Best Poker Tournament Strategy | How to Play Poker

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Texas Hold'em holds the throne in poker. If you go to any casino anywhere in the world, you will see the Hold’em tables buzzing with activity. Texas Hold'em poker tourneys are packed with action, and it's not surprising. A small, pre-determined investment allows players to enjoy the thrill and play against pros, earning them a life-changing cash prize and bragging rights for being the only survivor. How can a beginner beat the competition and win Texas Hold'em Poker tournaments?

Texas Hold'em poker wins require you to be aggressive at the right time and play tight in others. It's also possible to have some luck every once in a while. You need to combine skill with chip management to outwit, overplay, and outlast all your opponents at the table.

A decade ago, Texas Hold'em poker tournaments had just begun to gain mainstream popularity. Most poker tournament players were limited to basic poker strategies. It is not true today. Poker strategy has changed dramatically. This means that "old school" strategies are not applicable to poker tournaments. Over the past decade, there have been major changes in the way bet sizes and situations are played. To win modern poker tournaments you must be adaptable.

BASIC BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO WINNING TEXAS HELD'EM POKER TURNAMENTS

In multi-table tournaments, the easiest levels to play are in the early blinds. In order to eliminate the fishy players, most hands should be folded at the early blind levels. During the initial stages of poker, it is crucial to maintain your cool, keep calm, and stay "in the zone” until the middle rounds.

According to some poker strategy guides you shouldn't play pocket queens or aces (KK and AA) during the early rounds. This is a bit tight. If you have AX suited or solid pairs and are in a late-table position, you shouldn't fold.

Even though you may wish to double-up in the early rounds of play, it's not necessary. The first blind level should be played with strong hands only.

POKER TRAININGS: A SIMPLE, WINNING STRATEGY

You will find the strategy below for each hand.

* This strategy is for basic poker tournaments. If you follow this strategy, it will help you get deep and maybe win you a tournament. But you can also add more elements to increase your performance and overall play. The decision is yours, as with all things at the table.

* You have the option to play more hands if necessary. Some players feel that this strategy can't win any poker tournaments. It will allow them to cash more chips in if they have the patience to stick to it. The good news is that you can loosen things up by playing suited connections and small pairs. The downside is that playing more hands can lead to wild swings in your bankroll. It's not something you should do lightly.

Let's get that out of the way. Let's look at the top starting hand:

1. A/A and K/K are also known as Q/Q.

2. Ace/King

3. 2/2-J/J (lower value pairs)

4. A-X suitable

Here are the steps to get each one playing.

HOW TO PLAY THREE TOP HANDS: A/A, K/K, Q/Q

You should try to stay calm and wait for your pocket aces. It is best to limp in with A-X suited, or lower value pairs. But it is important that you account for the aggressiveness at the table and the average raise.

The average table should raise between 2 and 3 times the large blind. You might consider raising more if your table is making huge raises.

The flop is the time to place your bets. If there are more players than two, the flop must be in your favor. It will give you confidence that you have top hands. These hands rarely come up, so you should bet big from the beginning to the river. These hands will be won largely because you were a preflop favourite.

HOW TO PLAY AK IN POKER TURNAMENTS

A/K is the key to tournament play. This hand will generally be raised regardless of the position. You might be able to make a smart move if you are re-raised just before the flop.

If you are unable to hit an ace on the flop, it is best to check. If you are unable to hit an Ace or a King, it is better to check than bet. Early rounds players tend to be a little suspicious so they will often call flop calls with inferior hands such as a draw and even a pair.

If necessary, you can even give up an A/K card. Again, it is important to play hard preflop because it may be the best hand. Keep your hands in play if the flop is over. Only raise twice as much.

HOW TO PLAY X-X SITED AND OTHER PHAIRS

A-X is best suited. All pairs other than QQ, KK, and AA should be played as easily as possible. In a last position, you should limp in. If there are many people still in preflop, you might want to limp in.

These hands are great for breaking big pots and collaborating with other players. However they can also be worthless when high blinds are involved as you may miss out on the flop. As tournaments progress, the blinds go up, so players with smaller stacks often go all in to play these hands.

KEY KEYPOKER TOURNAMENT STRATEGYPOINTS

This covers most of the strategy needed for the early rounds. Play tight the first few rounds. If someone pushes the pot and you have A/K, don't fold. Unless you're very short stacked your chips stack will only suffer a minor loss. There will be several opportunities for you to do the same, and then go all-in. Don't risk your money if you don't know what you'll get back.

HOLD'EM POSER TOURNAMENT STRATEGY – MIDDLEROUNDS

The middle blinds require more work. This is the time when most fishes are usually weeded out so you might need to be more relaxed. Be aware that there will be some strong players out there waiting to grab you.

Poker tournaments are like walking a tightrope. Only play the very best hands to avoid falling into slippery situations. To play this tight, you must have a large hand to be able to wait for the premium hands. how to starts winning poker tournaments