How to stay patient and keep your poker tournament on track

July 5, 2023

Poker

by Jack Stanton

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4 Minute Read

As we see in Episode 3 of Between the Lines, staying patient in poker and Formula 1 is crucial.

The thrills we get at the poker table come from getting an opponent to fold when you make a huge bet with nothing, sniffing out bluffs and making heroic calls, or feigning weakness while the entire table stares at you, knowing you’ve got the nuts.

Thrills don’t come from remaining calm, staying patient, and folding until the time is right.

Or do they? 

Do you know what’s thrilling? Folding when the cards aren’t coming your way, only for a bunch of people on the final table to get knocked out while you sit back, preserve your stack, and ladder up the pay jumps.

Sometimes, the best thing to do – in both poker and Formula 1 – is not to force the issue, and instead sit back and observe until your moment comes.

That’s exactly what we see in the third episode of Between the Lines, a video series from PokerStars and Oracle Red Bull Racing (ORBR) that puts you in the driving seat and takes you behind the scenes with the biggest stars of F1 and poker.

Weather conditions at the Singapore GP meant that despite taking an early lead, ORBR would need to remain calm and observe the competition to secure the win. Meanwhile, Steve O’Dwyer’s strategy at EPT Monte Carlo back in 2013 was to play the long game, cleverly waiting for more aggressive players to knock each other out before going on the attack.​

Staying patient in poker is key because even if you’re going through a bad run of cards, your opportunity could be just around the bend.

But how can you keep your cool at the poker table when you’re card dead and your chip stack is dwindling?

HOW TO BE PATIENT AT THE POKER TABLE

Poker can require high levels of patience; when should you hold, fold or call? In this video, PokerStars Team Pro player Lex Veldhuis provides a masterclass on how to be patient at the poker table, using the Bounty Builder tournament as an example.

Scout the Table and Your Opponents

The key to staying patient in poker is diligent table scouting. Pay close attention to stack sizes, playing styles and previous hands to determine how your opponents are playing and whether they’re making speculative plays. Use this information to your advantage when making decisions. You can even use the ‘notes’ feature on PokerStars to label your opponents with pointers.

TIP: Find out how and why you should take notes on your opponents 

Adjust Your Hand Ranges When Short-Stacked

When short-stacked in a tournament, tighten your range for all-in hands. Opponents are more likely to call, so choose hands that can dominate speculative holdings. Pocket pairs decrease in value while suited Kings and Ace-King gain value. Keep patient as the game moves on and only play hands that can withstand multiple callers.

Speculate to Accumulate When the Odds Are Right

While a tight, aggressive approach is best for some tournaments, there are times when speculation and patience are warranted. Pay close attention to situations where you can gamble for a big payout. Look for short-stacked opponents targeting you, dead money in the pot, and other incentives beyond just your raw equity. 

In summary, the keys to mastering patience at the poker tables are:

• Understanding how to gather information
• Adjusting your strategy based on stack depth
• Look for big pay-out opportunities

By using these techniques and holding on to your nerve, you’ll find yourself on the right side of luck more often.

TIPS FOR SURVIVAL WHEN CARD DEAD IN TOURNAMENTS

Staying patient in poker can be an agonising experience. Hand after hand comes along, but not even a glimpse of a hand worth playing.

Slowly, but steadily your stack dwindles away as you find yourself desperate for any two cards you can make a go of.

It’s not only excruciating, but this endless run of bad luck and bad cards can make you feel like the world has turned against you.

But what if instead of sitting there powerless to do anything about it, you were able to change the situation?

What if, using a couple of simple techniques, you could not only stop this run of bad luck but also make the cards you were dealt almost irrelevant?

Check out How to change your luck (or how to play when card dead).

Then take a look at these four handy tips for survival when card dead in tournaments.

Need some guidance quickly? Don’t fret. We’ve put together the infographic below to help you out.

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