Playing the big stack in a poker tournament can be great fun, but it is important not to get carried away and to avoid the common pitfalls associated with a chip lead.
Poker tournaments can become much simpler to play when in possession of a large stack of chips, especially in the big bet poker games like No Limit Hold’em or Pot Limit Omaha. This is because a player with a lot of chips is in a position to wait for their opponents to make mistakes, while at the same time, having plenty of ammunition to attack them.
Even the most inexperienced of poker players knows that a chip leader should bully his opponents at the poker table and make the most of their advantage, but many get too carried away and fail to realise that not all adjustments in tournament strategy brought about by a big stack need to be aggressive.
It is common to see a big stack reduced to an average stack by taking a lot of shots at busting the smaller stacks. This is actually poor poker tournament strategy, as chips need to be conserved. You should rarely take on a small stack without a premium hand as they will be keen to play any two cards, Look for a spot where you are a big favourite, not just 65% – 35% with any two.
Another common big stack error in poker tournaments is getting greedy. There is really no harm in steadily adding to a chip stack. Many players seem to think they can win the tournament there and then by forcing the issue, but attempting to win more than your fair share of pots will only land you in trouble.
Look to use the chip lead to lean on the blinds and steal the antes, rather than trying to play a big pot. Similarly, if you feel you have the better hand, try to win the pot there and then; slow playing can lead to trouble, as shorter stacks will be keen to trap you.
It is important to maintain your tight-aggressive image in a poker tournament, so never limp into a pot when commanding a sizeable chip stack. Punish limpers when you feel they are weak and lean on the tighter players at the poker table.
That said, don’t be afraid to call pre-flop raises from average stacks when in position, as your implied odds are good and a big stack allows you to splash around a little – just remember not to add anything else to the pot unless you flop something big and when you do, look to take the pot there and then.
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