Hey everybody, are you planning to go to the World Series of Poker this year?
Let’s talk about one of the most important decisions you’re going to make if you’re planning to play: What is your strategy for re-entry tournaments?
What I find is that a lot of people don’t actually have a specific strategy, which is terrible, because that puts you at the mercy of people who do have specific strategies in re-entry tournaments.
But that is going to end today.
Let's figure it out
We’re going to decide what your re-entry strategy will be.
So, the first re-entry strategy you could have is a very modest one.
What you’re going to do is just play the tournament like it’s a normal tournament, and if you bust, and if it’s early, you will re-enter like it’s another tournament, as long as you have the bankroll for it.
Try to have a minimum stack size that you want to have when you re-enter. My recommendation is that, if you want to be conservative, you should have at least 50 big blinds.
Do remember that sometimes it takes a little while to get back to a seat, so you have to anticipate that. That is, unless you are armed with the WSOP+ app.
Now, the one problem you’re going to have if you play this strategy is if you nurse your stack.
If there’s someone at your table who is clearly looking to buy in multiple times, you need to call them down more.
Be willing to raise and get it in with more top pairs, combo draws, and two pair or better versus them. Or do not let go when they keep firing at you.
The last thing you want to do is just fold away half of your chips and then shove unceremoniously into a big stack.
When is it time to gamble?
Now, let’s talk about gambling slightly to get a bigger stack. Let’s say you’re willing to re-enter a couple of times if the situation is right, so you want to gamble a little bit more. What I would recommend is taking advantage of two-tone boards when you have a draw.
So when there’s a flush draw on the board and someone just calls you, it is really likely they would have raised with a set or two pair, especially multiway. That means they’re really likely holding onto a pair or a draw.
If you have some kind of draw, you can put a lot of pressure on them with an overbet or an all-in.
One of three things is going to happen if you do so. One, everybody will fold, and you’ll have a wild image, which will help you get paid more later in the re-entry period. Two, you get caught, and you hit on the river, and now you have a huge stack. Three, you bust and you re-enter.
Now you’re prepared for all of these eventualities.
Closing thoughts
Now let’s talk about the final way you could play these re-entry tournaments.
Do you have more money than everybody else in the room put together? Because if you want to gamble, it’s your money, and this is America. I’m not the person to judge.
Any time you have any kind of draw or top pair, just go for maximum value — or maximum chips in the pot — in an attempt to build a big stack.
Just be careful that once you develop a big stack, you don't call every single raise and 3-bet just because you have the chips to do so.
You want to be the aggressor. Not the calling station. So, choose the re-entry strategy that's right for you.
Wishing you the best of luck at this year's WSOP.
Alex Fitzgerald is a best-selling author published by D&B Poker. Check out Alex’s most recent offering, ‘How to Beat Players Who Never Fold.’
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