When you enter a Poker Tournament it is important to know what type of competition you will face. Different types of Poker players and all skill levels can be found at all levels of play. Generally the bigger the prize the better the competition. The smaller the prize the softer the competition.
Pros and Semi-Pros play in small low buy-in tournaments to fine tune their play, when the tournament is a feeder to larger real money tournaments or for prizes like the World Poker Showdown cruise, where they get a shot at significantly larger prizes. In the 2004 WSOP, there were 2576 entries. These cheap poker tournaments offer an excellent chance to practice against large fields.
To recreation players it offers and opportunity to do something besides watch re-runs. It is mental exercise and they understand that they are exercising their mind and maybe improving their game at the same time with little cost, it's fun and provides the opportunity, with a little luck, to substantial ably increase a small bankroll. Most of us can know who Chris MoneyMaker is. He was anything but a professional player, which parlayed a small satellite win into 1 st place at the World Series of Poker in 2003.
To beginning poker players, cheap, low level, poker tournaments, are a chance to improve their game learn the tactics that make them winning poker players, and like the recreational poker player, maybe win a little money.
We can use the motivation of these different poker players to our advantage. As we sit at the table try to ascertain which group each player belongs to. Now when they are in the hand, especially if it is against us, ask ourselves what possible hands they might have. If we have placed them in the correct category we can predict what their hand is with a high degree of certainty.
The Pros never call with nothing, watch their play, learn from them and avoid confrontations with them like a like aunt Hattie's meatloaf. If you do find your self in a hand against him, he will lay down marginal cards. He will also make you pay, if he doesn't. Remember, to the professional poker player "time is money." He may be wasting time while waiting for a bigger tournament. He might get discouraged and throw his stack away so that he can get in a more lucrative poker game. Watch for erratic play 10 or 15 minutes to the hour as he decides to leave this tournament to play in another. You can take advantage of this.
The Recreation Players will come with anything but tend to have some standards. They will not play trash but they are here to play so they will play more hands than profitable. They will play Ace, rag, and any suited cards and will call to the river with a draw. If they have top pair, you will have to show them a winner. Their play is a great chance for profit as long as you play only the good hands. Look for them to play loosely before the flop and with some skill afterwards, except for penchant for chasing.
The Beginner is another matter. They will play the same hands as the Recreation player but will tend to overplay marginal hands. Again this is a great chance for profit when you restrict yourself to good hands. Use the chat feature,
Use the chat feature. Ask, "Who has read, Sklansky's ' Tournament Poker for Advanced Players '?" The responses will give you a lot of information. Generally the Pros will critique the book, Beginners will quote the book, and Recreation players haven't read the book.
With the proliferation of Satellite tournaments, you will find the same mix of skill levels found in the cheap and middle level poker tournaments. Even at the biggest tournaments the chat feature is you greatest intelligence tool. Ask: "Any of you guys win a satellite or did you buy-in?" Usually two or three players will answer. If they paid the entry fee, respect them. They were willing to put their money down. If they won their entry, you can be as specific but with a few additional questions, you might be able to put them in to the just got lucky category or player category. |
