7 Tournament Tips to Help You Run Deep

Upswing Poker Level-Up

This episode reveals 7 fundamental tips for poker tournaments that will help you run deep more often and play more confidently. The advice ranges from preflop tactics to postflop strategies. Pay close attention if you want to build bigger stacks and win tournaments!

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Article Version of this Episode

00:00 Introduction to Tournament Tips

04:23 Tip 2: Defend Your Big Blind Often

08:41 Tip 3: Be Cautious with Three-Bet Bluffing

11:02 Tip 4: Adjust Your Three-Betting with Deep Stacks

13:21 Tip 5: Smart Continuation Betting

18:08 Tip 6: Plan for Future Streets

21:07 Tip 7: Learn Basic Heads-Up Play

23:24 Conclusion and Promotions

In this episode of our poker strategy podcast, host Mike Brady shares seven essential tournament tips to help you make deeper runs and boost your confidence in competitive settings. Drawing insights from the teachings of Miikka Anttonen, a respected Finnish poker pro, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for every stage of the tournament, from early positioning to heads-up play.

The episode starts with Tip 1: raising frequently when the action folds to you. Mike discusses the importance of leveraging small raises, especially when antes are in play, to build your stack efficiently. He explains why raising often can be profitable, even with marginal hands, and how to adjust based on the tendencies of opponents in the blinds. Listeners will learn the balance between aggression and caution, ensuring they remain unpredictable while maintaining a solid strategy.

Moving on to Tip 2, Mike emphasizes the significance of defending your big blind more frequently. He breaks down the math behind pot odds and the value of calling with a wide range, especially against small raises. However, he cautions against over-defending, especially in multi-way pots, where hand strength can be deceiving.

In Tip 3, the focus shifts to three-bet bluffing with middling stacks, where Mike outlines the types of hands that work best in this context and how to avoid costly mistakes when facing a four-bet shove. Tip 4 continues the theme of three-betting but adapts it to deep stack play, advocating a more cash-game-like approach with a merged range to maintain a balanced and unpredictable strategy.

The podcast further explores continuation betting in Tip 5, where Mike advises against betting every hand on every board. Instead, he encourages players to consider factors like range advantage and opponent tendencies to craft more effective continuation bet strategies. Tip 6 highlights the importance of planning for future streets, emphasizing the need for a solid game plan to avoid tricky spots and capitalize on favorable scenarios.

Finally, Tip 7 dives into the often overlooked but crucial aspect of heads-up play. Mike explains why even a basic understanding of heads-up strategy can lead to significant pay jumps in tournaments, underscoring the importance of preparation

This poker strategy podcast provides a comprehensive guide to mastering tournament play, helping you refine your strategy, stay ahead of the competition, and ultimately aim for those top prizes. Tune in, learn, and level up your poker game with these proven tournament tactics.