Friday 1 February 2008

The Objectives in Internet Poker Tournaments

This article will discuss the fundamental elements needed to win an Internet poker tournament. It is important to understand the priorities of a player when playing Internet poker tournaments.

In Internet poker tournaments the player's objectives should be:

1. Survival - You should be able to survive to play at the finals table. The ultimate goal is to be the sole survivor. It sounds like a cheesy reality show but it should always be your main goal.

2. Build and Protect Your Chip Arsenal - You must be able to build enough chips to survive the bigger blinds and larger bets at the latter stages of the Internet poker tournament. You should also build a large stack of chips early on. This is to be able to take calculated risks from time to time. However, this must be accomplished without risking the chance to lose early as well. Yes, a delicate balance but one to keep focused on.

A player's failure to be aggressive and build an early chip arsenal will make the player erode slowly when higher antes and blinds come up.

3. Be focused - Try to focus on your game plan. Only attack when the right cards and situations become present. Then, when these situations arise, convert them into profits. Also avoid making occasional mistakes when you do not pay close attention to the game. Always keep in mind that you should be patient!

4. Adaptability - As the Internet poker tournament progresses, you should see when the dynamics of the game are changing and be able to quickly adapt to new conditions such as:

The players at the table.
The style of play of the other players.
The size of your chip stack against your opponents.
The Pot Odds, especially when the blinds and the antes increase.
Avoid making mistakes especially when you move to a new table.

Internet Texas Holdem poker tournaments are designed to eliminate players progressively. That is why the ultimate objective as mentioned above is to survive and protect your chips. That is why it is not advisable to take unnecessary risks yet at the same time be aggressive when the situation dictates it.

Practice patience and only attack at the best moments you see fit. Attack only when the odds are in your favor together with a proper battle plan in mind.

Remember that in Internet poker tournaments, patience is truly a virtue to succeed.

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