Tips for Playing Large Fields
written by BeatTheFish.com
People love to play
no-limit hold 'em tournaments these days. Which translates to big
fields in online tournaments - especially freerolls and low buy-ins,
but not always. Many sites now sponsor a weekly large guaranteed
prize pool event, usually in the neighborhood of $100,000. The main
event of the WSOP this year topped 5,600 entrants. The point is that
these tourneys are big. You might consider adjusting your style of
play to combat some of the craziness of these large fields.
Tip #1: Stay
out of the action early on if you're not a big favorite. You'll see
a lot of players who think they need to double-up right away or
they're out. Usually they're not holding anything too strong, but
what if they are? And what if their 2-6 draws out on your A-K? I
don't recommend getting all your chips in during the first 3 rounds
unless you have pocket Aces or Kings. The blinds aren't eating you
away, so why take a big risk? If you thrive on maniacs playing
against you, then go for it. Just don't come crying to me when they
hit another deuce on the river.
Also, in these
large field events, the field usually thins early. Let them be
crazy. You usually find that you've survived half of the field
without trying. Look for a good spot and try to double up.
Concentrate and make sure you've got the best of it.
Tip #2:
Don't obsess about how many places pay out. When I first started
playing online tournaments, I used to check how close I was to the
payout all the time. I hardly ever do it anymore because it's a
distraction that can affect your play. What does it matter if you
have 49
more places until you hit the money. You should play your top game
regardless of how many players are left. If you get knocked out on a
good hand trying to gain some chips, don't kick yourself. You did
the best you could, and that's all you can ever do.
One aspect that is
universal in all tournaments is play when it's close to the bubble.
Everyone tightens up and the most common play is the blind-steal. If
you can afford to lose the buy-in, this is a great time to pick up
some more chips. Everyone's afraid to go out on the bubble, so take
advantage of it. Pick up a decent hand and raise with it. Most of
the time you'll get to pick up the ever-increasing blinds. If you
get played back at, use your best judgment. Personally, I don't feel
it's a great accomplish to finish at the bottom of the money. It is
essentially getting your money back. Why play your top game for
hours on end to get your money back?
Tip #3: Pay
attention as best you can. This can be difficult, especially in
online play where you can do so much else while you play. It can be
difficult when you're moved to a new table, but just start over
again. Try to categorize all the players at your table into a
general scheme, such as "Always defends his blinds" or "Raises every
time". It will help you when you have to make borderline calls and
you just need to know how your opponent plays. I find that I just
play better when I focus on one window and one game. Try it, too.
Again, my three
essentials to playing a large field: stay out of the action early,
don't worry about the payout, and pay attention as best you can.
They sound like simple tips, and they are. They're poker
fundamentals, but you have to always play your fundamental game well
to play anything well.
Back to Online Poker Strategy
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