Choosing the Right Poker Tournament
Choosing the right poker tournament is just as important as participating in one |
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Most poker players hardly bother about the subject of choosing the right poker tournament. In fact, choosing the right poker tournament is just as important as participating in one. Plunging headlong into a poker tournament just because one feels like it or because the prize pool is huge is the worst mistake a poker player can make. Before choosing a poker tournament, players have to consider several factors.
First, players must consider the size of their bankrolls before making a choice of poker tournaments. Spending one’s entire bankroll on the buy-in to a poker tournament is the biggest blunder anybody can make in the world of poker. Players who do this usually believe that they can win a share of the colossal prize pools that these tournaments offer. This hardly happens; players must remember that even top poker professionals don’t win several poker tournaments in a row. Players who spend their entire bankrolls buying into one poker tournament might find themselves broke and desperate in no time.
Second, spend only a small fraction of the bankroll on poker tournaments. A player’s chief focus should be on conserving his/her bankroll and on increasing its size by playing cash games and cash tournaments. Before spending part of their bankrolls on poker tournaments, players ought to hone their poker skills and learn new poker strategies playing freerolls and satellites of lower buy-in. This doesn’t mean that players ought not to play poker tournaments. Players must choose a poker tournament whose buy-in won’t wash away their entire bankroll. The best way to do this is to spend only a fraction of the bankroll on buy-ins to poker tournaments.
Third, study the blind structures of poker tournaments before choosing one. Some tournaments have a quick blind structure. These are great for new players who still depend on luck to win a game. Skillful players must choose tournaments with slower blind structures, which enable them to employ a variety of poker strategies to win the pot.
Fourth, choose wisely between online and live poker tournaments. Both online and live poker tournaments have their own advantages and disadvantages. Online poker tournaments permit players to compete from the comforts of their home. While they lack the glitter and media coverage enjoyed by live poker events, they are just as capable of making players millionaires. What’s more, players who choose online poker tournaments can opt to play as many tournaments as they like at the same time, which is impossible in case of live events. Players ought to choose wisely between online and live poker events as per their personal tastes, abilities, and preferences.
Fifth, players who choose to participate in live poker events ought to consider their ability to participate. They should ask themselves questions such as whether it is possible for them to take leave off work and travel long distances. Players must be aware that travelling across a time zone can be quite stressful; it can disrupt a person’s sleep cycle and create extreme fatigue. Players need to ask themselves if they can play their best game in such stressful conditions. Before participating in qualifying satellites for a particular live event, players must make sure that they can really participate.
Sixth, players who choose to buy-in to a live poker event must ask themselves if their finances permit it. Most live poker tournaments have huge buy-ins. Besides the buy-in, players must also spend on accommodation, food, travelling, and so on. Before choosing to participate in a live poker event, players should consider all these factors.
Seventh, players who choose to multi table must know exactly how many tournaments they can choose at a time. Players who lack the required skills and expertise must keep the number of tournaments to the minimum. Poker pros can manage to participate in as many as 10 tournaments at a time. Beginners should be more careful. Simultaneously, players who multi table must also consider choosing tournaments with lower buy-ins to avoid depleting their bankrolls.
Finally, players who don’t have the time had better not choose a tournament. Being forced to leave a table when one is close to the pot owing to time constraints is the worst tragedy that can befall a poker player.
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