How to Maximize Your Bankroll by Playing Multi-Table Tournaments

Multi Table Tournaments, Bankroll
July 20 2008

The objective in a multi-table poker tournament is to make it to the money. Making it to the money means that you made a profit. Even the smallest payout positions pay more than the buy-in. Only once you’ve made it to the money do you start to think about winning. Too many players don’t consider this enough as they play a tournament, and it ends up getting them busted near the bubble.

When player numbers dwindle down close to the money spots, you should adjust your play a bit. How you adjust it depends on the other players at your table. Everyone wants to make the money, so you should look to see which players you can take advantage of at this time.

You determine this by looking at the stack sizes. If you’re the small stack at your table, you can potentially get knocked out of the tournament during any hand you’re in. So playing a conservative style at this point makes the most sense. With the exception of big pocket pairs, you should stay out of the action until you get to the money.

If you have a larger stack than other players at the table, you can force the action against the smaller stacks for this very reason. Players will fold more hands at this time in the tournament, and you can win lots of small pots that will pad your stack for the later stages of the tournament. If aggression is returned, then you’ll know that you’re up against a very big hand and you can act accordingly.

Once you hit the money, you can go back to the style that was working for you. Get through the danger zone and then go for the final table.

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