I posted this to another thread but might help new players here:
Tourney play:
1- You have a narrow window of small blinds when you should take more risk on hands and see more flops. Take advantage of that window to build up your stack with some big pots so you can survive the blinds as they increase.
2- As blinds increase take less risk but watch for vulnerable players sitting on the big blind. If they are slow playing to run out the clock then a double bet might get an easy fold with no risk.
3- Always be aware of where the Big Blind is and as it gets closer to you take more risk on a good hand to offset a possible bad hand on the blind.
4- Let other players take each other out if their stack is bigger than yours.The object is to stay on the table and let the big stacks fight it out. If you get into a battle between two big stacks your risk is alot greater so fold and let them battle it out unless you have a monster hand.
5- Look for vulnerable players with low chip count where you can go head to head. That is your best opportunity to pick up some hands on a fold as they try to run out the clock but be aware they are also more likely to all in you as a desperation play so you better have a good hand.
Ring games:
1- Your blinds stay constant so there is less risk and you can ride out a bad streak of cards but because of that the hands people will hold will generally be stronger than in a tourney. You will see more full houses and straights and less pairs because players are not under the gun of playing against blinds and the clock.
2- Because risk is lower you will see more players stay for the flop and that increases your risk so watch for hands to play when most of the players fold and you can get a heads up or fewer people in the hand. There may be times you want all the players to stay for the flop to build a big pot so be aware a big bet or playing bingo bet pre-flop is going to drive the money off the table.
3- Watch for players that fold alot and then suddenly throw out a big bet. They are laying for you and have the nuts and probably playing a big pair so you better have a good hand or fold and frustrate them.
4- Don’t let people fish to the river. If you have a winner on the flop and you can see a potential flush or straight then put out a hefty bet to drive off the players that are fishing.
5- Watch the plonkers that join and go all in right away and keep doing it. They are just playing the bonus chips they got that day and most never last more than a few hands but they do get lucky and will take you out on stupid hands. Better to fold and frustrate them. That is similar to tourney play at the start of a tourney.
Heads up:
Assuming you make it to the big show and survive to play heads up for the tourney hopefully you have a stack big enough to ride out bad hands because a tourney show down usually takes awhile as both players try to whittle each other down or look for that big all in to end it.
The object is to see the flop and have a hidden pair, straight or flush and then strike with an all in if you can tell your opponent is holding a weaker hand.
Once you have them whittled down enough that the blinds are starting to eat them they will get desperate and look for an all in to build their stack back up so play it cool and don’t give in to the temptation for a quick kill on an all in or you might rebuild their stack.
Keep playing to the flop on good hands and whittling them down to the point they make a mistake and don’t fish for cards and eventually they will get desperate enough you can capitalize on a big hand and take them down.
Just my opinion and hope it helps!
