Looking for feedback on my poker strategy as a beginner

Hello everyone,
I am relatively new to poker and I have been playing mostly low-stakes tournaments and freerolls. Recently, I managed to reach a deep run in a tournament with around 800+ players, finishing in 14th place. While I feel motivated by this result, I am not sure if my strategy is actually solid or if I just got a bit lucky.

Currently, I try to play hands like A9s, ATo, pocket pairs (66+), and some suited connectors. I usually fold weaker offsuit hands. However, I still struggle with decision-making in later stages, especially near the bubble and in high-pressure situations.

I would really appreciate any advice on how to improve my game, particularly in terms of:

• Hand selection in different positions
• Adjusting strategy during the bubble
• Understanding if I am on the right track to becoming a profitable player

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

@SaintLuis

We have some great resources right here in this forum to help you improve your game:
CardsChat Learning Poker Thread Series Guide
CardsChat 30 Day Poker Training Course

If you are able to capture hand histories, posting them to Cash Game Hand Analysis and Tournament Hand Analysis will definitely help you advance your game. You can ask to have your play analyzed, or even ask specific questions about a hand (like, "Should I have folded here?", "Is my betting size appropriate here?", etc.). You can also review other people's hand analysis questions/answers and see if you agree with what has been discussed.

GTO WIZARD has a free version. you can look at symmetric preflop charts and run 1 hand a day post flop. This is a great place to start at no cost.

As nabmom said post your tuff decisions and get feedback on specific actions.

SaintLuis said:

Hello everyone,
I am relatively new to poker and I have been playing mostly low-stakes tournaments and freerolls. Recently, I managed to reach a deep run in a tournament with around 800+ players, finishing in 14th place. While I feel motivated by this result, I am not sure if my strategy is actually solid or if I just got a bit lucky.

Currently, I try to play hands like A9s, ATo, pocket pairs (66+), and some suited connectors. I usually fold weaker offsuit hands. However, I still struggle with decision-making in later stages, especially near the bubble and in high-pressure situations.

I would really appreciate any advice on how to improve my game, particularly in terms of:

• Hand selection in different positions
• Adjusting strategy during the bubble
• Understanding if I am on the right track to becoming a profitable player

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Click to expand...

the simple version...is look to shove 10bb or less, but be selective, give yourself a chance

SaintLuis said:

Hello everyone,
I am relatively new to poker and I have been playing mostly low-stakes tournaments and freerolls. Recently, I managed to reach a deep run in a tournament with around 800+ players, finishing in 14th place. While I feel motivated by this result, I am not sure if my strategy is actually solid or if I just got a bit lucky.

Currently, I try to play hands like A9s, ATo, pocket pairs (66+), and some suited connectors. I usually fold weaker offsuit hands. However, I still struggle with decision-making in later stages, especially near the bubble and in high-pressure situations.

I would really appreciate any advice on how to improve my game, particularly in terms of:

• Hand selection in different positions
• Adjusting strategy during the bubble
• Understanding if I am on the right track to becoming a profitable player

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Click to expand...

Nice run — 14th out of 800+ is definitely not just luck. You’re doing some things right already.

From what you described, you’re actually on a solid path. The hands you’re playing (A9s, ATo, 66+, some suited connectors) are reasonable — the bigger edge now comes from *how* you adjust, not just what you play.

A few things that will help you level up:

1. Hand selection by position (simple upgrade)
- Early position → stick tighter (ATo, A9s can start becoming folds)
- Late position (CO/BTN) → this is where you can open up more and win easy chips
- Biggest mistake I see: playing the same range everywhere

2. Bubble play (this is where money is made)
Most players get *too scared* here.

- If you have a decent stack → apply pressure (steal blinds more)
- If you’re short → don’t wait too long and blind out, look for good shove spots
- Target medium stacks — they hate busting before the money

3. Late stage decisions
This is usually a stack size issue, not a hand issue.

Ask yourself:
- How many blinds do I have?
- Am I in shove/fold territory (15bb or less)?

A lot of mistakes come from playing hands “normally” when stacks are too short. I use to do this a lot when I first started.

4. Are you on the right track?
Yes — especially if you’re:
- Thinking about your decisions
- Reviewing hands
- Asking questions like this

That’s exactly how winning players improve.

If you want to improve faster, the best thing you can do is review specific hands where you felt unsure (especially bubble or late stages).

If you have a couple hands from that deep run, feel free to share — those spots are usually where the biggest improvements come from.

Best of Luck