Tournament Strategies
After receiving pocket cards, you are immediately faced with a choice: play your cards and either raise or call the blinds, or fold.
Practice Matters
If your opponent bets, you should call
If your opponent bets, you should call the turn and check-call the river, hopefully inducing a bluff. Even if your opponent has you beat, remember that if you had bet the turn and your opponent raised, you would probably get all-in by the end of the hand, risking your tournament life.
Another good spot for pot control
Another good spot for pot control occurs when you raise with a big pair and an overcard flops. Suppose you raise K-K from middle position and the big blind calls. The flop comes A-3-3. If your opponent checks, you should check behind quite often because if you bet and your opponent raises or calls, you have no clue where you are in the hand, as some opponents will raise hands like 4-4 here, assuming you will fold if you don’t have an ace or 3. If your opponent leads into you on the turn, you should usually call, and make a decision if he bets again on the river. Checking behind on the flop makes your hand look weak, and observant opponents will try to push you off your hand.