3 tips for the final table of a tournament

veronica

veronica

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One of the biggest challenges that inexperienced players in the final table is making the necessary adjustments for the game at short tables. The strategy change much when the table happens to contain 6, 5 or 4 players.
Many amateur players make the mistake of expecting strong to get involved in a hand of the final table hands. If you are lucky enough to reach the last 6 players high blinds and antes will consume your stack if not part of the game.
Hands like A-7 offsuit may not play when there are 9 players, but if the table is short is strong to raise pre-flop hand. To keep your stack you should steal the blinds at least once per round. If the table has 4 players it means you must win a pot every 4 hands.
At the final table your cards become less important than at the beginning of the tournament. It is more important to focus on determining which opponent you can steal a pot, whom you should avoid and whom you can catch.
Unfortunately, it will be difficult to face your opponents without good cards if you do not have a lot of chips. If you have a short stack you will be forced to wait a good chance to steal the blinds or attempt to bend.
If you are lucky enough to have one of the biggest stacks at the final table you can use it to attack and put pressure on your opponents. With an intelligent aggressive game you can increase it even more.


:) :) :) :) :)
 
George Lewis

George Lewis

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I have done well on final tables and I think one reason for this is I enjoy a variety of different games. I like cash and tournament play. Short or full ring. Sit&Goes Heads up etc..I have found that when I get down to the final few players they tend to be very solid tournament players that just fall apart once the table is 5,4,3,2 handed. This isn't always the case and I do not always win but if I do not get knocked out in 8th or 9th doing something dumb it seems I have an edge over most 5-6 handed or less. I think this is due to most of these players being comfortable with tournaments and big fields and not understanding final table play. This is especially true heads up. I run over most players at this point. Many of these players will fold the button at times or raise it big pre flop. I counter by calling in position and playing post flop regardless of cards. When I am not the button I raise like a maniac and try to ruin their positional advantage and it seems they are clueless about how to counter this. In order to get better at final tables I would suggest playing more variants of poker that will help you strengthen your single table game and your short handed and heads up game. Play these games regularly so if you do reach a final table you can terrorize it.
 
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Joseph Havelka

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When blinds and Antes get really high and say 5-6 players left at a final table, and you have a shorter stack. I use a push/fold chart in addition with playing my opponents tendencies. Works great when stacks get short.
 
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Joseph Havelka

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I have done well on final tables and I think one reason for this is I enjoy a variety of different games. I like cash and tournament play. Short or full ring. Sit&Goes Heads up etc..I have found that when I get down to the final few players they tend to be very solid tournament players that just fall apart once the table is 5,4,3,2 handed. This isn't always the case and I do not always win but if I do not get knocked out in 8th or 9th doing something dumb it seems I have an edge over most 5-6 handed or less. I think this is due to most of these players being comfortable with tournaments and big fields and not understanding final table play. This is especially true heads up. I run over most players at this point. Many of these players will fold the button at times or raise it big pre flop. I counter by calling in position and playing post flop regardless of cards. When I am not the button I raise like a maniac and try to ruin their positional advantage and it seems they are clueless about how to counter this. In order to get better at final tables I would suggest playing more variants of poker that will help you strengthen your single table game and your short handed and heads up game. Play these games regularly so if you do reach a final table you can terrorize it.
I do the same.....it's fun when you play against another experienced heads up player. It's funny because virtually every hand either yourself or your opponent is bluffing. You know they are bluffing but ya can't do nothing about it and visa versa
 
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Snakester420

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SNGs and 3-handed jackpot poker have turned me into a final table master. I've won 2 MTTs with over 800 players and 2 with over 100 and various turbo 30ish player and of course countless SNGs. It is important to get those top 3 cashes (I hardly get 3rd or 2nd with 3 handed and heads up experience). Heads up is crucial to have mastered if you want to play MTTs profitably. Never getting 1st means you just give up free money to those who do and you should be playing quadruple ups and double ups (which I do not criticize, find your game).
 
Zacccpanec

Zacccpanec

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At the final table, it is important to have a good aura, it is important to come the hand and the flop gave the desired card, if the card comes not to you, but to your opponent you just have to endure and still trying to steal Blandy and ante, but without fanaticism
 
George Lewis

George Lewis

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I do the same.....it's fun when you play against another experienced heads up player. It's funny because virtually every hand either yourself or your opponent is bluffing. You know they are bluffing but ya can't do nothing about it and visa versa

Exactly.
 
Alkovalenko

Alkovalenko

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Poker

On finalke think to play tight aggressive which would increase your stack
 
rohankamble9

rohankamble9

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One thing a beginning or struggling MTT player should keep in mind at this stage is that there’s not a lot to control about certain situations. Sooner or later, a player will find him/herself gleefully pushing all-in pre-flop with hands like AQ from early position due to the circumstances. In cases like these, if you get called down by AJ, you’re a Genius… if you get called down by AK, you’re a Goat. It’s just that simple sometimes.

Another aspect to pay attention to is how you (and your opponents) adapt to full and short-handed tables. Nine (or ten) handed tables play a lot differently in general than five or six-handed tables do; and there will be times when drastic changes will have to be made in order to reach the Final Table without getting blinded away.

Once you’ve reached the Final Table, be sure to keep your cool and analyze every situation before making a decision. Cooler heads usually prevail and once again, you’ll give yourself the best chance at success if you go in with the goal of accumulating chips – instead of waiting on the cards to provide a miracle.
 
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coachlary69

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I like and follow a lot of the advice posted regarding playing on a final table. When it's down to the final 3 I'm looking for any spot to get my chips in the middle because I know that everyone's range is extremely wide and hands that I might not normally play at the beginning of an MTT become playable when it's down to the final 3.
 
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ssn822

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I like the average player these tips really help . I always try to listen to the advice of the stronger players.
 
Jim Brown

Jim Brown

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As the number of players decreases your stack becomes more and more important than your cards.

Apply pressure to middle stacks where their ICM factor means their cards need to be even stronger. Of course you want to have the largest stack, and when you do, use it to pressure those players in the middle since any play they make will give equity to the even shorter stacks. When you're a middle stack be aware of how the larger stacks can pressure you and how much your stack can push back at them. When you're a shorter stack push-fold charts help, but better is a more robust model like ICMizer

The idea applies throughout the tournament, but it's more pronounced when the pay jumps are bigger and earlier at the bubble which is the same principle.
 
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