If you’re just starting out in tournament poker, then you are bound to make mistakes. And I don’t care how many Phil Hellmuth strategy books you’ve read, you’re still going to make mistakes whether they be big or small. Obviously you want to avoid the big ones, and here is a quick look at THE biggest mistakes.
Using Pot Odds and Implied Odds in Every Situation
Pot odds and implied odds are very useful strategy bits for people when they’re faced with a tough call. They are especially useful when dealing with cash games because you don’t have to be worried about getting knocked out of a game…..unless you’re flat broke of course. However, tournaments are a different story because you only get one tournament life; then you’re done. This being the case, you can’t use pot odds and implied odds to dictate every situation. Instead, you need to pick your spots and pay attention to your chip stack when making tough calls.
Going All-in Too Often
Going all-in is a great way to double your stack. However, you can definitely get carried away with going all-in. And if you shove enough times, you’re eventually going to get burned. The best way to play in tournaments is to gradually increase your chip stacks, and look to out-play people after the flop; not go all-in before the flop while praying that the odds are in your favor. Only shove when the odds are obviously in your favor or you are the short stack.
Paying Too Much Attention to your Stack
You should always be mindful of the size of your chip stack in tournaments. On the other hand, you can’t be a miser who counts every chip you have after each hand. Sometimes you need to forget about stack size and just play poker. This will help you be more aggressive, and not so afraid to bet big when you have to.
