Tournaments (start, middle and end)

[leomarinho]

How should I adjust my playing style at the different stages of the tournament (start, middle and bubble)?

 

[veryluckyfish7k]

How should I adjust my playing style at the different stages of the tournament (start, middle and bubble)?

Early: play tight and solid, avoid big risks.
Middle: open up, steal more, pressure weaker stacks.
Late/Bubble: adjust to stack sizes, apply ICM pressure, avoid unnecessary flips unless you’re short.

 

[Goggelheimer]

This is a basic approach listed below.
But it changes on the type of tournament (Regular, Turbo, Hyper Turbo, PKO, Mystery Bounty) you are playing.

Early Stage (Deep Stacks)
• Opening ranges: Tight. Play mainly strong hands (premium pairs, strong broadways, good suited connectors).
• 3‑bet ranges: Very tight and value‑heavy.
• Calling ranges: Wider than later stages because stacks are deep, but still disciplined.

Middle Stage (Medium Stacks)
• Opening ranges: Start widening—more suited connectors, suited aces, broadways, and some light steals.
• 3‑bet ranges: Mix of value and a few light 3‑bets versus frequent openers.
• Calling ranges: More selective—avoid calling hands that don’t play well with 25–40 BB stacks.

Bubble Stage (ICM Pressure)
• Opening ranges: Wider, especially attacking medium stacks who want to survive.
• 3‑bet ranges: Aggressive versus players who are scared to bust; tighter versus big stacks who can bust you.
• Calling ranges: Much tighter—avoid marginal calls that risk your tournament life.

 

[wushibala]

I usually start playing actively only in the middle stages. If I see that I can make it to the money, I play passively and only become aggressive once I’m in the payouts. At the beginning of the tournament, I mostly just see whether I hit a flush, straight, or set, and by the middle stage I already understand how to play further.

 

[austral]

You don’t win tournaments by playing one hand well; you win them by making good decisions at every stage.
The key is adjusting your style according to effective stack, structure, opponents, and payout pressure.
Early stage → Patience → Tight-aggressive.
Middle stage → Pressure → Selective aggression.
Bubble → Composure → ICM-driven.