How to Play in a Poker Tournament

Playing and winning a poker tournament require excellent game skills as well as money management. This activity is not for the fainthearted.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Getting in on the Action

1. Enter a poker tournament by winning a satellite game, or pay the entry fee.
2. Know the basics of the game being played (see the Related eHows).
3. Play to win first prize - always.
4. Know that you are playing on short chips if you have fewer than 30 times the big bet.
5. Adjust your play for different games; Seven-Card Stud requires different skills than Texas Hold'em.

At the Tournament Table

6. Accumulate chips early. Know that once you accumulate chips they are worth less money.
7. Lay off in play in the middle of the tournament. Eliminate as many short-chip players as you can, but don't risk too much money on questionable plays.
8. Intimidate other players if you have a big stack of chips.
9. Play all good hands aggressively.
10. Don't defend your blind and call on the end as much as you normally would. It is unlikely that you will ever see the other players again, so there is no need to defend your reputation as a disciplined player.
11. Fold your bad hands as early as possible.
12. Bluff more often in tournaments, because people play much tighter than they normally do in live games.
13. Pay attention when bluffing. Do it against players who are good enough to know that they could lose and will throw away their hands.

The Final Tables

14. Be the most aggressive player at the second and third tables. Be aware that people throw almost every marginal hand away, because they don't want to lose their place at the table.
15. Lay off playing too aggressively at the final table; let the other players mess each other up. Wait to make your move until it's down to five or six players.
16. Get your money in as soon as you can if you are the shortest-stack player, preferably with more than one player in the hand so that you can get 2 to 1 or 3 to 1 on your money.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to practice a poker tournament online, visit this free play site for free and real money online tournaments.