Poker Deep Strategy
Deep stack play calls for an entirely different set of skills
than what you would normally implement in a 100 bb or even 150
bb game. The dynamics of every deep stack game will allow
players to get involved in more pots, make trickier plays
post-flop, and will generally leave more room for
maneuverability. Some players will find that they are best
suited for deeper stacked games, while others are going to learn
that the game just isn’t what they are cut out for. Of course,
if you want to be a top winning player, you’ll need to learn
how to win in both deep stacked and shorter games.
The changes between deep stacked and normal games start at
the
pre-flop action. You’ll need to carefully think out each
decision that you make, because every pot could potentially represent
an up or down swing of a handful of buy ins. Because of this, the
first thing that’s required for deep stack play is an ample
bankroll. You shouldn’t be playing in a deep stacked game based
on 100 bb gamebankroll requirements.
Tournaments may get all the TV time, but experienced poker pros know that cash games are where the steady money flows. Especially when deep stacked, cash game poker features subtle intricacies that just don’t come into play when you have only 20 big blinds or fewer.
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- With such a deep stack with which to start, you can approach the first couple of levels of a turbo tournament the same way you would regular MTTs. The blinds and antes are too small to be worth.
For example, if you normally play 2/5 NLHE and the max buy in is $500, $10,000 will
generally be enough to carry in your bankroll (using live
figures as an example). If you then join a 2/5 NLHE game where
the max buy in is $1000, however, you are going to be in awfully
dangerous territory. Players often times make the mistake of
counting realistic bankroll sizes based on the limit of the game
instead of the buy in, but this is most definitely the wrong
approach. Once you have your bankroll taken care of, the next
step is to consider the various elements of actual game play at
deep stacked tables.
Deep Poker Tournament Strategy
Pre-Flop Deep Stack Adjustments
In deep stacked games, you’ll have a lot more freedom in
the plays that you can effectively make. Where calling big 3
bets with suited connectors would be a terrible idea in most
games, a deep stack will give you the opportunity to put more at
risk pre-flop for the potential to win a massive pot post-flop.
Position is important no matter what type of game you are
playing, but its importance is magnified when you are playing
with several hundred big blinds. A good player will be looking
to play in as many big pots as possible when they have a
speculative hand at a deep stacked table. In fact, the more
abstract (yet playable) your hand is, the more likely that you
are to win a big pot with it. Hands that are normally huge, like
pocket kings or AK, won’t have nearly as much value in deep
stack games. The reason for this is that you need a large
portion of the money to go in pre-flop in order to really make a
lot of money with big starting hands.
Because you’ll be playing with hundreds of
big blinds, however, this will be all but impossible barring
a set up hand or your opponent attempting to make a play. Of
course, you still want to play these hands, and you should be
working even harder to get as much money in pre-flop as
possible. At a deep stacked table, getting a player to pot
commit to any hand will be far from easy, so don’t feel like
your opponents are as attached to a hand as you might be.
Post-Flop Deep Stack Adjustments
Post-flop adjustments are virtually unending in deep stacked
games, but some areas of concern are more pertinent than others.
For example, draw type hands are going to come up an awful lot
in these games, especially when you are looking to play more
pots pre-flop with speculative hands than you normally would. As
a result of this, you’ll need to be prepared to maneuver your
way through many tricky spots with draws, which often times will
mean a lot of money is on the line.
Passive play is generally less optimal in a deep stacked game
than it is in a regular game. The reason for this is that you’ll have the ability and the chips required to push your
opponents off their hand. Many players tend to become more
apprehensive when they begin to compile a big stack. They don’t
want to make a false step and wind up losing what amounts to a
handful of buy ins. Because of this, the best strategy is to
constantly apply pressure. This is an approach that is valuable
in just about any NLHE game, but more big blinds means that you’ll have more firing power.
There are three primary types of hands that you’ll flop: a
strong made hand, a draw, or nothing at all. Since mediocre
hands tend to play themselves, they are being discounted in this
discussion. Now, in deep stack play, think about what you want
to do when you manage to flop a big hand. It’s impossible to
generalize the single best strategy since there are so many
variables involved, but there’s one thing that you should be
doing each and every time.
Planning ahead is absolutely critical
to your success in deep stack games. Often times when you are
facing an aggressive opponent, you’ll be able to let them bet
into you and manage to win their stack. In deep stacked games,
however, you will need to figure out a way to get them to put in
more chips, since three bets usually won’t mean all of their
money. This is a very broad strategy, but don’t be overly
passive in games where you are sitting with a big hand and
several hundred big blinds. You’ll win some big pots, but you
will also be sacrificing an awful lot of money in the process.
Draw heavy hands are where you’ll encounter a lot of swings
in deep stack play. You’ll be forced to make some plays that
are quite risky, but this is really the only way to do it. You
can’t be afraid to put pressure on your opponents. There’s no
time that you’ll be able to squeeze out more fold equity with
drawing hands than when you are playing deep. Be aggressive,
make moves, and don’t be afraid to get your entire stack in the
middle. With this in mind, you should always make sure that you
aren’t being reckless with your chips, because there’s a very thin
line between maniacal play and genius play.
When you totally brick a flop in a deep stacked game, you’ll still have multiple opportunities to take down the pot.
Just as you can make more plays and raises with draws, missed
hands too will allow for room to steal pots away. The one thing
to consider when you try to steal a pot, however, is that you
are potentially walking into a big mess should you end up going
to the turn.
If you felt you could steal away the pot on the
flop, that’s perfectly fine, but this doesn’t mean that you
need to continue firing away on the turn and river as well. Be
aggressive and very precautious at the same time when you have
nothing and are trying to make a play. In shorter stacked games,
making plays is something that should involve minimal risk (at
least on the flop), but in deeper stacked games there’s almost
always more inherent risk involved simply due to how much money
is in play.
Deep Stack Poker Strategy
Deep stack tournaments allow for the most actual play of all forms of poker, with the exception of no blind increase events. The entire premise of a deep stack tournament is for players to really let their skills do the talking and to eliminate as much luck as possible. Wiping out all luck is an impossible task when it comes to poker tournaments, but deep stack players are able to capitalize on the skill factor much more than regular tournament players.
With this advantage comes a noticeable tradeoff. Deep stack tournaments take a lot longer to complete than any other game. As a result of this increase in playing time, player stamina will be of the utmost importance. Stamina is always something that matters in poker, but it never matters more than when in an enduro tournament. This is one of the facets of play that a lot of players tend to completely discount. No one, even poker players, really considers poker to be a game where physical performance or condition actually matters.
The truth is, however, that it can be the difference between a solid play and a big slip up. There is a reason that savvy poker players try to target the guys who have been playing all night in a brick and mortar casino. The more tired you are, the more likely it is that you will donate some or all of your chips.
Deep stack play is all about picking your spots and taking your time. You are given a lot of chips so that you can pass up on your weak hands and get in the middle when you have something to actually work with. Luckily for you, this is a foreign concept to a lot of players. There will always be those players who think that a deep stack tournament is just like every other event, but the truth is that deep stacks are very different.
Try to spot the players who are playing way too fast and are clearly not in it for the long haul. Unless you are truly prepared for what’s in store, deep stack evens can be incredibly grueling and even quite boring.
Again, this is where endurance comes into play. If you can mentally outlast the players who don’t have the patience to play with restraint, you will find that a lot of pots fall right into your lap. Deep stack play is not about creating opportunities, but instead allowing the opportunities to fall into your lap. This is the exact opposite advice of what you would expect, but it is the absolute truth. The later stages of a deep stack tournament will call for more decisive action, but you won’t need to worry about that for awhile after the first hand is dealt.
Profiting from Passiveness
You just read about how a passive approach is the road to riches in deep stack tournament poker. So, how are you going to profit from the passiveness of other players? When the other players stay in slow mode, it will be your chance to crank up the aggression. The pitfall that many players fall into is misidentifying exactly when that stage of the game has arrived. You won’t be working with a short stack and big blinds for a long time, so don’t even worry about changing gears for at least a few hours (depending on the size of the field).
Eventually, though, you will start to run out of chips and it will be time to make moves. You can profit from this by putting the pressure on before your opponents have even considered possible adjustments to their strategy.
Small Edges and Consistent Play
Even the final tables of deep stacks will allow for a moderate amount of post flop play. Unless you have a fair amount of experience with this type of event, it will be awkward to try and play post flop poker with just a few players left. The natural inclination for a tournament player is to pick up the pace and push/fold when the final table is assembled. This will be necessary eventually , but it will be a detrimental strategy if you implement it too early.
Poker Deep Stack Tournament Strategy
The end goal in a deep stack is the same as in any type of tournament. You need to be able to make constant changes that will put you in a position to win. These changes will be much more mild in their implementation in a deep stack tournament, but they will exist nonetheless. You need to be able to do what everyone else is doing, but slightly better. This is why skills are so valuable and the entire basis of all success in deep stack play.
The last bunch of players will probably be very good at what they do, so your edge is not going to be significant. It is unusual for tournaments, but a deep stack is going to allow skill to prevail all the way to the end. If you don’t think you have the patience to sit and remain focused for hours on end, you will probably be better suited in a tournament with regular stack sizes. Deep stack tournaments are profitable, but only for a certain breed of players.