In today’s article, we’re going to discuss some of the biggest mistakes people make once they get in the money of a major tournament.
This will help you not only at the World Series of Poker, but in any tournament you play, whether it is online or live.
Let’s get into it.
1. Thinking you have to do something extraordinary
The first big mistake a lot of people make is thinking they have to do something extraordinary to win a bracelet or capture a title.
They forget to dance with the girl who brought them there.
Often, solid fundamentals will outperform someone trying to force plays they are not comfortable with once they get in the money.
Obviously, you do want to have some plays chambered that take advantage of the increased fold equity you will experience before the final table. But a solid application of the fundamentals is going to get you 90% of the way there.
Do not debut new material at Carnegie Hall. Stick with what you know.
2. Slow playing too much versus three-bets
If you have aces, kings, or queens and someone three-bets you, strongly consider four-betting large against those players.
A lot of people think they have to call more, trap more, or get cute with really small four-bets when they get three-bet deep in tournaments.
But if you are playing large-field events with a lot of recreational players, like many WSOP events, people are often going to be three-betting less than they normally would because they are scared of the moment.
That means their three-betting ranges can be more value-heavy.
If that is the case, you can often just get the money in because they are showing up with real hands.
Do not try to get too tricky just because you saw some big pro do it.
3. Failing to target the big blind flatter
One of the weakest players you will find in the money of most tournaments is the big blind flatter.
It is like everybody has a brain fart when they are in the big blind. Regardless of what you raise to, they call. Then they usually call the flop. Then on the turn, they realize they have nothing to defend themselves with when you bet large.
If you do not bet extremely small on the flop, a lot of these players will not even check-raise the hands they are supposed to check-raise. That means you can catch them on the turn with too many weak hands.
Really consider which play is going to work best against that particular opponent.
Is it going to be an overbet on the turn?
Is it going to be a triple barrel?
Remember, when they just check-call you on wet boards, they often would have check-raised their sets or two pairs. That means their range can be weaker than it looks, and you may be able to apply real pressure.
4. Assuming every three-bet is personal
This one is going to sound simple, but you see a lot of young players make this mistake.
What do you think it means when somebody three-bets you three times deep in a tournament?
The vast majority of the time, it just means the person had three good hands.
This is a mistake many players make in their first series event. They feel like everyone else is swinging for the fences. So when they get three-bet multiple times, sometimes not even by the same person, they start thinking the whole table is picking on them.
Usually, that is not what is happening.
Earlier in the tournament, a lot of people were afraid to three-bet because bigger pots scare them. As you get deeper, the better players know they need to three-bet a few more value hands. So their three-bet frequencies go up slightly.
But that does not mean they are bluffing.
They still have solid hands. Maybe it is not always queens, kings, or aces anymore. Maybe now it is nines. But nines are still a very real hand.
Do not go in guns blazing just because your ego got inflamed.
5. Not using larger sizings against medium stacks
One more thing you can do in the money is use larger sizings when you have a big stack versus a medium stack.
A lot of medium stacks think they have room to work against a slightly bigger stack. That means if you go just a little larger on your three-bets, continuation bets, and check-raises, it makes them feel much more vulnerable.
Often, they will consider folding specifically to you and decide to play against the rest of the table instead.
You do not have to go out of your way to attack them every single hand. In fact, you should not. But if you make life uncomfortable for them in the right spots, they will usually start staying away from you.
At that point, you may be able to pick up smaller pots later and keep adding to your stack.
I hope these tips are helpful for your game. Wishing you the best of luck on the felt!
Alex Fitzgerald is a best-selling author published by D&B Poker. Check out Alex’s most recent book, ‘How to Beat Players Who Never Fold.’
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