The Early Phase in a MTT

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There are several profitable ways to play a MTT. This article will introduce you to the conservative approach. This is the most suitable approach for beginners.

The conservative approach has the following traits:

• very few, but very strong, starting hands are played
• when you play, you play aggressively
• you avoid marginal situations

Your goal is to survive as long as possible. As a beginner, your goal shouldn't be trying to amass a large number of chips or trying to knock opponents out of the tournament early in the tournament. No tournament is won in the early phase - but quite a few are lost.

There are three phases in a multi-table tournament (MTT): the early phase - with relatively small blinds in relation to stack sizes, and the middle and late phases - where the blinds are noticeable, if not substantial.

This article will show you how to play conservatively in the early phase of a tournament. We will look at classic freeze out tournaments. Turbos, satellites and tournaments with rebuys often require a somewhat different approach, but the strategy you will learn in this article will help you in such tournaments, as well.

Your plan in the early phase

You should always have a plan of action before you start a tournament. Taking the conservative approach means not taking any big risks and playing very disciplined poker. You choose your starting hands carefully and are happy building up your stack 'slowly but surely.' You aren't looking to force anything. Good starting hands always come; be patient and wait for opportunity to knock.

The early phase's main characteristic is the small size of the blinds in relation to the size of the stacks at the table. In the early phase you have between 50 and 100 BBs in your stack.

Your strategy is basically to only get involved when you clearly have the best hand. No tough decisions!

This means you only enter the hand with cards that are likely to give you the best hand once the community cards have been dealt, and hands that are easy to play on all four streets without having to think too hard.

How should you play before the flop?

You can find a Starting Hands Chart (SHC) for the early phase below. The chart shows you all starting hands that are profitable, as well as how to play them. By following the chart, you will automatically create situations, in which you are likely to have the best hand, most of the time.

Use the SHC for the early phase when you have more than 50 big blinds in your stack.

Charts are a way of simplifying the game. A lot factors influence your decisions, especially in MTTs. Consider this chart as a good friend you can count on. As you gain experience, you will learn to start thinking beyond the basics and will recognize situations in which you can stray from the guidelines found in the charts.

Early Phase Starting Hand Chart

Early Phase Starting Hand Chart

When you follow the Starting Hands Chart, you will accomplish the following:

• you are involved in very few hands
• when you are involved, your hand is usually favored to win
• playing after the flop is easy: if you hit, you have a very strong hand.
• you win a lot of small pots, but no large ones
• your opponents will respect your bets/raises

Never forget the difference between raising first in and entering the hand after an opponent has already raised. You need a much stronger hand to get involved after an opponent raises in front of you, especially if the raise is coming from an early position.

How large should your raises be?

With some hands you should raise before the flop. There are a few guidelines to follow when you do raise:

• Your basic raise should be 4 big blinds. Always raise 4 big blinds when no one has entered the hand in front of you.
• For every player that has called in front of you, add 1 additional big blind to your basic 4 big blind raise.
• If one opponent has already raised in front of you, you raise 3 times the amount of his raise.
• If more than one raise was made in front of you, you raise 3 times the amount of the last raise.
• For every player that has called a raise in front of you, you increase your basic re-raise by the amount of the last raise. For example, you raise 4 times the amount of the original raise after one opponent calls in front of you, 5 times the amount after two opponents call in front of you, etc.
• If raising according to these guidelines would cost you more than half your stack, simply go all-in.

These guidelines have proven themselves time and again. Your raise should never be too small; the last thing you want is to give your opponent a good price. On the other hand, it can't be too large, either, or you will scare away opponents with weaker hands and only get calls from opponents with better hands.

It's actually not as much math as you might think at first. Once you've played a few sessions according to these rules they will automatically become an inherent part of your game.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 15/30 (10 handed)

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
MP1 (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is MP3 with K , K
UTG raises to 120, 5 folds Hero?

A raise from UTG is a sign of a strong hand, but your kings are good enough for a re-raise. You don't know your opponent and have a very strong hand yourself. You should raise to t360 and be willing to go broke with your kings if your opponent comes back over the top.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 15/30 (10 handed)

The first hand in the tournament.

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
MP1 (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is BU with A , K
3 folds, MP1 calls, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, CO calls, Hero?

AK on the BU is a very strong hand; you should definitely raise. Remember, your raise should be 4 BBs + 1 BB per limper. In this case, you should raise a total of 8 BBs, or t240.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 15/30 (10 handed)

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is MP1 with Q , Q
3 folds, Hero raises to 120, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 3 fold, BB raises 520, Hero?

Two players call your raise, then the BB re-raises. This could be a squeeze, or a raise with a strong starting hand. Still, you don't have any reads on your opponent and should be willing to go broke.

Your queens are a very strong hand and you will often be ahead. This is why you go directly all-in. You should never call in such a situation, since you won't be able to get any more money out of weaker hands if you do.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 15/30 (10 handed)

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is MP1 with Q , Q
3 folds, Hero raises to 120, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 2 fold, SB raises 520, BB raises to 2000, Hero?

In this example you raise from middle position; then the small blind re-raises and the big blind pushes all-in. You might be ahead, but you are trying to avoid marginal situations. You could also very easily be behind already.
You haven't invested too many chips yet, which is why folding should be pretty easy. The case of facing two re-raises behind you is the only time you should fold your queens pre-flop.

If the SB calls the all-in and you see a showdown, make a note of your opponents' hands. This information might help you in the future.

How should you play after the flop?

Your actions before the flop determine your options (and thereby actions) after the flop. Now that the flop has been revealed it's time to analyze the strength of your hand and to estimate the strength of your opponents' hands. Your position also strongly influences how you play your hand. You can control the pot and the action much better when you are in position than when you are out of position.

The following factors very important, you should always have them in the back of your mind:

• Are you in a raised pot or an unraised pot?
• Are you in position or out of position?
• Were you the pre-flop aggressor or was it your opponent?
• Are you heads up or in a multi-way pot?

Always ask yourself these questions before you start planning how to play your hand.

After setting up this basis for creating a plan, you have to look at how you got into the situation you are in on the flop. Here are a few specific thoughts to keep in mind:

• What kind of hand do you have?
• Did you hit the board?
• Is the board draw heavy or dry?
• What kind of hand do you think your opponent might have?
• What type(s) of opponent(s) are you facing?

Since your pre-flop play heavily influences the answer to the question, "What kind of hand do you have?", the question to ask on the flop is predominately: How strong is your hand on this board?

When you play marginal hands you often end up in situations in which you can't really tell where you stand with your hand. An overpair of aces always puts you in a good position; saying the same about middle pair isn't so easy.

After considering these factors you then have to decide if:

• your opponent is likely to have hit the board
• your opponent might have a weak/strong draw
• you can get your opponent to fold a medium made hand or a draw
• you are still ahead with your hand

Aggression is an important aspect in poker. There are several reasons why you shouldn't be overly aggressive early in a tournament however. You generally won't know anything about your opponents and don't know if they are fish or sharks. You don't know what kinds of hands they play and how often they fold to a continuation bet.

Sometimes it can be better to play a bit weaker and wait for a better opportunity. Examples 5 and 7 show two situations in which you could consider whether or not it's worth contibetting, or even refrain from contibetting altogether.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 15/30 (10 handed)

First hand.

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is MP1 with Q , Q
3 folds, Hero raises to 120, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 3 fold, BB calls

Flop: (495) 5, 7, 8 (4 players)

You will usually have the best hand on this board, but do you really want to play for a big pot? The answer is: No. You should contibet in this spot if you know your opponents are passive and will often fold.

You could already be behind against two pair or a set. Your opponents could also have strong drawing hands and decide to raise.

You will have a tough time on the flop in such situations when facing loose opponents that like playing hands like suited connectors and put you on a tight pre-flop hand range. They will assume you've missed the flop and won't be willing to play for your entire stack with an overpair.

In that case you should not place a continuation bet. It's very unlikely that 3 opponents will fold to a contibet. If you get called, the pot will be so large that any bet on the turn would be committing. You should focus on pot control and try to see the showdown as cheaply as possible. If your opponents start strong action you can simply fold. This is weak play, but you're still in the tournament, which is what it's all about.

This example should above all show that you can't just stay play your hands in a tournament: you have to also pay careful attention to your opponent(s) and the situation you are in.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 15/30 (10 handed)

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is MP1 with Q , Q
3 folds, Hero raises to 120, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 4 fold

Flop: (405) 3, A, 8 (3 players)

You will often have the best hand on this board, too. You can also represent the A, since you were the pre-flop aggressor. You should definitely place a contibet, and it doesn't have to be too large. t250-300 would be a good size. Weaker hands are not likely to call on such a dry board.

If you take down the pot with your contibet, its great. If you get called or raised, you'll have to give up your hand, as you will almost always be behind. Your opponent is then likely to have an ace or a set.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 15/30 (10 handed)

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
MP1 (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is UTG+2 with A , K
2 folds, Hero raises to 120, MP2 calls, MP3 calls, 4 folds

Flop: (405) 7, A, 8 (3 players)

You hit top pair on the flop and, as the pre-flop aggressor, should definitely contibet; in this case a little over half the pot. t320-350 would be a good size. A lot of draws will call you on this draw heavy board and there are a few hands you need to protect against.

If you take down the pot with your contibet, fine. If you get called or raised, you'll have to re-evaulate your hand on the turn. If the turn is a blank, you should definitely bet again and force the draws out of the pot.

The situation will get a bit hairy if another club shows up. If so, you will have to base your decision on your opponent: You can either bet/fold or check/fold.

Top pairs are always very vulnerable. You shouldn't be willing to bet it all in the early phase with just top pair.

According to the Starting Hands Chart, you will usually limp or call a raise with small pocket pairs. Your decision on the flop is then very easy. If you hit a set, it's going to take a lot to get you off your hand. If you don't, you can easily fold your hand.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 20/40 (10 handed)

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Button (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is MP1 with 6 , 6
UTG raises to 160, 2 folds, Hero calls, MP2 calls, 3 folds, SB calls, BB calls

Flop: (800) 2, A, 6 (5 players)

A dream flop gives you your set. It's also likely that someone has an A. You should start off by slowplaying and checking - a first in bet would look too strong and scare off opponents that you want to keep in the hand.

You hope for a bet from another player, and call this perhaps only in the hope of enticing another player to stay in the hand. You then have several options on the turn. You can either bet or let your aggressive opponent bet one more time.

Your goal is to go all-in if possible. And with so many callers and such a large pot, you will almost always be able to do so when one of your opponents has a strong ace.

No-Limit Hold'em 11$ Tourney, Blinds 20/40 (10 handed)

Stacks & Reads
UTG (t2000)
UTG+1 (t2000)
UTG+2 (t2000)
MP1 (t2000)
MP2 (t2000)
MP3 (t2000)
CO (t2000)
Hero (t2000)
SB (t2000)
BB (t2000)

Pre-flop: Hero is BU with A , J
3 folds, MP1 raises to 160, 2 fold, Hero calls, 2 fold.

Flop: (380) 2, J, 6 (2 players)

You hit top pair on the flop. You are also in position. Your opponent bets t260. In this spot, you can either call or raise.

Raising would probably just force all weaker hands out of the pot on this board. Your opponent(s) will only be able to stay in the hand with something better. For this reason, calling is the better option.

Your opponent could easily have a hand like TT, KJ, or AK and decide to bet the turn again on such a dry board. Allowing him to do so is the best way to get the most value possible from weaker top pairs. You are in a classic way ahead / way behind situation.

Your opponent will rarely have many outs for a better hand. If an A shows up on the turn, you can probably take down a big pot if your opponent has AQ or AK.

Conclusion

The examples and explanations in this article should have given you an idea of what to pay attention to in the early phase of a MTT. Tournament poker is a complicated matter; mastering tournament poker requires a lot of hard work. You can find a few links to other articles and the discussion forum below.

LINKS
Related Articles: How do You Play an MTT? The Middle and Late Phases Discussion Forum: Discuss this article in the Forum!