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Poker tournaments are exciting affairs full of high stakes and nail-biting confrontations. These tournaments are also a psychological endurance test and knowing how to stay sharp and play your cards can literally mean the difference between getting cut in the first few rounds and making it to the end. If you are about to enter your first tournament, you may be wondering how you should play to make it to the end.

Continue reading for five tips on making your first or next poker tournament a success: 

1. Be Mindful of Your Chips

In most poker tournaments, you are out once your chips are gone, so it is important to stay mindful of how many chips you have at all times. Focus on how your chips compare to the blinds, and maintain your chips at a good level.

2. Play Strategically

Having a few good hands early on might make you confident, but you should still play with caution at the beginning. Your chips are your livelihood, so it’s best not to risk them all at the earlier levels. Keep bets moderate, and don’t bother with buy-ins for weaker hands.

poker tournament3. With Fewer Players Left, Play More Aggressively

As the number of players left in the tournament steadily decreases, feel free to play more aggressively. While you should still avoid rushing moves or going all-in, you can exercise a bit more freedom than you had at the beginning.

4. Keep Your Endurance Up

The “bubble” is one of the final levels of the poker tournament. At this point, the stakes are high, and players who make it into the top five may still go home with nothing. While the gameplay and banter may become more fun or intense at this point, it’s important to keep your endurance up and not to lose focus.

5. Train Separately for the Head’s Up

The “head’s up” is the point of the tournament where you only have one opponent left. Here, the stakes are at their highest, and one of you will be the winner while the other will go home with nothing. Because the stakes are so high, your strategy should change. Play aggressively, calling your opponent’s bluffs and keeping the pressure on them while remaining mindful of your own hand. In the days leading up to the tournament, spend extra time practicing for the head’s up, so you can stay sharp and win the tournament.

If you are in the Foley, AL, area and would like to join a poker tournament, stop in at The Office Lounge. In addition to hosting weekly poker tournaments, this bar offers live music, karaoke, and the only indoor cornhole in the area. To learn more, call (251) 943-2210, or visit The Office Lounge online.

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