Single Table Tournament Money Management If you have $100 in your PokerRoom.com account, you shouldn’t play for more than $20 ($20+$2) on a single table tournament or (Sit and Go). Each time you win you should move up to the next level of play. So if you started playing a $20 single table tournament, you should play a $30 or $50 if you win. If you lose, you should stick to the 20% rule. In this case you would be down to $78. Since 20% of $78 is $15.60 and there are no games for that price, you could either play one more $20+$2 game (a little above our recommendations) or go down to a $10+1 game. Should you decide to risk a little more than we suggest and play the $20+$2, if you win, play either another $20+$2 or a $30+$3. However, if you lose, you certainly need to go back to the $10+$1 as your bankroll would now be at $56 to start. Following these rules will help you to maximize the trends. Since the trend is your friend, it is very important that you follow this advice. Many players go on tilt when they lose a little and end up losing a lot. This method of betting will keep you from losing your entire bankroll in one single session while at the same time, maximizing your wins if you’re on a heater aka huge win streak. Single Table Tournament Money Management to Win If you’re on a table, you need to keep in mind that the winning positions are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. If you played a $20 table the payouts would be $100,$60, and $40 respectively. Therefore you need to do whatever you can to get to 3rd place. After you have achieved this goal, your goal is 2nd place and finally 1st. Sometimes the best way to achieve your goal is not to play at all.
That’s right! Playing could cost you all your chips if you get involved in a pot with a weak hand that ends up looking better than it really is. Therefore be selective depending on which stage of the game you’re at. To master this, one can read Phil Helmuth’s Book “Play Poker Like the Pro’s”. Playing super tight online is an excellent plan for the first 40-50% of the game because you will use that time to buy respect in your game of attrition. This doesn’t mean sit and watch, it just means play super tight “Top 10 hands only”. This way if you have to go all-in and lose, at least you gave yourself a fighting chance. The Game of Attrition Single and multi-table games are actually just games of attrition or last man standing games. This means that your goal is to knock people out or sometimes just sit and watch people knock themselves out. Generally on a single table game, and person who just sits and doesn’t play will automatically get to 5th or 6th place, depending on the players and styles of play. Sometimes you can even get to 3rd or 2nd by just watching if there is a lot of action. Thus, don’t be so hasty to get your chips in the pot. Be very selective on what hands you play and don’t get married to your AQ or AK as it may be beat after the flop and sometimes before.
So many times we see someone with AQ call down a set of 10’s with almost no chance of winning. We call this, “Married to the hand”. In Multi-Table Games Online You really need to be even more patient. It is not the first hour or two that determine the winner, it is usually the 3rd, 4th, or 5th hour depending on the number of players in the tournament. You will see that at the first break (about 60 minutes into the game) half of the playing field will be gone. You can get to the top 50% by not even playing a hand. To summarize, the real money is made when the blinds go up so your goal should be to stay at or above average. Take your big chances when you have to or when your cards say, “GO!”. We have some hidden secrets concerning Multi-Table online play. If you find them, feel lucky and don’t just share them with everyone. You have earned it. However, if your feeling lucky and want to take your chances at the big money, it is often the crazy lucky player that overall wins big tournaments. Just take a look at Moneymaker and Reymer. There were a lot of crazy hands that they won which were against the odds. They were behind but caught up quickly with their river flushes or lower sets. Could it be your lucky day? Well, if you’re going to give it a try, we still recommend waiting the first hour or two before you start making you’re crazy underdog raises and calls.
