Best strategy being chip leader

[Rachidao]

Hi all, im having a bad time being chip leader in tournaments, usualy my range goes wilder but don't know what exactly to do, what is the best strategy with high amounts of chips in your opinion?

 

[Aleks75]

Hi!
I have a problem with that too!I often become a leader in the middle stage, but in the late stage I lose my positions. It seems to me that this is due to playing too carefully.

 

[BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch]

You don't need to be the chip leader, that's not important. What's important is where you finish. Just because you're in the lead in 2nd hour of a tourn means nothing when you have to play 5 to get to the final table.

I would focus more on how your stack compares to the blinds and do you have the folks at your table covered so if you lose a hand to them then you won't be out on the rail.

I would say to focus on playing a solid game doing the best you can with a strategy that suits your playing style and fits the stage of the tournament you're in as well. The other part is that a lot folks can't do is what's called "switching gears" from an aggressive style to a more selective pick your spots type of play or vice versa.

I'll give you an easy example I watched a tourn where a person was short stacked and had to shove with any 2 because the blinds were going to put them all in and they did and got lucky. Ok, so they won, but they did over and over again til they actually went from being at the bottom of the rankings late in a tourn to being a chip leader!!!!

But did they stop and get ready for the final table that was like 15 seats away? NOOO they went all in with a trash hand and lost and lost another one a few minutes later and didn't make the final table when they could have coasted easily there. So switching gears is important.

 

[ROYALROAD]

After becoming a chip leader, I thought that I had to protect it, and I made a mistake.
me too.

 

[bnasp2]

Look for the weak and prey on them
Especially players trying to make it to ITM and source of nice chips with low risk.

 

[alien666dj]

Against short and medium stacks, a tight-aggressive style is considered acceptable for chip leaders at the table.

 

[lilcharlierich]

Foldem

I normally play safe fold and only play Premium hands

 

[Matt_Burns88]

At what point in a tournament are we talking about? Some thoughts:

Early: Chip leader means nothing. You double up first hand because you had AA vs KK. Great, but in 10 hands you won't even be top 10% of the field. Play good fundamentally sound poker. Don't think you can bully everyone and don't nit up trying to protect your stack.

Middle: Chip leader means nothing. Continue playing good fundamentally sound poker. Don't think you can bully everyone and don't nit up trying to protect your stack.

Approaching the bubble. Chip leader means nothing. Target the medium stacks and those that look like they are trying to limp into the money. Don't get tangled up with other big stacks, or try to bully the short stacks to widely as they are looking to get their stacks in and double up wherever possible.

In the money: Chip leader means nothing. Continue playing good fundamentally sound poker. Don't think you can bully everyone and don't nit up trying to protect your stack. Target the passive/weak players blinds that are just hoping to watch others bust before them so they can ladder up.

Final Table: Chip leader means you can start to exert some authority. ICM really starts to come into play and allows you to put other players in difficult spots, especially the medium stacks when there are short stacks in play. Bully these players, especially if you have position, but don't donk off your chips, otherwise you won't be chipleader for long!

 

[johnsonmad]

I think you have to play with a happy medium. Not to safe and not to aggressive. It does depend on the hand you have and the other players chip count.

 

[Vegas77]

You don't need to be the chip leader, that's not important. What's important is where you finish. Just because you're in the lead in 2nd hour of a tourn means nothing when you have to play 5 to get to the final table.

I would focus more on how your stack compares to the blinds and do you have the folks at your table covered so if you lose a hand to them then you won't be out on the rail.

I would say to focus on playing a solid game doing the best you can with a strategy that suits your playing style and fits the stage of the tournament you're in as well. The other part is that a lot folks can't do is what's called "switching gears" from an aggressive style to a more selective pick your spots type of play or vice versa.

I'll give you an easy example I watched a tourn where a person was short stacked and had to shove with any 2 because the blinds were going to put them all in and they did and got lucky. Ok, so they won, but they did over and over again til they actually went from being at the bottom of the rankings late in a tourn to being a chip leader!!!!

But did they stop and get ready for the final table that was like 15 seats away? NOOO they went all in with a trash hand and lost and lost another one a few minutes later and didn't make the final table when they could have coasted easily there. So switching gears is important.

To protect my stack, I play less hands and tighter, waiting to pounce on my prey like a tiger

 

[pescaofish]

you migth want to consider the "BSS", Big Stack Strategy that was teach as a strategy to win more and making to the top of the players. with this strategy you should open your range and try to push the smaller stacks to fold. :deal:

 

[Acadien07]

To protect my stack, I play less hands and tighter, waiting to pounce on my prey like a tiger

Didn’t happen to me a lot but I like your strategy Vegas ! But it seems to me sometimes when your chip leader most of the hand are going your way so l thing if you have a decent hand you should call especially against a small stacks player!😎

 

[Evan Jarvis]

Hi all, im having a bad time being chip leader in tournaments, usualy my range goes wilder but don't know what exactly to do, what is the best strategy with high amounts of chips in your opinion?

hi there Rachidao

Since it's such a big topic here is a video that I hope will help you with is:

It makes sense to widen your range but against players who are afraid of busting, and especially when pay jumps are in play.

At the earlier stages when people aren't concerned about the money there isn't as much reason to be trying to 'push people around' as the chip leader.

Hope that helps, and hope you enjoy the video!

If you'd like more info on MTTs, here is a full playlist I made (and it's free) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBrNnyWekagPbegY51h0xW4tHOFKKn_DU

 

[nutself]

In my experience, even a chip leader can't play too loose. If you steal the pot too often, there will be players who aren't afraid to all in with you, and you'll likely lose the big stack advantage.

 

[KITAYAWA]

It's certainly nice to be the chip leader, but I think that a little more than an average stack is enough for a productive game.

 

[blef121]

well, yes, this is the best thing that can be in a tournament, but to be a chip leader, I think there is no strategy, because it depends on whether you will move allin more often than others with good cards, if I was the chipleader, then I was so I often went allin at the beginning of the game