Wednesday Feb 04, 2009 05:14 PM
SCKenny's Thoughts On Tournament Play
What Should You Do When You First Sit Down at a Table?
SCKenny is the SpadeClub poker room manager and go-to guy for all things poker. SpadeClub members come to him with all kinds of questions, from how to play a particular hand to what is happening on SpadeClub each week. Through his “Ask Kenny” section on the SpadeClub website, SCKenny is able to answer member questions and give helpful advice. He even participates in weekly videos on SpadeClub, in which he shares his expertise with SpadeClub members.
When recently asked by SpadeClub community members what the perfect mindset is when first sitting down to play a tournament, he answered:
Ask yourself why you are playing. To give bad beats, aggravate others, kill time? No; you are entering tournaments to become a better player and to make money.
No one can win a tournament in the first 30 minutes. It doesn’t matter how many big hands you get or how lucky you are, it can’t be done. It’s tough to see your opponents have four times their starting stacks early, while you have barely improved your chip count, but as long as you have enough chips relative to the blinds, you’re OK. Don’t be so willing to go broke just because you have a good hand; look for reasons not to go broke.
Take your time and learn the other players’ playing styles before trying any high-risk moves. Find out who is likely to raise a lot of hands or who is likely to call just to see a flop, who reraises frequently, and who is willing to fold to a reraise.
The most important things to keep in mind early in a hold’em tournament are position and starting hands. Yes, any two cards can win, and you’ll see them win for others, but that’s just luck, not skill. Tight and aggressive play is the way to go, meaning that you don’t play marginal hands in early position; play only level-one hands, and don’t always raise with them preflop. With well over 50 percent of the money at the top of the payout chart, you must always play for the win!
To read more of my advice, visit www.SpadeClub.com/Community
