Single Table Tournament Strategy

online poker community.

Players enter for a set “buy in”. Registration is normally the same as for a ring game – you select your table and take

your preferred seat. When the table is full, the tourney begins. Each player is given the same number of chips, and

play continues until one lucky (or skilful) player has all the chips. Prize structures vary, but normally the last

three players win money, with the winner taking roughly 50% of the prize fund.

Why are STT’s becoming so popular? MTT’s can be hard work, especially if you bust out after two hours, just outside

the money. And we’ve all experienced the frustration of sitting patiently in a ring game, only to have AA cracked on

the river by 98o.

STT’s offer the chance of first rate recreational play and, for a winning player, steady gains with far lower variance

than that offered by a ring game. Here’s how:

Fun - With an STT you’re always in the game. You have to be. With games rarely lasting as long as an hour, you have

to bet sooner or later. You must expect to bluff at some stage, and All-Ins are a certainty. Lots of All-Ins! And if you

bust out early, there is no need to wait several hours for the next game at your level – just sit down at a new table

and off you go.

Variance - For winning players, STT variance is far smaller than that dealt up by ring games. Your exposure to a bad

beat (or a bad decision!) is limited to the entry fee for that tourney. And that very fact promotes bad play from the

“gamblers” and “bluffers” – bad play that will fund your STT bankroll.

Easy! All you need to do is to work out how to be a winning STT player, and then the money will flow! Well its not

that simple. All poker is situational, and this is especially true in the fast moving environment of the STT. But the

basics set out in these pages should be enough to get you started on the way.

Although there are limit and high stakes STT’s available, this strategy is based on experience of online, low stakes (up

to $20), no limit holdem.

Lets look a little deeper into the Single Table Tournament...

In some ways an STT has more in common with a ring game than with an MTT. All you control in an MTT is the level of

the stake. After that, the tournament software takes over, giving you new tables and new opposition on a regular

basis. But for an STT, all of the general advice on game selection and seating becomes applicable again. Save for

elimination, your opponents and position are fixed for the entire tournament, and there is definite advantage (and

disadvantage) in your choices.

Don’t enter STT’s where the stake will affect your play. Too high and you choke when it comes to that essential bluff

or call. Too low and tilt can creep in – if it isn’t worth winning then don’t enter. Seat Choice There’s loads of

conflicting advice on seat selection. A positive approach to this advice is to assume it is all right … for someone. Read

the advice, but apply it to your own game. For some, being to the right of a maniac destroys their game; fear has

them folding anything other than AA. If that is you, keep track of any maniacs playing on your site, and avoid sitting

in the wrong place. Other people love a maniac, ignoring short term variance and reaping the long term rewards of

playing better cards than your opponents. Whichever you are, player records will help you in the long run. Check out

Sometimes, you’ll be dealt hands that win an STT on their own. But don’t count on it. More often you will have to

make something from marginal hands to get into the money. This means observing your opponents’ tendencies is

critical to success. If you do nothing else, pay close attention to anyone easily scared off a pot - when the going gets

tough, their blinds will be easiest to steal.

Playing multiple tables for ring games is almost a must for anyone other than the beginner. Boredom is a bigger threat

to most than basic playing errors and so multiple tables reduces tilt. For STT’s, by all means play multiple tables but

you should accept that for most, this will reduce your profit from the games you play in. Grasping the betting

patterns/tendencies of your opponents is essential in the latter stages of an STT, and you only have a short time to

learn. More than two tables is a real stretch of your resources.

To get your name in lights then stick to MTT’s. If you love big pots then no limit ring games have all you need. To

make money from STT’s, you should keep records. A simple spreadsheet with a page for each type/stake of tourney

will soon give you a feel for which is your best game and what you can expect to make from it. Also record how often

you are reaching the money, and how your winnings are made up. Remember, there is a big premium for winning an

STT, and coming third each time you play will not make you much money.

Your play in the early stages should be very tight. There are plenty of people eager to get into the action, and each

“kill” greatly improves your chances of making the money. Even with good cards, all-in show downs are marginal.

However, STT’s are a quicker game than an MTT and you want to give yourself enough chips to bet properly during

the middle stages. Consider reducing starting hand requirements slightly from late position where there are no raises.

This is no limit poker and the expected value of say, a small pocket pair, can be very high.

Hands that I will play from any position in the early stages: JJ, QQ, KK, AA, and AK suited. Be prepared to let all but

AA and KK go if someone goes all in.

Hands I will play (for cheap!!) in late position include two suited face cards, and suited aces down to an eight. You

are looking here for a nuts or near nuts hand (nut flush, full house or straight) that you can afford to slow play and

make a big gain for a small initial stake. I’ll also play any pocket pair, especially against multiple callers, because of

the disguise value if I hit a set on the flop.

I never bluff in the early stages of an STT. The blinds aren’t worth it, and if there are multiple callers, one of them

will pay to see you. Post flop you should be mega-tight and never jeopardise either your chips or your table image

chasing the river.

One big difference between an STT and an MTT is where one player amasses a huge chip lead in the early stages. In

an MTT, you hate having them on your table. They steal the pots while people on other tables are playing hands. But

in an STT I always like a clear chip leader. The bluffers are in big trouble - whatever they throw in, big stack can

afford to call. I can play nice and tight and still keep up. On occasions I’ve reached the money in this type of game

without making any significant bets.

Play tight, do not bluff and always remember position. Let the fish die off, without burning too many chips, but look

for cheap opportunities to make gains. Create the impression you are a rock.

In an STT the time to change gears can be dictated by the number of players left, or by the increasing blinds. In a

tight game, the blinds can go up three or even four times without anyone being eliminated, but in low stakes games

expect to see three or more players out within 20 hands.

Now loosen up and play your regular game. Middle stages are also prime time to bluff at a few blinds. By now you’ve

seen enough of your opponents to know who is susceptible to a bluff. Look for semi-bluffing opportunities in late

position (especially strong draws to the nuts). Use the threat of just missing the money to your advantage – don’t let

it freeze your own play.

Do not overvalue the threat of drawing hands. Ring games (especially low limit) revolve around multi-way pots. STT’s

revolve around two or three way pots. Anyone with a drawing hand is likely to have to pay you at least twice for

every time you have to pay them. If you’re ahead, raise and make them pay to draw out on you. And if you reverse

this logic, you will rarely have pot odds to justify playing your own draw hands, unless you can limp in or you have

other outs (e.g. overcards or pairs).

Middle tournament play should resemble your regular style of ring game play, but with selective aggression against

passive players. More times than not, you are going to have to “create” something to get in the money.

Once in the money, remember the premium for winning. When short stacked avoid the temptation to hope the other

players will take each other out. They’ll be thinking the same and will happily watch you lose on the blinds. I

advocate a more aggressive approach. Look to double up with all-in plays based on any reasonable cards. You’ll be

surprised how many times the other players fold, and more surprised how often you will win with average cards. This

does not mean go all in with 72o, but A8o is not such a bad hand when the blinds are killing you.

If you are ahead, keep on the pressure. Respect big raises, but attack calls, especially where both opponents have put

in money. By small raises, you can stimulate betting between them and get into the heads up stage even if you lose

the pot.

As with all heads-up play, aggression tends to be the winner. On a straight show down, most hands dealt are a coin

toss so the winner will be the player who wins with the most bad hands, not the one who gets the most good hands.

Some strategies advocate raising 80 to 90% of hands. I’m not sure if this is true in no limit STT’s but over a long period

of time, success is based on the number of hands you bluff rather than the number you win on merit.

Develop your own preferred style. Some players prefer numerous all-ins, others like to use smaller non-fatal raises.

The important thing is to be comfortable and consistent with your strategy, and to monitor if it is working. If your

records show you get in the money more than 50% of the time but you are only winning 10% of the time, your heads

up play is almost certainly too passive.

PS - I find this advice easy to give but incredibly difficult to follow. You’ll really have to grit your teeth with this one!

In the early stages play tight and avoid confrontation that might lead to elimination. Rely on strong starting hands and

mega-tight play post flop. As the tourney progresses, increasing amounts of selective aggression are required. Position

is critical, and always check where you are before hitting that raise button.

Realistically you should aim to finish in the money at least half of the time, and to make STT’s a profitable use of

your poker time you need to win 1 in 3.

In the long run, the amount of first places, rather than money finishes, will be what sets your positive expected value

from STT’s. This is not a freeroll where any money is a bonus!! Third place gives you little more than your stake back

– take it where you can get it, but play to win.

My own records show on average I finish in the money 6 out of 10 times and make an average profit of 40-50% of my

stake. Where I play multiple tables this profit rate (known as “positive expected value” or “+ev”) often falls, but if I

can keep it at around 30% I’m increasing my hourly profit rate. I believe that with experience it should be possible to

play 2 tables at 50% +ev, on stakes up to $10 or even $20. Do some simple math and see how much money those kind

of results would make!

other comments or critiques, positive or negative, they are welcomed. Keep it clean, keep it intelligent and best of