13 Overlooked Late Game Strategies for Poker Tournaments to Win More
1. You are calling off a lot loser as a mid stack (15-25bb) on the money bubble, despite risking your Tournament life and potentially bubbling.
2. As a short stack, you call off tighter (when you are also likely to make it in the money).
Yes, the Shortstack is on the BU, but that's not the main reason for our tight calling range. You can already see that the impact Shortstack vs Midstack is significant.
3. ICM always measures Risk vs Reward.
Often, as a short stack, your "reward" of doubling up is not as huge as for the midstack and the shortstacks priority is to reach the money/next pay jump first.
Doubling up as a mid stack, often results in more (almost) guaranteed pay jumps. Therefore, it is worth taking more profitable risks.
4. As Bigstack on Final Tables, most players looser than they are supposed to be. Many don't understand that as a Bigstack, it depends on the stack distribution on how loose you can be.
5. In certain situations, when the big stack is opening very wide (60%/70%+), you can still defend your stack quite wide with 20bb+.
This would change if you have around 15bb or less, then you would defend a lot tighter.
6. Future Game:
You should take slightly -EV spots (open raise,3bet, re-shove, call all ins etc) IF it puts you in a SIGNIFICANTLY better positions that would allow you to bully the entire table BUT you should also skip slightly +EV spots to preserve a fantastic situation on the table.
7. Everyone talks about 4bet shoving A4s A5s.
But often, KQs KJs are a lot better as 4bet jams.
(See Final Table Example below)
8. You have to be willing to risk your tournament life deep in a tournament with a marginal holding (A5s, Kjs etc..).
Especially against aggressive 3bettors, you want to be aware of what kind of hands you can 4bet jam.
In general, the more your opponent 3bets Ax off-suited hands (like in the example above), the more you want to lean towards shoving KQs/KJs.
9. A personal tip.
Do not look at the first place prize. You don't need it. It messes with your head. One hand at a time.
I often don't even look at the entire FT payout structure. They are often the same in terms of %payouts hence I know how to adapt my strategy anyway. It makes it easier to make "big moves" (at the right time).
10. "But Ben, it is easy for you with a bankroll to say that"
Yeah idiot, that's why you should follow Bankrollmanagement. Then it is easy to "forget" about the money aspect when running deep in a Tournament.
11. Your deep run doesn't start on the Final Table.
Many of you play chEV ranges that cost you a lot of money. ICM at 50% of the field left, has already a significant impact. See for yourself:
HJ vs CO 40bb facing a 3bet (chEV vs ICM adjusted)
12. The deeper you get, the more you are looking for a tighter yet more aggressive approach (esp. when you are around 20-40bb).
As Bigstack you play much loser of course.
13. Let's wrap this up. This is designed to help identifying leaks in your game and eradicate misunderstandings about Tournament Poker.
Poker is very situational, but the concepts above will help you to make better decisions and find new exploits.
Use your brain. And practice!
If you are the guy "I only call KK+ on money bubbles" you are likely a losing player and we fixed that leak now.
Even the ranges above need to be adjusted, if you got a table full of fish, then call tighter, preserve your edges. Again, use your brain.
