5 Actions to Take When You Go Card Dead in a Poker Tournament

It has happened to every poker player who has everhave a playable hand to win the big pot.
entered a poker tournament.3. Move all in when your stack size has declined to
You are playing in a no limit poker tournament. You arenine times or less than the big blind.
getting some good hands, and making some goodThe blinds can sometimes move up faster than you
plays. Your chip stack is rising steadily. You are feelingcan accumulate chips. When you get to nine times or
good about your game, until it happens. Hand afterless than the big blind, you need to take action. Don't
hand of trash. One rag hand after another rag hand.raise. Move all-in. Hands to make this move with are a
You fold. You fold again. It's rinse and repeat.wide range from pocket pairs, two paints, any Ace,
You are bleeding out chips. What should you do?suited connections, even any suited King.
Don't panic! Figure out the size of your chip stack to4. Take a shot with any Ace.
the big blinds. If you have fifteen or twenty times theLet's say that you have not had an opportunity to
big blinds, you still have time to wait for a playablemake a play given the action in front of you. And you
hand. If you have less than that amount, it's time tonow have only six times the big blinds in chips. What
take action.should you do?
Here are five actions to take when you go card deadTake a shot to build chips with an any Ace hand. While
in a poker tournament.it sounds crazy to play a hand like A-7 offsuit
1. Use the "No-Look" blind steal move.aggressively, you need to play to win. And winning
The good news is that when you have beenmeans taking chances. I have won poker tournaments
constantly folding your opponents will notice. They willby building my chip stack with this move. Example:
be thinking that you are playing very tight and waitingTwo players moved all-in, and I was in the small blind
for premium cards. This gives you the opportunity towith a weak Ace. I pushed since I only had 5 times the
win based on position and the action you take.big blind. One opponent had J-J and the other
The "No-Look" blind steal move is simple. You have aopponent had Q-Q. An Ace hit the flop and I was
late position and everyone folds to you. You do notgiven a huge gift of chips.
look at your cards! The cards are going to be so ugly,5. Take a shot with any pair.
you will fold. So don't look. Pretend to look at yourThis is the same situation as before, except you have
cards, and raise. You are playing your tight image anda pocket pair. In the example above, if I had a low pair I
your position. Raise and watch everyone fold.would have also taken a shot. While my low pair
2. Re-raise a late position raiser.would be an underdog, if I hit a set I would win big.
You will have a good idea in the middle stages of aRemember you are playing to win, and not to just
tournament as to which players tend to raise toocash. Embrace the risk in the game.
often. And you will also know which players are willingThe key thing to remember about going card dead is
to fold when re-raised. Attack this opponent.that it does not mean you have lost. It is a signal that
When this player raises in a late position, and you haveyou need to take more risk if you want to win the
a better position, you should re-raise him. The reasontournament. If you just want to finish in the money,
you wait for a late position is you want to have fewermaybe you do want to fold your way to some kind of
players behind you who may find a premium hand.financial return. I don't recommend it.
Ideally, you want to make this play when you haveIt's better to win one tournament in 10, than to cash
some kind of a hand--even a one gap suitedand just get your money back in all 10 events. No one
connector would be better than J-3 offsuit. You wanthas ever folded their way to victory. Risk is good!
your opponent to fold, but even if he doesn't fold, you