I am less likely to be aggressive because I would rather look for the opportunities that the less skilled player makes, their mistakes. Most of those mistakes are obvious, as long as I pick up on them I will look for opportunity vs reward at the lower levels, and chance vs risk at the higher buyins.
If the payout structure are only gonna payout the top 5 or 10 with 30 runners, I tend to still be conservative pre flop with hand selection, but aggressive after I see the flop. When there are a lot of places that pay, that means more players, more chips in play. In those early tournaments, its conservative to the wire. It wouldn’t be uncommon to see me check down 2 pair with a flush draw or straight draw present, even if the player did not play as if they did have one.
The Blind Structure
Here is a variable that most players don’t even bother to look at, or they just assume typical blind structure. If the blinds are every 5mins compared to 8 or 10, well that means every time it comes around to you; at the faster blind levels is more chips you have committed to the pot. I’ve found at the faster blinds players are very aggressive, so I play conservative with my playing tight system.
The Players I Know
If I am seated at a table where I know players tight or conservative, of course that is going to change how I play. The thing is, it doesn’t change how I play overall per tournament play, it really is every single hand dealt it could change. If I know player in the big blind is very tight, I will try to steal their blinds compared to someone I know who is aggressive, and more likely to defend that blind.
Great article thanks for the great read