Middle Stage Strategy for Multi Table Tournaments

After the initial craziness of the MTT has passed, you can get to business during the middle stage. Things get a little more complicated during the middle stage because you'll have to adjust your strategy based on the size of your stack, the types of opponents you're up against and the stack sizes of your opponents.

In the middle stages the blinds are big enough to be worth stealing but you still need to proceed with caution. Look for good opportunities and pay close attention to your opponents' tendencies. Attack the blinds when tight players post them, stay out of the pot when other people are battling it out and keep a close eye on your stack size.

Small Stack

As a small stack your goal is to get back up to average-sized as quickly as possible. You need to get moving quickly if you have 15 or fewer big blinds in your stack and you're in dire straights if you have fewer than 10 big blinds. At this point you can go all-in preflop with a wide range of hands because the blinds are so big. The blinds alone give a tiny stack good odds to go all-in.

You really don't have the time to wait for a premium hand at this point but you can look for favorable situations. Late position with fewer people in the pot is the best place to steal while early position with multiple people in the pot is the worst place. Choose your spots wisely but don't worry so much about your actual cards.

Keep an eye open for timid opponents, the ones already looking forward to the bubble. These guys are the easiest to steal from when they're playing from the blinds. Also look for opponents who regularly limp in preflop but fold if someone goes all-in. You'll need a stack on the bigger end of the "small stack" spectrum to get these guys to fold.

Average Stack

You're in good shape right now but that can change in a heartbeat if you get stuck in a bad spot or a blind increase catches you off guard. You should actively look for opportunities to get chips but you don't need to play with the same urgency that a short stack does.

Even though you're in a good shape now, you don't have a whole lot of room to maneuver without getting it all-in. Choose your battles carefully and don't start one unless you're willing to get all your chips in the middle. Even so, don't be afraid to fold if you attempt a steal and someone takes a stand.

The best part about having an average stack is you can put pressure on both the short and medium stacks. You can do a lot of damage so your raises will let people know you mean business. If you maintain the aggressive edge, you'll keep your opponents wary and the chips moving in your direction.

Big Stack

It's a great feeling to be the big stack by now but don't get comfortable. Chip counts increase quickly as the end of a tournament draws near. Stay on your toes and look for people who can be pushed around. Medium stacks are your best target because they know they still have a fighting chance if they stay out of your way. Small stacks are too desperate to be pushed around and big stacks can cripple you.

If you're the big stack at a table full of fish, you can sit back and wait for premium hands while they scramble to stay alive. Fishy, desperate opponents are the easiest ones to get action from. Just play your big hands.

When you're at a table full of decent players, focus more on stealing their blinds. As the blinds get bigger, the decent players will have to make riskier moves and you can be there to capitalize on it.

No matter how big or small your stack is, tournaments require a deft touch. If you pick your battles carefully and act with decisiveness, you'll go great over the long run.