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Playing the Tournament – Part 1 of the Mid Range M Value

• 31.06.2025 2:17 pm
• Helen
• 0 Comments

It is clear to all poker players that there are different major strategies that are used to play the tournament as opposed to playing in cash games.

It is therefore important to understand the different strategies in order to be able to use them especially when caught in a situation with mid range M value such as 8-15. M refers to your chip stack area size as compared to the antes and blinds.

Always strive to maintain your fold equity

In order to improve on the tournament outcome to your favor, you need to avoid the loss of your stack in order to keep your fold equity in check.

When M is less that 8, it means that you have just one move. In this case, you should find the best spot and put all your chips in.

You can try and take your time to select the best possible spot, but you are limited on the skills you can use in such a situation. This is the point you really depend on luck to win the pot.

When your M is greater than 15, it means you have more time to be choosy as you are in great shape. The point where you are really required to bring your game on is when you finish your M somewhere below the stack average as well as when your M is between 8 and 15.

When your M is between 8 and 15, it is referred as the crucial mid – stack area. This is because your chances of tournament luck will greatly be influenced by your capability to get through this stage and go back to the comfort zone of where your M is greater than 15.

When you require adding to your chip stack, there are two important situations you need to pay attention to. These are how the button, big and small blinds are playing as well as restealing from one raiser in late position.

Why waiting for the right hand is a wrong strategy

It is common for players who are short on stack to sit around waiting for a single good hand. They imagine that they can double on their good hand once they have it. In case this trick works, they will then start playing a tight game and they will end up in the same position they were before.

The problem with such a technique is that, you require making three things to happen in order for it to work. You are required to get a superior hand within the time you have, you need to get all your chips in after you find the hand and you will still require winning the showdown.

The better way to go around the situation is to simply try and mark situations which present opportunities to accumulate chips and pay more attention to these situations.

The button, small and big blind play

One such situation to look out for is the button, the small and big blind play (B – SB – BB play). Most poker players play with too much caution as well as passively when they find themselves in the B-SB-BB scenario. One of the most significant aspects of playing the tournament successfully is having the ability to effectively assess playing ability of the players who are around you.

These players are the ones on your immediate left as he will be the blinds when you are at the button as well as the player immediately to your right as they will small blind or the button when you are in the big blind.

You may not be able to pay attention to any other player's game at the table, but you need to ensure that you know the capabilities of these two players and their reactions to certain situations. When you are able to dominate the play against these two players, you stand a great chance of going deep in the money.

Raise way when the bubble approaches

When you are in a B-SB-BB scenario with your M in the mid ranges of 8-15, you should be most aggressive. Being aggressive is more significant as you get closer to the money.

Most players know the importance of aggressiveness when the bubble is closing in, but when it gets to this point, they become more concerned with finishing in the money and will therefore play more cautiously. It is important to know such players and take them down once you get to this point.

This is because, these players are vulnerable to giving away chips with their cautious play and you should be more than happy to receive the chips. All you need to do is push any two cards against the player and you are good to go.

It is important to fold on a few occasions in order to ensure that your opponents do not find out what you are doing. This is important as it will keep them doing what they are doing and you will keep getting the chips.

Make use of limp re-raising

In addition to the above technique, you should also make an effort to limp re-raise when facing very aggressive opponents. By limp re-raising and make your opponent to check, you will live to see the flop.

Once on the flop, you can try your luck at the pot. You need to remember that most opponents are likely looking for easy ways to run from the hand. It is therefore important to chip in, in order to win.

Probe Betting on the flop

In order to try this, you need to place a probe bet when in the flop. You can even try and check raise at the flop. This is a sure way of making all your opponents to fold anything they have other than top pairs.

It is important to understand which player on your right is likely to attempt stealing the blinds, and at the same time is willing to lay hand down in case there is a reraise. You need to play aggressively against such players.

In case you become successfully at restealing from a button or a raise from a small blind, it is possible to stack up between 30 -40 percent of your chips without having to see the flop.

You should always remember that in B-SB-BB situations, players normally open the pot with a wide range. You should find it easy to put all your chips in.

You should be more than willing to "pot commit 'all your chips when you have a less than average hand.  You also have to be aggressive when you know that you are up against an opponent who has a chance of folding or when you know you are above the range of your opponent.