The thrill of a deep run in a poker tournament is unmatched. Seeing your chip stack steadily climb, navigating through difficult decisions, and eventually finding yourself at the final table is a dream for many players.
But the road to consistent deep runs can be paved with frustration, especially for those stuck in a min-cashing rut. If you find yourself consistently exiting tournaments just before the big money, it’s time to identify and address some common pitfalls.
Buckle up, because we’re about to explore four key areas that might be holding you back from those coveted deep runs.
1. Loosening Up: Escaping the Nut-Peddler Trap
Many players, particularly beginners, fall into the trap of being overly tight. They only want to enter the pot with the absolute best hands, a strategy known as “nut-peddling.” This approach might seem sensible, but it has its drawbacks. Here’s why:
Predictability: Regularly folding marginal hands gives away your playing style. Opponents quickly learn that you’re unlikely to play anything but premium holdings. This makes it easier for them to exploit you by applying pressure with strong draws and semi-bluffs, knowing you’re likely to fold.
Missed Opportunities: Tight play limits your ability to build your stack steadily through smaller wins. Tournaments are marathons, and accumulating chips throughout allows you to survive variance and build a comfortable cushion for later stages.
Exploitation: Shrewd players know that when a super tight player raises large on the river that you’re not bluffing and likely have the near nuts so they will not pay you off.
The Solution:
Expand your range and play more pots in position against weak players. Learn to identify profitable spots to mix in bluffs, particularly when you have good pot odds and can represent a strong holding.
2. Mindset Shift: Embracing Accumulation, Not Just Survival
The fear of busting can be a major hurdle for aspiring deep runners. This fear often manifests as an overly cautious approach, focusing solely on making the money rather than accumulating chips. While surviving the early stages is important, it shouldn’t come at the expense of building a healthy stack.
Shifting Your Mindset:
Focus on Value: Every hand is an opportunity to build your stack, not just avoid elimination. Look for situations where you can extract value from weaker hands by betting and raising strategically.
Embrace Calculated Risk: Sometimes calculated risks are necessary to accumulate chips. Don’t shy away from good, slightly speculative plays with decent pot odds. A coin flip situation where you can double up and be one of the largest stacks should be embraced – even if that raises your variance and likelihood of busting out of the tournament.
Long-Term View: Tournaments are about building a stack progressively and navigating variance. Embrace the ups and downs, knowing that long-term success comes from making optimal decisions consistently, not just avoiding elimination in the short term.
3. Mastering Adaptability: Shifting Gears When Needed
Another common pitfall is being locked into a single playing style. Players who are either consistently too tight or too loose throughout the tournament struggle to adjust based on the changing dynamics. Here’s what you need to consider:
Table Dynamics: Early stages usually involve a wider playing pool, requiring tighter play. As the tournament progresses, blinds increase, and the player pool tightens, opening up opportunities for more aggressive play.
Stack Sizes: Your own chip stack size and those of your opponents will dictate your strategy. With a short stack, you might need to gamble for survival, while a large stack allows for more flexibility.
Opponent Tendencies: Learn to adjust your play based on how your opponents are playing. Tight players require different tactics than loose ones.
Developing Adaptability:
Observe and Analyze: Pay close attention to how the tournament unfolds, how opponents are playing, and how their stack sizes influence their decisions. Put down your phone and pay attention to every show down!
Be Flexible: Don’t be afraid to loosen up or tighten your game as needed. Understanding when to shift gears and apply different strategies is crucial for tournament success.
Practice Makes Perfect: Utilize online games or low-stakes tournaments to hone your skills at adapting to different playing styles and tournament situations.
4. When it’s OK to Sneak Into the Money:
While the big money is at the final table (and the main goal of this article), there are situations in some tournaments where sneaking into the money might be the optimal play. Here’s when this approach can be advantageous:
Preserving Equity: Sometimes, all-in situations offer poor pot odds even with a strong hand. Folding in these spots allows you to maintain your chip stack for better opportunities later.
When Doubling Up Won’t Give You a Big Stack: If you have 10bbs or less near the bubble, doubling up won’t give you a lot of chips but busting would be a disaster as you’re so close to the money. Taking speculative gambles near the money with a small stack is -EV.
The Art of the Fold: The strategic sneak-in promotes staying alive and maximizing your EV. Counterintuitively, it makes more sense to take a shot with a bigger stack because a double up near the bubble greatly increases your chances of running deep or making the final table while gambling with a small stack near the bubble doesn’t greatly help your chances of running deep if you win the hand – but you will bust if you lose.
Read more about when to make big folds late HERE: Mastering The Art of Big Folds in Late Stage Poker Tournaments.
Wrapping It Up
1. Don’t Be Too Tight: Opponents recognize when you only play the absolute best hands, making them happy to fold and not pay you off on your monsters.
2. Stop Being Too Focused on Survival: Don’t be overly cautious, prioritizing staying alive over building your chip stack for a deeper run.
3. You’re Stuck in One Gear: Whether you’re playing too loose or too tight, you need to adjust your strategy based on the table dynamics or opponents’ tendencies.
4. Sometimes, Just Making the Money is Okay: You don’t always need to win a big all-in pre-bubble. Calling with a decent hand or folding rather than shoving your short stack can keep you alive to make the money.
