Tournament Strategy
Master tournament poker from early stages to final tables
Tournament Poker Fundamentals
Tournament poker requires a completely different skillset than cash games. Success depends on understanding ICM (Independent Chip Model), adjusting to stack sizes, and adapting your strategy throughout different tournament stages. The biggest payouts are at the top, making deep runs and final table play critical for long-term profitability.
Understanding ICM (Independent Chip Model)
ICM is the mathematical model that calculates the monetary value of your tournament chips based on the prize pool structure. Unlike cash games where chips equal money, tournament chips have fluctuating value depending on your stack size, opponents' stacks, and payout structure.
Key ICM Concepts
- Chip value decreases as you accumulate more chips
- Survival is often more valuable than chip accumulation
- Short stacks have more incentive to gamble than big stacks
ICM in Practice
- Avoid marginal spots when you can ladder up in payouts
- Big stacks should avoid confrontations with other big stacks
- Use ICM calculators (ICMizer) to study push/fold ranges
Tournament Stages Strategy
Early Stage
Deep stacks (100BB+) with minimal ICM pressure. Focus on building your stack.
- Play more speculative hands (suited connectors, small pairs)
- See cheap flops in position and play post-flop poker
- Avoid big confrontations without strong holdings
Middle Stage
Stacks get shorter (20-50BB) and ICM pressure begins. Survival becomes important.
- Tighten your ranges as stacks decrease
- Target shorter stacks and avoid chip leaders
- Be aware of bubble approaching - adjust accordingly
Late Stage & Final Tables
Short stacks (10-20BB) with maximum ICM pressure. Push/fold becomes dominant.
- Master push/fold ranges for your stack size
- ICM considerations are critical - use calculators
- Pay attention to payout jumps and ladder up when possible
Bubble Play Strategy
The bubble is when you're close to reaching the money. This is where ICM pressure is highest and strategic adjustments are critical.
Big Stack Strategy
- Apply maximum pressure on medium stacks afraid to bust
- Avoid confrontations with other big stacks
- Steal blinds and antes aggressively from scared opponents
Short Stack Strategy
- Look for spots to double up against medium stacks
- Be willing to push wider than normal ranges
- Don't blind out - take calculated risks to survive
Low Buy-in Tournament Exploits
In low buy-in tournaments with large fields, especially in late stages, players tend to play too tight. This creates massive opportunities for aggressive, wide-range stealing.
Aggressive Stealing Strategy
- Play a wider range in late position - most opponents fold too much
- In large fields, players are afraid to bust - exploit this fear
- Steal blinds and antes relentlessly, especially with antes in play
Minraise vs Open Shove
- Even with 12BB, a minraise is often more profitable than open shoving
- Minraise allows you to fold to 3-bets and preserve chips
- Opponents fold too often to small raises, giving you cheap steals
Final Table Mastery
Final tables are where the big money is made. ICM pressure is at its peak, and every decision has significant monetary implications.
ICM Pressure at Final Tables
With huge pay jumps between positions, ICM considerations dominate. Medium stacks often play too tight, creating opportunities for chip leaders to accumulate chips and short stacks to find spots to double.
Deal Considerations
When multiple players remain and stacks are relatively even, deals become common. Understand ICM to negotiate fair deals, but also consider your skill edge - if you're the best player, playing it out may be more profitable than a deal.
Heads-Up for the Title
Heads-up play is aggressive and high variance. Wide ranges, frequent 3-betting, and applying maximum pressure are key. Study heads-up ranges and practice this format specifically.
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