How do I play in
a poker tournament?

Playing in poker tournaments made easy...

One frequently asked question is 'how do I play poker tournaments successfully as opposed to straightforward money games of poker?'

PLAYING TOURNAMENTS
Most people improve their poker game with lots of online play before they enter tournaments. Their motive on entering poker tournaments is generally to win a ticket to the World Series of Poker which would normally cost $10,000 to buy-in. There are several kinds of poker tournament offering this kind of prize and you need to assess each type with a view to your available funds.

For example: A low buy-in poker tournament will often offer one or two WSOP tickets as the top prizes and, as the entry cost is very reasonable, they seem like good value. The trouble is, it's a bit of a lottery, so your chances of winning a ticket are small.

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Large buy-in poker tournaments offering a bunch of WSOP tickets can be quite costly, but your chances of snapping up a ticket increase considerably.

By far the most popular route is the moderate buy-in event which attracts a majority of poker players. Costs are always reasonable, and you have a fair chance of winning a WSOP ticket if you're a good poker player.

Play in a poker tournament at: DailyStarPoker

TOURNAMENT TIPS
All the above events require you to play a disciplined form of poker. Tournament play requires a different attitude to every game.

A low buy-in contest, where only two tickets are up for grabs, requires you to gamble full out. You HAVE to win chips. You have to bluff and try and steal pots. If you make the mistake of playing a waiting game, someone else will build a big chip stack that you won't be able to overcome later in the poker tournament. Go for broke!

A large buy-in contest, with plenty of tickets to be won, means you can play a tighter game. You don't need to go all-out for pots because if you can endure long enough you stand a good chance of qualifying for a seat. Play smart and tight.

The reason the moderate buy-ins attract the most interest is because they enable you to play your usual game. You vary between tight and aggressive.

Most of the quality online poker sites run poker tournaments like those we have discussed and many online players gain entry to the World Series through this route. Just look at Chris Moneymaker. A $40 event took him all the way to the multi-million dollar win and his first WSOP champions bracelet! Playing these kinds of poker tournaments also strengthens your game by forcing you to change ingrained habits, making you more flexible and quick to respond to fast moving conditions.

All The Aces daily poker column:
Wednesday, August 10th 2005:
Playing In a Poker Tournament