5 effective tips for dominating local poker tournaments
If you’ve been playing online poker for a while or watching poker on TV and are considering entering local poker tournaments, this guide should help you get started on the right foot.
Whether you’ve already gained some experience at a virtual table or caught the poker bug by watching televised games, there are almost certainly segments of the game that you’ll need to adjust in order to dominate local poker tournaments.
Once you get your feet wet, you’ll quickly realize that poker played in a small local room is very different from that played at an EPT Main Event.
My most profitable tips for local tournaments
1. Arm yourself with a large amount of patience
Do you find that some players take too long to take action at big live events or when playing online?
Here’s an eye-opener for you: regular players in local tournaments often take time to make a decision and don’t even try to pretend that they are really thinking about the hand.
Ignore the antics on the playground
One thing you have to understand is that most players will know each other and these tournaments are their playground. Even the most honest tournament director can’t do much about it.
Players will argue, laugh, and take a really long time to fold, just to upset others or just for the sheer joy of it.
I’m not saying this situation happens in every small poker room you set foot in, but it happens often enough that you’ll need a lot of patience to dominate local poker tournaments. Forget the EPT and WPT, adjust to the situation and don’t let it annoy you.
Yes, it slows the game down and makes the already short blind levels even shorter, but that’s the reality of the situation.
Poker is about adapting to new situations and this is no different. As long as you are aware of the situation and don’t let it affect your game, you will be fine.
There is still plenty of time to play.
2. Focus on the tournament itself
As mentioned above, local poker tournaments can become quite hectic.
There will be laughter, shouting, drinking and a whole host of other distractions.
If you’re new to this environment, you may find it difficult to focus on the game.
Mute the Kassoufs
You may or may not be informed about the whole Main Event and Will Kassouf situation.
At the WSOP, there will be a tournament director to try and keep people in the loop.
At a local tournament, be prepared to have several Kassoufs at your table!
On your way to dominating local poker tournaments, you’ll have to learn how to put aside all those distractions and fully focus on the task at hand: winning.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t have fun while playing, but if you’re there to win money, you’ll gain a huge advantage by focusing on the actual game.
Patterns become clear with focus
By focusing on the game, not only will you be able to play your hands correctly, but you will also begin to notice patterns in the size of your bets and the general manner of other players.
Live hints may be of limited value, but there is a lot of information out there just waiting to be used.
Overbets, underbets, bluff frequency, they are all there, waiting for you to read and categorize them.
You will be able to notice all this and much more if you exclude all unnecessary clutter and pay attention to the poker being played.
3. Forget about fancy moves against low-level players
When you are trying to dominate local poker tournaments, simple and uncomplicated poker will be your best friend. I’m not suggesting that you should play the ABC formula style that was popular 20 years ago, but fancy moves, for the most part, will not work in your favor.
Consider increasing your bet size to isolate the
For example, three-betting light to isolate a player in position will probably work in an EPT event. In small, local tournaments, it’s not unusual to see four back simply check your three-bet and you’ll end up playing a mediocre hand into a bloated pot five or six ways.
This is especially true during the early levels when the blinds are small. Most players will want to see the flop and, given that they still have a lot of chips in front of them, they won’t regret putting them in.
You might be surprised to see someone with a full house with J-5, but first of all, it was a fit, and secondly, you didn’t bet that much.
Keep it simple and straight most of the time. When you have a big hand, don’t be afraid to make a big three-bet.
Most of the time, you’ll have at least one or two checkers who will want to get lucky, which is ideal if you’re playing with a big pair. You’re unlikely to want to go five ways against completely random hands.
4. Know when to increase aggression in tournaments
While fancy moves are not recommended, knowing when to increase aggression is key.
Many players who visit local tournaments are there every day. They will want to make money at all costs. They don’t even play to win – they play to make money – and you can take advantage of this fact.
How to take advantage of tight regulars
When a money bubble or final table approaches, you can really open up your game. This is especially true if you have a relatively short stack, with 10 – 15 big blinds.
Don’t be afraid to throw in chips on limits or even on a raise from late position. You’re not playing Ignition Poker against anonymous, reckless players.
You don’t have to do it with every two, but there’s no reason not to shove a hand with decent equity, like 9-10 suited, by three limpers. Most of the time they will all fold, and when you happen to run into a really big hand that just can’t fold, you’ll still have a good chance of winning.
A few uncontested pots like these can quickly take you from short stack to a really good position on the leaderboard in these fast structures.
To dominate local poker tournaments, you need to think differently than most players at the table. They often play to get cash; you have to play to win and it will pay off big time.
5. Don’t make trades
You should turn down any offers of hands. It won’t make you their favorite guy and may even trigger a few unpleasant comments, but if you’re there to dominate local poker tournaments, you shouldn’t worry too much about it.
Some players are desperate for cash.
This will make them play way too hard, waiting for the money, or put them on tilt, where they will constantly try to eliminate you.
Either way, you’ll put yourself in a position to win a lot of chips and use them to pick up the money for first place.
Taking emotion out of the tournament equation
This article provides tips and advice on how to definitely win local poker tournaments.
This is not a guide on how to be nice and friendly in a poker room. Your behavior and overall attitude will depend mostly on your overall character and the type of people you meet.
But, if you want to crush, you need to put all these considerations aside.
Winning in poker is all about taking advantage of your opponents’ weaknesses. If they don’t focus enough on the game, you should focus twice as hard. If they are timid approaching the bubble, you need to use that fear against them.
That doesn’t make you a bad person, even if some may think otherwise. The way you play the game doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with how you are in other areas of your life.
Want to be friendly? Buy a round of drinks for everyone at the final table. Then take all their chips.
And then buy them another round when you win, if you really feel like it.