4 tournament poker questions

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fToRrEeEsSt

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Hello all. I'm a cash game player who has recently decided to add mtt games to the schedule and have 4 questions as a tournament newbie that i'd hope you can answer. Does anyone have links to articles or advice on the following 4 questions.

1. What's the theory behind the stop'n'go jam.

2. Turn donks (leads) for example turn pairs the board is good to x/c donk but what other cards?

3. PKO theory with regards to when you gambooool for someone's bounty. I've seen some pretty nutty -EV decisions in the hunt for bounties. I would have thought winning the tournament would be the priority.

4. Reshove theory or just the ranges?
 
fToRrEeEsSt said:
3. PKO theory with regards to when you gambooool for someone's bounty. I've seen some pretty nutty -EV decisions in the hunt for bounties. I would have thought winning the tournament would be the priority.

To start with this 3rd question, take a look at this:

And if you're interested, CC has a whole series of lessons right here:

 
1. The theory behind the Stop n Go bet is, that even though you are to short to have fold equity preflop, maybe you have it on the flop, because now the opponent only has two more cards to hit, if they missed. I mostly do it on low boards as a bluff, or if I hit a vulnerable pair and dont want to allow the opponent to check back and see another card for free.

2. Cards that change the texture. This is not any different from cash games.

3. Yes people make mistakes in PKOs. But this does not mean, that winning bounties are not important. Typically they make up half the price pool, so winning bounties is just as important as "winning the tournament". Not adjusting enough to the bounty format is as big a mistake as overadjusting.

4. I dont understand this question.
 
Well this one is a deeply AI answer. With the sources for each topic you have a lot of study material.

1. Theory Behind the Stop‑and‑Go Jam

The stop‑and‑go is a short‑stack tournament tactic:
You call preflop instead of jamming, then jam any flop.
The idea is to deny your opponent their full equity realization by forcing them to call only one street instead of seeing all five cards.

Core theoretical reasons


  • You lack preflop fold equity (villain is priced in to call your shove).
  • You gain postflop fold equity because many flops miss your opponent.
  • You reduce their ability to realize equity with hands like overcards.
  • You protect your checking range on certain boards when you do have equity.
Good sources

2. Turn Donk Leads — When to Donk Besides Paired Boards

Turn donk‑leading is far more solver‑approved than flop donking.
The theory revolves around equity shifts and nut‑advantage flips.


Situations where turn donk‑leading is theoretically sound

✔ When the turn card massively improves the caller’s range
Examples:
  • Low‑connected turns completing straights you defend more often
  • Suited turns completing flushes you have more combos of
  • Middle cards that interact with your blind‑defend range but not the raiser’s
✔ When the aggressor’s range becomes capped
If they check back flop on boards where they normally bet, the turn may be your chance to lead.

✔ When the turn creates a nut‑advantage shift
You can lead turns that give you:
  • More two‑pair combos
  • More straights
  • More flushes
  • More sets (on some textures)

Good sources


3. PKO Theory — When to Gamble for Bounties

PKOs change tournament incentives dramatically.
You’re not just playing for chips — you’re playing for immediate cash value.


Key theoretical principles


  • Bounties reduce your risk premium → you call wider.
  • The bigger the bounty, the more equity you can “buy” with a marginal call.
  • Your own bounty increases when you bust someone, making future pots more valuable.
  • Chip EV ≠ $EV — in PKOs, $EV often dominates.

This is why you see “crazy” calls:
They are often correct in $EV, even if terrible in chip‑EV.

Good sources

4. Reshove Theory (Not Just Ranges)

Reshoving is governed by risk premium, fold equity, and ICM.
Ranges are the output — the theory explains why they look the way they do.

Core theoretical components

✔ Fold equity
Your shove must generate enough folds to compensate for your equity when called.


✔ Risk premium
You need more equity to call than to shove.
As a reshove stack, you often have lower risk premium than the opener.


✔ Stack‑size interaction
Your reshove range widens when:

  • Opener is wide
  • You cover them
  • They are forced to fold too much vs jams

✔ ICM pressure
Near bubbles or pay jumps, reshove ranges tighten or widen depending on who covers whom.


Tools & theory sources
 
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To answer question #3, it’s often more profitable to eliminate certain players than to focus only on trying to win the whole tournament. This way you increase your chances of making money instead of just hoping to win the tournament someday.
 
A key difference between tournament poker and cash games is the increasing blinds. Periodically, the blind bets increase, putting pressure on the players' stacks. This forces players to adapt their strategies.Successfully completing all stages is possible if a player is able to adapt their strategy and make adjustments to their tactics, based on the growth of the blinds, the actions of their opponents, and other factors.
 
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