Multi Table Tournament Strategies

Most people tend to think that the best way to play at multi-table tournament is to make alot of bets at the beginning while the stakes are still low. This doesn't work all of the time and you have to realize that if you just are hitting your cards then maybe you should lay off of the betting and start playing a little more conservatively. Your luck with cards can change at any time. Alot of times all it takes is for you to be moved to another table or maybe wait till one of the weaker players gets eliminated from your table.

Early Play
Here is a way that I have started playing these types of tournaments. I start out by playing very tight (conservative). I usually don't play anything unless it is AA, KK, QQ, or sometimes AK. I might change it up depending on how the cards have been falling on the flop but generally I never play anything less than that. This allows me to sit back and examine the players and find out who the fish are and who the experienced players are. This strategy will also allow you to remain at a decent level of chips while the fish get taken out. At the beginning of the tournaments alot of people will go out quickly because there are alot more all-ins mostly by the fish who have weak hands that shouldn't have even been bet with in the first place. Most of the time these types of bets will get the fish eliminated really quick, however there are the cases where and idiot will go all-in with a 2,7 offsuit and end up winning but at least if you play conservatively you will decrease your chances of being one of the players taken out by a crap hand like that.

Middle Play
When the stakes start to go up to a decent level players will start to play a little smarter by taking less chances. Now is the time to loosen up a little bit. I generally have a rule of only playing Jacks or better at this point. Anything less is still to risky, you have to keep in mind that there are still some fish left in the game at this point that have made it purely on luck and really don't know much about the game or simply just don't care. You also have to be carefull at this point because there will be a few players that have made quite a bankroll for themselves and won't have any problem making bets that you may think are big but to them they see it as a small risk to try and get more money or even take you out. Play smart and don't take chances on chasing straights or flushes, leave that strategy to the fish.

Late Play - Final Table
This is the time for you to really loosen up. Start taking some risk and bluff a little. Just about all of the players at this point are going to play very conservative so you will be more likely to be able to bluff them out of hands. You can also bluff to try and steal the blinds, it may not sound like much but the blinds are quite high at this point and any extra chips will always help. Make sure that when you do bluff that you are paying attention to your betting position. Betting position is very important when it comes bluffing especially in the case where you are the last to act and everyone has folded except the two players in the blinds. The chances of them hitting a good pocket hand on the blinds is pretty low and any large raise is likey to make them fold.

This strategy has helped me out alot in large tournaments. It will help take alot of the luck factor out of the equasion when you start out only playing the best hands. Remember to take notes on the different players and get to know there betting style.

Good Luck At The Tables.

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