This article highlights some common mistakes that a majority of online poker tournament players make with their large chip stacks and suggests tips to correct them.
Mistake Number One – Calling Too Many Raises
If you have a large chip stack, then you always have a win win situation in online poker tournaments. The reason is that your opponents are more likely to fold to your raises, when you have a large stack and lot of chips. However, a problem arises when you call too many raises with your large stack. In these cases, you can’t win a tournament unless you win a lot of small pots. And it’s against all odds that you will lose more money than you will win.
The reason that you should call a lot of raises with your large chip stack is because you want to build a large pot in front of you, which you can then win with a lot of strong hands. The issue is that you have less real money in the pot when you call a lot of raises than when you act first.
In many cases, you are better off either continuation betting your big hands or simply going all in. When you go all in, it forces your opponents to put more money into the pot. If you hit your hand, you get more money in the pot and win more money with less risk.
Mistake Number Two – Playing Pots With Your Opponents Large Stacks
Let’s say, for example, you have 3000 chips and your opponent has 10,000 chips. If you raise 3x the big blind with 3300 chips, you will only win 3300/3, while if you go all in the pot you can win 2000/3. 3500 chips is the same difference between the two scenarios.
Playing with opponents who have large chip stacks makes advanced poker play much more difficult. You must be much more aware of your opponents and be able to adjust in big spots. If you are not well-versed in using your chip stacks in the correct situation, you will find opportunities to lose big pots that most people don’t see.
Adjusting Your Style To Win
Many poker players start playing tight because it makes them feel safe and secure. In reality, it is these types of players that lose the most money. When you start playing tight, you are not giving yourself a chance to win.
When you play tight, you are hedging your bets with common sense and making moves based on your cards and what you know about the other players. These moves, while still important, are not as critical as how you use them against your opponents.
If you can recognize your opponents tendencies and put them on a hand, it’ll make it much easier to call for a raise or a fold. You’ll be betting against your opponent, not against your cards.
While playing aggressively will make you feel really powerful and important, if you do this and you play too tight, you will be leaving yourself open for a lot of trouble. After all, you have nothing but each other to fear.
The Bottom Line On How To Win Playing Online Poker
You win at poker by winning big pots, not by playing tight or aggressive each hand. You win by the correct style of play, not by playing a lot of hands. You win by making your opponents make mistakes and lose by not making your mistakes. Next time you watch a poker tournament, try to remember these common mistakes and improve your game in the next round.
By now you are probably realizing how much more confident and comfortable you are with the game now. That’s a great sign. Start improving your game immediately by reading even more poker strategy articles like this one. Because when you have new information to add, you will instantly become a better poker player.
If you want to become a better poker player, please don’t ever stop learning. Learn anything and everything you can about Holdem, because this is the cheapest form of poker, the most fun game to play, and also the game that the most players often win money at. Start learning now.