Summer is one of our favorite times of the year, for a lot of different reasons. There’s really nothing like being to chill, hang out with some friends, and go toe to toe with some fierce poker players. Poker again? Absolutely — we’re crazy about poker. Admit it — even if you’re a newbie, you’re probably looking for the thrill that comes from really competing against people. There are a lot of competitive things to do in life, but none really hit the spot like poker. You have so much data to study, so many people to play, and a lot of great wins if you manage to figure out a strategy that really works for you. Gone are the days where you had to just hope everything falls into place when it comes down to your entertainment. Poker is something that you can do online while making money along the way. That’s really exciting, right? Absolutely!
The time is right to look into great poker, but you might be afraid to dive in. This is where the tournaments come into play. You see, tournaments are designed to be open to just about anyone and eyesore. If you really have a weak poker game, you’ll find that freerolls are where it’s at. There will be people that are weaker than you, and this can raise your confidence. Don’t worry if that sounds mean — the other players are looking to take your chips too!
The nice part about a tournament is that you can really play a lot of hands. For newbies, this is good because it really lets you turn over hands quickly, learning what works and what doesn’t work. That whole concept of poker position matters a well. Playing in a tournament will make you very aware of position very quickly. You don’t have to be the best poker player in the world to place “in the money” when it comes to a tournament. The key here is that you want to outlast the competition. Don’t always go for the “sure bet” on the table. Let other people get risky. You’re trying to stay in the game for the long term, which is just as important as getting those big pots. As the blinds creep up and people make even more irrational decisions based on fear of loss, you’ll eventually come out ahead. There are plenty of guides that just focus on tournament play, so don’t think that you have to really stop with this one. You need to build a good strategy in the tournaments in order to do better and better. Of course, don’t beat yourself up if your tournament game is rusty from the beginning. Everyone gets good at poker in their own time, and you just might need more time than other people.
There’s no need to fear tournament play at all. The whole point of the tournament is to get you to “loosen up” in your mind. You’re a poker player now, and there’s always a chance to win more money. No, you will not always win. This is something that you’re going to have to eventually cope with. If you’re willing to keep practicing and getting better, then it’s highly likely that you’ll win a lot of money at poker over time. However, if you’re someone that’s easily pushed back because of losses, then poker really might not be your game after all. Good luck!