Employing a Successful Big Stack Tournament Strategy

If you are going to participate in any kind of poker tournament and hope to win against the competition, then it is vital that you have a good big stack tournament strategy. This is a coveted spot since everyone at the table wants to have the most chips, but if you don't play your cards right, you could find yourself out of the running before you ever have a chance to win.

You Are the Main Threat to Others

When you have the most chips at the table, the other participants view you as their primary threat. As such, you are in a good position to bully those who have small to moderate amounts of chips so you can knock them out of the running. However, you should avoid anyone else who has a decent amount of chips as these people can take you out just as easily.

How to Bully Them

You should never simply call a desperate bet or push someone to go all-in on the fly; it is important to consider the odds and whether you believe that your opponent is bluffing in an attempt to regain his or her position. Thus, if someone has $20 and you have $2000, it may make sense to call them or push them in. However, if they have $500 and you have $1000, it's better to be careful as you can shift the paradigm with a single decision.

The Best Options

As such, the best big stack tournament strategy has four parts. First, steal the blinds from any position where the pots are unopened. Next, call all pre-flop raises in these positions and be sure to raise their calls as a test. Then, if someone tries to steal your blinds, bet them! This will let you know if they are serious and if they stand a chance. Finally, make sure that you always raise those who limp before the flop since this will force them to fold or call, reducing their stack either way.

There are plenty of different big stack tournament strategy ideas that you can employ, but be sure that you use one that actually fits your style if you want to truly stay in the running.