Poker Tournament Strategy - Poker Tournament Basics

Poker tournament strategy can in many ways differ from cash game strategy; below you will find the most important poker tournament tips. Improve your poker tournament basics by following our poker tips and you will be in-the-money next time you play poker tournaments.

1. Play tight in the early levels in the tournaments. Beginner players will create enough action playing too many hands, so when you have a big hand you will get action. 
2. If you are a tight player and planning to play with this style all the way in the tournament, show some of your poker bluff strategy to the table to mix up your image. 
3. If you are a loose player, do not just play a lot of hands, use it with aggression. If you choose wisely you can put a lot of pressure to players and get the to fold. 
4. Check stack-sizes, never try to put pressure to small stacks with weak hands as have not much to loose. 
5. Define your table mates, re-steal from the loose opponents and put pressure with 3bets to tighter players. 
6. Do not defend your blind too much, check where the steal comes from and punish only the late steals. And do not call too often instead 3bet them. 
7. Drawing hands are not useable if you don’t play it with aggression. So if you get in a hand where you are drawing you should be the one who put aggression to his opponent. 
8. Play aggressively if you have the stack size before the payout. A lot of players will be waiting just to have a small payout, but you should play for the big prizes. 
9. Use your image. It is always important to know who your opponents think about you, not what you think about yourself. Play according to that. 
10. Proper bankroll management. It is very important not to play those tournaments which are too high for your bankroll; because you would not be playing you’re A game as you would be distracted because of the high buy-in.