Playing poker tournaments in 2021

Where to play online poker tournaments?

The short answer is almost anywhere. Virtually all online poker rooms host MTTs (multi-table tournaments). However, you should be looking to play poker tournaments at trusted sites, featuring friendly structures and exciting guaranteed prize pools for newcomers and pros. 

The most important thing is to play in safe sites, and you can identify those by running a simple checklist:

1. Is the site licensed by a trusted body like the MGA or the UKGC?
2. For how many years have been the poker room operating on the market? The more, the better
3. What is the general opinion in forums and affiliate websites?

Stick to the best poker rooms, and you'll face no problems in the future. We are ready with the "where." Now let's jump to the "how" with a few strategy tips.

6 tips to play poker tournaments

Take care of your bankroll

Using proper bankroll management will not only save your poker journey but your life. Most players get tempted by juicy guaranteed prize pools with high buy-ins, a risky bet that can result in a disaster if you can't afford it.

What is "proper bankroll management"? There are several strategies (having "Xbuy-ins" per level, leveling up only when you reach a defined winning rate), and you can choose the one that fits your style more or just develop your own. What's most important is to stick to your strategy once you decide on one.

HUD?

Using a HUD (Heads-up display, a small piece of software showing real-time information at the tables) or a tracker has become controversial within the past years. We won't dig into the matter here, but here is one crucial tip: if the poker room allows using a HUD, and you don't have it, you will surely be at a disadvantage as your opponents, especially the most skilled, will be using one.

Study your opponents

Studying your opponents is crucial for any poker game, including tournaments. Who's the tight player? Who's the casual one? Who's the pro? To answer these questions, you need to pay attention to every move at the table. Don't look at your phone or get distracted while playing, as this will prevent you from following the action. Usually, you can add colored tags to identify players.

After learning who is who at the table, you need to act accordingly: bluffing an unskilled player may be useless but attacking a tight grinder could be the right choice. And remember: if you can't spot the fish at the table, then you are the fish.

Take notes

Following the last point, we would like to highlight how important it is to take notes (most poker room clients allow notes). Suppose you spot a player overbetting in the river, meaning he probably bluffs a lot in that spot, take a note and wait for the right moment to take advantage of this. Also, many players are afraid to 3-bets and to fold to this movement. 

Having notes is a powerful tool you can use while playing online poker

Defend your position

In poker, like real state, the position is vital. Players holding the button can (or must) be more aggressive as they have an advantageous position at the table. However, this doesn't mean you must be passive at other spots like when you post the big blind; actually, in this scenario, you must also defend your chips as the most advanced players will attempt to steal them.

Study

All pros agree on something: online poker is more complex than ever nowadays. There are many reasons for this: many schools offer their services, YouTube channels, websites with free content for beginners, and many successful players have decided to coach students to share their secrets. New strategies are being developed every day.

Overall, the information age has reached the tables, and for having a pleasant journey playing poker, you must study even more than you play. Another tip is not to over-expend in training courses; start from the basics, take advantage of free content, and if you decide to get a paid service, double-check its background to verify it fits your needs.

Anyone can play poker tournaments, but only those with the right strategy and commitment will fill the headlines with their results.

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