If you’re like most poker players, your goal is to win as many tournaments as possible. But if you find that you’re not winning consistently, you may be wondering if there’s anything you can do to change that.
The short answer is yes. There are a few expert-endorsed techniques that can help you to bring home more wins while playing poker online in Canada, particularly in a tournament setting.
In just a few minutes of reading, discover some handy tips that could help you best your competitors during an online poker tournament.
Prepare Yourself for Long Sessions
Online poker tournaments can accommodate thousands of players.
You can understand why, then, some tournaments can take several hours to complete. As such, you should be prepared for a long stint on your mobile device or desktop when you enter a tournament.
One of the largest online poker tournaments took place between the 16th and 30th of August 2020. With a whopping prize of USD$27, 559,500 on the line, the stakes were astronomically high.
5,802 participants put their skills to the test and competed for this record-breaking prize pool.
Before you enter a tournament, make sure you have some snacks and drinks to keep you going. Also, make sure you don’t have any meetings or social plans on the day you want to play.
Value Bet Your Hands (to the max)
Keep it simple.
Avoid running any intricate bluffs during the tournament — especially if you’re new to the scene. 90% of the time, it will lead to regret.
Most online poker players are only concerned with the cards in their own hand. Online, it’s difficult for them to understand or anticipate from your actions that you’ve got a specific hand.
In most cases, they’ll be aiming for a fuss-free showdown and an easy win. In that light, keep things simple and stick to the ABCs of poker. Let your cards fall how they may — you’ll get more value out of your made hands than you would picking up new ones.
This is particularly relevant if you’re playing in lower-stakes tournaments. Here, you can get away with betting a bit more. Expect your opponents to call your wagers on a regular basis!
Prepared Yourself for Swings
Be prepared for some crazy swings when playing small stakes poker. The variance in these types of tournaments is huge because there are so many opponents to get through, and they often have holdings that will make it difficult or impossible to put them on a hand.
You’ll encounter some difficult opponents who may call your raises – even if it’s an all-in. Having a substantial bankroll (about 200 to 300 times larger than what would usually come out on table stakes) in case luck doesn’t have your back.
There’s no anticipating what could happen during a tournament, and underestimating your opponents is a grievous error.
You could have hundreds of textbook players, but you only need one maverick to come in, make waves, and spoil your game.
Get Rid of Distractions
When you’re battling it out in a tournament in the comfort of your own home, you’re filled with distractions.
A blaring TV, ringing phone, or barking dog can really throw you off your game. In addition, your social media feeds may call out to you during the periods where your competitors are making their moves.
Do your best to avoid falling into the trap that is distraction.
If you want to bring your A game to the table, you need to be cool, calm, and collected. Constantly checking your phone or listening in on your favourite TV series is a slippery slope.
We recommend donning some noise-cancelling headphones and putting on some relaxing Lo-fi tunes to help you get into the zone.
Take Advantage of Breaks
We’ve already mentioned that you’ll be sitting through some agonizingly long poker stints.
Fortunately, you will be rewarded with a few 5-minute breaks as you progress through the tournament. Instead of sitting at your desk impatiently waiting for the next round, get up and get moving.
This will go a long way towards improving your circulation and preventing mental fatigue or eye strain from staring at a screen for hours on end.
When you return to your game, you’ll be better prepared to make savvy decisions.
Take Notes on Your Competitors
If you notice a top-notch player sitting in on your round, be sure to take notes on their moves.
Chances are you’ll encounter them during a later stage of the tournament. Taking notes will give you insight into their playing style, and you might be able to anticipate some of their moves.
This is a practice that will benefit you in the long-run, and many online poker pros swear by it.
Ready, Set, Bet
Whether it’s keeping notes on your competitors, turning off your TV, or just keeping it simple, there’s plenty you can do to improve your chances of bringing home a win at an online poker tournament.
Put some of these practices to the test, and you may find yourself the lucky recipient of a massive prize.
