Euro21

The Newbie's Guide to Playing in Poker Tourneys

It is estimated that there are now more Poker tourneys than cash games being played online, a testament to its ever growing popularity. If you are among those interested in playing in one, but have no previous experience, you will want to acquaint yourself with the winning tactics for tourneys.

What you need to remember about Poker tourneys is that the larger they are, the longer they will take to finish, and you will start at the very beginning. New players often entertain visions of entering a tourney and bluffing everyone out of the pot, or mowing down the opposition with monster hands.

That is not how the game works in real life. What you do is to sit back and wait patiently for the high hands to be dealt your way. You do not have to worry about the blinds, as in the early Poker tourney tables they are very small, and it is guaranteed that a good hand will come your way.

When you do get those big hands, your Poker strategy is to use them aggressively to get some chips, and then sit back again and wait for the next one. Do not waste what you just won by making wild calls and raises.

Another thing that you will need to remember about Poker tourney play is that, most of the time in the early tables, you do not need to take part in the action to advance; just let your opponents eliminate each other. Although it can be fun to take part in the action, resist the temptation.

You should also avoid paying too much attention to reading at the early stages of a Poker tourney. The reason is that quite often you will find yourself relocated to another table as players get busted. However, when you are moved, take some time to observe the action and tendencies of the players before making a bet.

Of course, at some point, you will have to go all in. It should be emphasized that you should only do this when you are certain that you have the nut hand. Also, unless the pot odds are very good, avoid pushing your chips in the middle with drawing hands. If you are holding a straight draw but he flop shows flush potential, fold.

In the latter stages of a Poker tourney, you will want to try and steal as many blinds as possible, and do not hesitate to try and take out the weaker players. If you find yourself at the final table, play it tight again, because the competition will be very tough, and they will not make a move unless they have something solid too.

Even if you are new, there is no reason why you cannot play well in a Poker tourney. A lot of times players seem to use that as an excuse for playing loosely or passively. However the fact is that with a little knowledge, you can find yourself competing for the big money as well as any other player.