Poker tournaments attract a lot of attention in today’s world – but there are still a fair few players out there who have never truly considered whether MTTs could be a way to inject new life into their poker nights, and create a kind of enjoyment wholly unexplored in previous sessions where they play some cash tables.
If you’re a recreational poker player but you’ve never touched the tournament approach, you might be thinking, “Eh, not really my deal.” Maybe it seems like it would be long-winded or frustrating playing against pros in such a long format (it might lead to extended sessions!). Maybe you’ve just never given it a go.
That’s fair! However, let’s take a look at a handful of reasons why casual players might find poker tournaments worth putting on their agenda at least once in a while.
In MTTs, Varied Opponents Equal Improved Skills
Do you always play poker against the same bunch of people? That’s a common way to approach stuff – and sure, there’s nothing wrong with it… but you might be missing out! There’s something really nice about learning people’s cues and getting to know them intimately enough to be able to guess what they’ll do in any given situation, but at some point, that gets less satisfying. At some point, you’re going to find yourself looking around for something fresh, a challenge that you’ve not taken on before.
And that’s the point at which you should turn to online poker tournaments for a whole new challenge, setting your mettle against players from all walks of life. Good online tournaments will match you against players who will prove a challenge, but they’ll also create a lot of scope for you to encounter new strategies and approaches you’ve never seen before. You’ll be forced to up your game (no pun intended!) to handle new bluffing techniques and just the challenge of unknown quantities at the same table as you.
And what’s more, because tournaments are, by definition, longer, you’ll have to sustain that decision-making endurance, increasing your ability to do this in cash games and across the board. MTTs make a superb training tool for staying focused for longer periods, and if you feel like you’ve peaked and you’re not really improving at the table much now… well, go for a poker tournament!
Pretty soon, you’ll have played against enough diverse opponents to have rounded out your own experience, which is a highly effective way to become a better player. And hey, if you enjoy hitting milestones, see if you can tick off the four different types of poker players in a single tournament!
Tournament Play Is Very Straightforward (In Most Cases)
One of the major misconceptions that puts people off playing poker tournaments? A belief that they’ll be fiddlier and more frustrating than a one-off game. And yet, if you’re using a well-designed platform, that’s very far from the case. An online poker tournament can be shaped to the point that it’s almost seamless, as you can enjoy a tournament or two playing on your smart phone from anywhere – even when traveling.
You might be pleasantly surprised by how smooth these kinds of tournaments are if you try one; after all, it’s in the interests of the website to make life as easy as possible for their players, so they work hard on creating a process that is satisfying. Alongside that, there are various kinds of tournaments, which means you can pick ones that are more suited to your pace – some will drop you straight into a new game if you fold, while others will keep you at the same table until you’re ready to move on. Some have turbo structures and only last for a few hours, and some are played until the very wee hours.
ICM & Tournament Math Are Not Monsters You Should Fear!
What about math involved in tourney play? In a tournament, your chips aren’t like regular money where every dollar is worth the same.
It’s kind of like how the last slice of pizza matters way more when you’re super hungry than when you’re already full—so losing chips when you don’t have many left hurts a lot more than losing the same amount when you have a big pile. This makes the math tricky because you can’t just count chips like counting dollars. The shorter your stack, the more valuable each chip becomes.
The math doesn’t ruin the fun though, and many players enjoy MTTs without worrying about it. Don’t be put off from trying tournaments by a belief that they’ll be too complicated to suit you!
Tournaments Add Variety To Cashgames & Break Their Monotonicity
Another great element about playing in tournaments? They add variety and spice up your game. There’s something exciting about waiting for a tournament to begin, winning some key hands, making it through the bubble & suddenly approaching the final table. There’s a certain magic there that many people find actually takes poker to a new level entirely, compared to cash games where chips are always worth the same.
Plus, playing in tournaments you might find new formats that cash games simply don’t have. This can broaden your horizons and might introduce you to variants of the game that might just become your favourite, which can add so much to the fun you have!
Winning In Tournaments Can Be Quite Satisfying
What’s more pleasing than being the best poker player out of you and your buddies? Well, being the best poker player out of a huge bunch of already-skilled enthusiasts who have gathered together specifically to see who can win. Tournaments offer you a crowd of people who are already quite dedicated, and winning (or even doing well) in one of these tournaments has a level of glory that no single poker game can really offer.
Plus, the prizes for tournaments are often bigger, adding to the incentive. And if you don’t win, watching who does and seeing how they approach different plays is a fabulous learning opportunity!
Of course, it’s important to only enter tournaments with buy-ins you can comfortably afford, as tournaments have a LOT of variance. It’s recommended to set clear limits before you register in any MTTs. Good bankroll management ensures that the thrill of competition stays fun, and doesn’t become an obsession.
