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You are on a great edge if you know how to change gears in tournaments. If you know how to, you can mislead other players about your objective and eventually get a lot of chips from them. However, knowing how to change gears in tournament is complicated. It is often associated with convincing bluffing but then it is far more complicated as there is speed involved. Well, although complicated, it is something that will bear great fruits later. So it is all worth giving consideration.

Knowing how to change gears can really help when you are up a steady table, changing stack sizes, lesser actions, and varying stages.

At times, a table will just go steady. Thus, whenever this situation pops up, try to apply your knowledge on how to change gears. Try to pull in some more chips. If you get lucky, you will collect a lot of chips later.

Also, sometimes, your stack size will change. It can get smaller or bigger. If in case it gets bigger, try to take advantage of this. You might later get an enormous stack that will help you in case you want to play in the final table.

At some point, you will get lesser actions involving your hands. When this occurs, consider slowing down. You might be too tight already, most especially if your bluffs are being called down. Consider all possibilities.

Finally, with varying stages, knowing how to change gears is significant. At first stages, you can play tight but at later stages or you are near to the money, you can shift to high gear to pull together great results. Just try to assess everything. Consider the situation and the odds and you will know how you should play. Just be sensitive and open your eyes and mind.

Hello,

It’s really hard for me to win and I don’t exactly understand why. I’m a decent player who’s actually learning how to play well. Oftentimes I can make it to the pay out level or if not to the final two.

Just last night, I made it to the final two once again. Game actually started with 10 players. I remember I was getting decent card then and was playing aggressively. At some point I got my first bad hand, a straight on the river with 3 hearts and a spade. On the flop he didn’t placed any bet but only called. I then placed a big bet, $2400, about half of my chips. I thought he was only up for a flush draw. Then he called and hit his flush. On the flop, I hit a straight 10-9-8-7-6. I was then all in for $3000. After a while, with A8 he called. Turn and river came, 2-J, which meant we gonna have to chop the pot then. Next hand, I had J7s hearts while he had K2o. Flop was J-7h-2h. I went all in at some point while he called with nothing. Much later he hit one of two Kings on the river so it was finally the end.

Do you think I was just unlucky or I actually just folded winners? By the way, if I have two pair, what are the chances another player has a set against me? Any idea? How about tips?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Many thanks,
Zedrick
Zedrick,

It sounds like your opponent got lucky in most of those cases. Of course, in a tournament, you sometimes have to get lucky to win. A player is 11% to hit a set on the flop. If I am heads up and flop two pair, I am push the hand in most scenarios.

It sounds like you are playing well. Eventually the streak of luck your opponent is on will end and you should take down a few winners.

Hello,

I have several questions to ask. I hope you have extra time.

1. I believe you once said that the hand grouping statistics are only valid at the start of hand, prior the preflop and prior to the instance by which one has already placed a bet. Am I right? Well, I’m sorry to say this but I think all the stuff were probably calculated in a simulated game where no one bets and folds up to the river. I think if Poker is this simple, there’ll be no challenge or even passion at all. Any thoughts?
2. Say a guy is holding 22 and before the flop he’s the first to bet. He can go all in but it would be a crazy thing as one of the other 9 players might wind up with a higher, better pair. But he can call if he is on the button and before his turn to bet first player has raised while others folded. Any idea?
3. Say the player who raised in question number 2 was holding AKs and so player with 22 would be no worse off than a player who folded with QQ. Player with AK could win by pairing with either the K or the A, against a pair. But if he doesn’t pair and there is no straight or flush, player with 22, 33, 44, 55, etc will win. What’s on your thoughts?
4. Now if player with low pair is low in chips, he might then consider the chance that the other player has AK or AJ and not JJ at all. In the event player with the low stack doesn’t call, in following hands, he still can’t earn sufficient chips to bet against multiple opponents up to the river, and then later on just lose. Well, a 50-50 chance of being back in position and winning back you chips is far better than no chance at all right? But why do you think should we give losing player much opportunity to be back in terms of position and chips?
5. In case I want to go all in against 9 players I believe I should be aware first of what my chances are with AA. I know merely putting it top on the list is not okay. Do you think I have a 60% chance, going in blind against everyone? Or otherwise much better or worser? What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Loyse
Loyse,

1. Statistics are independent of bets. They are based on the number of players involved. The betting, raising, and winning of pots is the reason people play poker. The challenge comes in the competition with the other player. Stats are based on the cards alone. They help us make decisions about betting and folding. It is up to us to make the decision. That’s the challenge.
2. Pocket 2’s are really a limping hand preflop. You want to try and see a flop and hit a set. Raising under the gun all-in is a big risk. Pocket 2’s at best case scenario is only a coin flop to win.
3. You are right. Pocket deuces win if the A-K does not make a pair. By the way this is a 52% to 48% race.
4. If a player is short stacked, then they need to push with any reasonable hand. A coin flip is better than being an underdog. As far as people giving short stacks the chance to get back in the tournament, someone has to take a shot at eliminating them at some point. Trying to do so when they are short stacked will cause the least amount of damage in the event they win.
5. You are around a 40% chance to win against 9 other players with A-A. A-A will be a favorite, but no hand is truly safe against 9 players preflop.

Hi there!

Say you hold you hold pocket Aces and then someone goes all-in pre-flop, would you call? Is it always justified or recommended to make such a move? But how about if you’re sure a player will call your all-in?

Well, I would first consider some factors before calling however a pair of aces seems to be always the favorite pre-flop. Also, if you have the opportunity of doubling up or busting someone out and luckily you have the favorite, then calling will be a good one. What’s on your thoughts about this?

Thanks!

Warm regards,
Leo
Leo,

I am always calling an all-in bet to me preflop when I am holding pocket aces. There is really only one time you would even consider folding Aces preflop. If you were in a super satellite that paid 6 seats to a major tournament and there were seven players left, I might fold pocket aces preflop if I was a bigger stack. I would sit back and let the smaller stacks fight it out. Other than this one scenario, I am calling all-in with my aces, or moving all in if the situation warrants it.

Hello,

Just last year, I started to seriously play Holdem. Well, I’m not fond of reading so I haven’t read most of the Texas Holdem books. However, I regularly watched ESPN.

As of the moment, I’m into online poker. I actually started as an average player in “online standards” however just after few weeks I changed and became very tight. Tight in a way that I already fold pairs, 9s or less in a long to medium table. I believed then that there was nothing wrong as I typically end up being on the top 3 out of 10. And for several times, I finished first about just half the time.

I really believe in starting tight and getting more tight as the game progresses down to 6 – 5 players then gradually loosing up when down to 4 once down to 3. And when there’s a need to be aggressive, then be aggressive.

I played with the above approach for some time. However, things started to change when I tried playing in tables with terrible players. I started witnessing really bad beats more often than usual. I also then discovered the huge difference in the skill level of various tables $10, $20, $30, $50, $100, and $200. Later, I decided to go down from $200 to $100 and much later to $5. Sad to say, my luck wasn’t that significant, for once in 10 games, I ended up on the bottom.

Can you feel it, the lower I go the worst it gets? For a number of times, I lose with trip As for nothing with a flush draw in the river, with straights to flushes and even to Quads on the turn and river. I don’t know what went wrong.

Any thoughts?

Warm regards,
Bill
Bill,

The bad players are at the lower levels. Some of this is due to their play and some is due to the normal variance you will see in poker, especially online poker. It sounds like your approach is working, but realize that when you play solid poker, you will take some bad beats. Also, you should loosen your card holdings depending on position. Folding all pairs below 9’s sounds excessively tight just based on the information you have given. Work on opening your hand ranges up in position and as the tournament gets later.

Hello,

I’m now into trouble as I don’t know how should I exactly play my cards. I typically play once or twice a week along with some close friends. Well, we all love to buy in to a five dollar tourney as we always get a whole lot of fun doing so.

One time I tried to place in twice. I know I was far better than my friends so I was confident. I decided to slow play. But I was bothered as I know I’m not good at bluffing ever since. Every time I try my friends call or raise to hurt me. And because of this, I just end up chasing and chasing lots of cards to both turn and river, typically flush and straight draws.

As of the moment, we are planning to host a huge tourney, buy in will be $20. Of course I don’t want to lose if in case. So I’m wondering if you have any exercise in mind that you think would be perfect for me. Is there any?

Thanks in advance.

All the best,
Matthew
Matthew,

First, tighten up your hand requirements a bit. Don’t chase flush draws and straight draws unless you have proper odds. If you do not understand what I mean, do some research on pot odds. Also, study up about playing hands in position. Later in the tournament, find spots to steal blinds from the weaker players at the table to help keep your stack healthy.

Another thing you may want to do is play more poker online to give yourself more tournament experience. This way you can work on your game and not rely on your weekly home game.

Hello,

I’m done playing the latest 6 person tournament. Well, I’m not boasting here or what but I actually finished two of those in a single night.

I remember in the first tourney, I did well earlier and had a bit over 20K in chips. Couple of good hands also were present. Unfortunately in the mid part, something came up, I was holding pair of Jacks then. I raised two early callers to 1,000 from the button. At such point, blinds were 200/400. Then blinds folded, heads up coming. Flop came and brought A-A-x. My opponent then checked and I placed 4K bet. He then went over top and placed me all in. At such instance, I had 10K to my name. Then I called and he revealed he had Ace. I believe I made a mistake at some point. I never entertained the idea what if he had Ace or the idea how willing he is to go all in even without the Ace.

In the following tournament, almost same things happen. Earlier part, I believe I did well. I had around 15K. I was allowed to play for free with 8d-2d from the big blind. Flop came and brought Ad-Kd-5d. There were three players then who were in the pot. Hoping someone had hit the A or K, I led out with $2K. I then got a call. One player then went all in over the top. I then laid down what I had as I’m afraid to take risk. In the end, I surprisingly won the tourney.

Now, how do you suppose to balance being an aggressive player with the ability to lay down properly? And in the first tourney, do you think I should have laid down as well? I think I should have laid down too. How about in the second tourney, do you think I should have called?

By the way, when playing against an inferior player, should I fear a one in three odds to double up than being busted out?

Glad to hear from you soon.

Many thanks,
Mart
Mart,

In the first tournament, you should have folded when the two aces hit the board. When you raise and are called by two players, the odds are high that one of them holds an Ace. When you bet and he check-raised, you were beat and should have folded.

The other hand, I would have probably called there. The odds of flopping a flush are around 30% and the odds of two people flopping such are much longer. You should have called here and tried to double up.

Being able to lay down hands requires the ability to be able to put your opponent on hands properly. This comes by observation and watching playing style. Part of this is simple common sense of what could be out there. When you have J-J and overcards hit the board with more than one opponent, odds are you are going to be behind. Sometimes you are not, but you have to be aware of the possibility.

Hi there,

Once you’ve mentioned that a good portion of the hands is win over with only a high card. Well, I dealt over 100 hands and plotted the results. I found out that only 2 out of the 100 hands were won with a high card. Some of the hands were won with medium to high pairs while some with 2 pairs.

To make sure, I purchased a Poker simulator on the web and ran it a lot of times. I also tried the simulator against 2, and 3 other opponents and still got same results. In the event played to the river, high cards at times.

I guess the only way I can make sense of the proportion you’ve mentioned is through ascertaining if winner emerges from pre-flop betting. High card dealt face down almost always will be the best hand pre-flop. However, I guess this is not what you’re trying to imply. Personally, I believe players need to play high cards pre-flop aggressively, however to win against a call or re-raise, such cards should improve.

By the way, in a small local tournament last night, I met very conservative, tight players. At some point, I noticed they typically never open a pot without an Ace or medium pair, however I never saw a high card Ace or King holding up to win unless it paired or helped make part of either a straight or flush. I believe if they were more aggressive in terms of their betting, they could have won more pots.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Regards,
Anthony
Anthony,

The typical winning hand in Texas Holdem is two pair. A high card only wins the hand a small portion of the time.

Hands such as A-K really need to improve in order to have a solid chance of winning. A-K is really just a glorified drawing hand.