Live Poker Player Internet Guide

Keeping Your Chip Lead in No Limit Tourneys

Playing with the largest stack in a No Limit tourney is the place where you want to be in. This allows more time for your strategies and room to maneuver. Of course, this also increases your chance of reaching the final tables. But very often a lot of players go on auto pilot, so it is important that you keep your game functioning.

Your No Limit strategy for a table should depend on a large extent on the stage of the tournament itself. If it is the early phase and you have the lead then continue to play the way you have. It is vital that you keep up your momentum, as the more that you win, the greater your confidence will be.

The last thing that you want to do when you are leading in a No Limit tourney at the early stage is to play not to lose. Remember there are other players out there who will be gunning for you, but this should not deter you and put you on the defensive.

Rather your No Limit strategy should be to use your advantage, and pick on the players on the table that have short stacks. These players are going to be very aggressive, and desperate, so you should try to dispose of them with your stack. Making them go all in with marginal hands will help you clean the table much faster.

When you are near the cut, then the proper way to play in a No Limit tourney, with a large stack, is to exercise more caution. Right now, while you may be eager to pounce on those who are trying desperately to get in, and those playing wildly, you should also not get careless.

Just pick your spots, and use the right hands. Of course, in a No Limit game you know that you play with more select hands.

Finally do not be worried if your No Limit tourney stack is not as big as those on the other tables. Your focus should be on the table you are playing. Finish the job there and do not think about who you might be playing next.

Too many players tend to play too conservatively when leading, trying to protect their stack instead of increasing it, and end up losing confidence and momentum. By playing in the abovementioned manner, making the adjustments as the tourney progresses, your chances of making it to the final tables increase.