Poker is an action-packed casino card game. It’s played fast and furious, precisely how its creators intended. More than an entertainment spectacle, poker is a strategy-based game. It is a thinking player’s card game with carefully calculated betting, tactical and strategic play, and a healthy dose of poker psychology for good measure. Today, we explore the inimitable MTTs – the Multi-Table Tournaments of poker games. These fascinating contests are exceedingly popular among players for various reasons – notably mega poker pots and pulse-pounding play.
Multi-table poker tournaments are made up of many poker tables. That’s the nature of the beast. It’s incredibly competitive, with a mix of amateur and professional poker players competing against one another. Each MTT table features 9/10 players vying for a seat at the final table. Naturally, Texas Hold’em poker headlines as the game of choice for most big-money MTTs. Players can compete in MTTs in person or online. Zynga Play features Texas Hold’em and Omaha Poker, the digital classics of gaming history.
But unlike traditional in-person poker games, the premier social poker platforms offer free daily chip gifts every 24 hours, with no real money required. This gives players the latitude they need to explore different poker strategies, bankroll management techniques, aggressive and passive playing styles, and poker psychology in the digital arena. With mega-popular MTTs like the Trillionaire Maker at prestigious social poker rooms online, players get to compete for massive stacks at high-stakes poker games.
How do MTTs Play Out?
Multitable tournaments follow strict rules and regulations – standard practice in poker games. With so many games in effect, learning the rules of the specific MTT format is essential. Remember, these are ongoing poker contests—not a once-off sit-and-go (SNG). Players must have enormous powers of concentration, patience under fire, and determination to win despite the odds. During the first phases of MTTs, both pots & blinds are modest. Players tend to be aggressive and play loose at this stage of proceedings. That means players have an appetite for betting and raising – typical of novice poker players.
A big benefit of competing in an MTT is the exposure you gain to different types of playing styles, players, and betting practices. Experienced poker players liken this to shooting fish in a barrel – the fish being the amateurs and the barrel being the pool of contestants scrambling for poker pots. One of the things you quickly learn in an MTT is that successive rounds of play are characterized by bigger bankroll requirements. That’s why experienced poker players – the sharks – love the loose and aggressive play of poker greenhorns. It allows them to cash in while the going is good. The latter stages of MTTs feature substantial mandatory bets (small blind, big blind), buy-ins, and raises to stay competitive.
Remember, it’s much easier to intimidate other players with big bets than stare-downs, particularly in online poker games. In any given MTT, you’re going to see a variety of playing styles. Contrary to popular opinion, these playing styles are relevant to individual poker players as well as different stages of play. If a person is known as a loose-aggressive player, that’s not necessarily a good thing because it pigeonholes the player. Poker pros rank among the most observant competitors in the card game arena. They will use any angle to work out your playing techniques, mindset, personality, and psychology. It’s never good to be predictable in high-stakes poker games.
Sensible Advice for Novice Poker Players in MTTs
Avoid playing loose and aggressive poker upfront. It is far more sensible to tighten up your game by only playing premium starting hands with bigger bets. Play tight and aggressively, and let everybody else make mistakes you can capitalize on. In many MTTs, especially the big-money payouts, aiming for a top-10 finish is essential. That’s because a graduated payout structure rewards the top finishers with significant chip counts. Put differently, you don’t have to finish first but should always aim to finish in the top tiers. When you reach the final table, you ramp up a gear to finish in the top three.
Here are some valuable tips from actual poker players in MTTs:
- Never take your eyes off the players at your table. You play the player as much as you play the cards.
- Think about what you do before your opponent makes a move. That way, you’ll never be surprised by what your opponent does and won’t be caught off guard.
- Learn how to play your short stack well and understand your shoving ranges.
- Always plan. MTTs are long and grueling. If you don’t get enough sleep the night before or the day of, you’ll be exhausted.
