Why Being Patient Pays Off In Poker Tournaments

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
by Napalm Johnson - BroadbandPoker.com Staff Writer

Being Patient Pay$ Off!

Let me start off by introducing myself. I'm Patrick "Napalm" Johnson and I've been playing poker in casinos since I was 17. I got the nickname five years ago from my friends down in Auburn and put the finishing touches to it shortly after when I accidentally caught my toilet paper mummy friend on fire one Halloween night. I've seen everything from crazy max raises in limit with gut shot draws to preflop three person all-ins holding AQ, KK, and AA. I'm just the guy sitting there watching all of this unfold, buying my time, and usually cashing in for the long haul.

People can call my play chicken and maybe even predictable, but the majority of the time I'm in the money while the name callers are watching from the sidelines. I see my play as being patient and consistent. This play might not be the best angle for cash games when you're fighting against bigger wallets, yet it could really help in tournament play whether live or online. Now I know this play won't win you too many tournaments, but whose gonna argue that breaking even or a little ahead isn't winning overall. This play is just advice, so take it for what it's worth. Being a mathematician as well, I will share with you some interesting stats I have noticed over the years that go along with patient playing.

I will start out by sharing with you that 50% of an online tournament field will be eliminated by the first break, while roughly 35% of live fields are cut after their first break. These people usually include the "go big or broke" personalities, the "I've lost ¼ to ½ of my stack so I already lost" types, the "tilters", some inexperienced players, and of course the bad beats. They are calling all-ins on draws, two pair, preflop big slick, or even worse Jacks. All of this before the first break and for what reason? Because they are lacking patience. Before the first break, I say don't move all-in preflop without Aces and maybe Kings. I also suggest not moving in on the flop or thereafter unless you hit a set or better. Take your time during that one hour or 90 minute interval, playing only strong hands and try 3-4 limp-ins. Depending on your cards, this style should at least leave you with a stack close to the size of what you started with.

This is where online and live tournaments begin to differ. For online, players are still busting out left and right, so keep your play pretty tight but watch out for the blinds. If your stack gets below 7 times the big blind, your only move should be all-in preflop and just pick out a great hand to do it with. You still have time for the blinds to pass you twice, so that should give you 18-20 hands to choose from (my next article will explain how to manage the blinds in detail). At this point, you should be sitting with only 30% of the field left and luck (or should we call it the internet program) begins to steer its course. Hopefully, the "luck" has been on your side and your stack has been growing. Still, be patient with your hand selection, always raise with premium hands, and limp-in once or twice an hour in hopes to score big on the flop.

Live tournaments involve more skilled players and slower dealers resulting in slower play. The field won't dissipate as fast, so be prepared to play for hours (which means even more patience). Keep in mind what I mentioned above about your stack comparison in regards to the big blind. No reason to raise when your one of the small stacks on the table. Go ahead and push preflop if your hand is premium. If not, try to limp-in only if it is affordable to your stack. Usually, the blinds don't start killing your stack until a little more than 40% of the field is left. That's when luck starts playing a bigger role. Be aware of the time clock and following blind increase in order to judge your pace. Don't get yourself down if you are eliminated because live play tends to be a bit more difficult.

This style of play at the very least will ensure you hours of tournament experience. With patience and consistency, you should have no problem finishing in the top half of the field. My style of play has given me a 40% payout for online and 30% for live tournaments. Don't expect much better since pros have a hard time cashing in on one out of two tournaments. The hours of experience you gain by utilizing this patience are very beneficial, enabling you to tweak your style accordingly to get you to a final table and big money. So I wish everyone luck and I will bring you more poker advice next week. This is Napalm Johnson, hoping your play is lucratively entertaining.

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