Brian “Allinduces” of Premier Poker, With Great Tourney Advice

“Dear Faldo,

I'm just adding a little tid-bit to your blind structure post. Maybe some of you already know this, and maybe some of you don't. I guess I'm just going to let you into my world of poker.

First thing’s first. It is nearly impossible to win a tournament with a bad blind structure without "lady luck" on your side. Now let's flip the script and talk about a good blind structure.

Just a little disagreement comes to mind on the "PF" (Patient Factor). Yes, as we all know patience is our friend, and every winning poker player needs it in their game.

However there comes a time in a tournament that if you are getting close to "blinding out", I'm sorry to inform, you are playing tournament poker all wrong.
Yes we all have heard the age old saying "but I'm card dead"....Yes, that can happen...cards go cold, we feel like all we are doing is blinding/ante to death!

We as poker players we sit down at a table to create an image, a somewhat of a persona that we build on, and work with. START USING IT PLAYERS!

Here is another factor. It's called the "M" factor and every tournament player should be using it. You know the age old "10x BB start pushing" Well folks, it's long before 10x.

Let's take for example: 9 handed table blinds are 200/400 50 ante. (I forgot to mention the M factor is used in tourneys with antes) you have a stack size of 10,000.

Yes to most it might seem like a lot..but let me tell you it's not. Here is the breakdown.

9 players x 50 (ante) = 450----(dead money) in the center
SB= 200
BB= 400

Now. add it all up you get....1050. Divide your stack size by 1050. So our 10,000 stack has an "M" of 9.5. Anytime you have an "M" of under 10 you are in somewhat of a shove mode.

It's about your opponents opening range of hands vs his stack size and yours compared to how well your hand holds up vs that range.

At these stages of a tournament cards are thrown out the window, and it all comes down to pure math, stack sizes, and M. Wait...let me re phrase that. In LATE stages of a tournament cards are thrown out the window...with that stack size of 10,000 at a 200/400 level your probably thinking well that's 25 BBs.

Well, throw the ante into effect and now it's a whole new ballgame...if your a true player in these situations squeeze plays, etc. Work wonders! You can't win a tournament without winning a race. Also you can't win a tournament without coming from behind either...take all this into consideration next time your playing a tournament and your about to blind off. Don't be afraid to stick in that stack. Even in a good structure you can't wait for premium hands all the time..

Next thing I like...the Gus Hansen theory on Ante to Small Blind Ratio.”
Thanks Brian for a great article.