Pokerstars Double or Nothing Tournaments
If you don’t have an account at Pokerstars yet, here’s a sit-n-go tournament that might encourage you to get one. They’re called Double or Nothing sit-n-go tournaments and they are single-table, 10-player tournaments where the top five players get paid. Since everyone making the top five doubles their buy-in, getting into the top five is all that matters.
Winning Double or Nothing Ebook Strategy
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Bodog Poker has a similar tournament where the top five players get paid as well, called Beginner Tournaments. Unlike the Bodog Beginner Tournaments however, there’s little benefit to being the big stack in the Pokerstars Double or Nothing sit-n-go’s. Both tournaments pay the top five players, but the Bodog Beginner Tournaments pay out progressively based on where you finish. In the Pokerstars Double or Nothing sit-n-go’s however, once the table gets down to five players the tournament is over.
For example, the payouts for a $4+.40 Bodog Beginner Tournament are $12, $10, $8, $6, $4. In a $5+.40 Pokerstars Double or Nothing, the payouts are $10, $10, $10, $10, $10.
With different types of payouts, different strategies need to be employed.
Pokerstars Double or Nothing Strategy
Since all of the top 5 players make the same amount of money, the key to the Pokerstars Double or Nothing sit-n-go tournaments is to simply make it in. Early on, it’s all pretty standard. Look to see as many cheap flops as you can while the blinds are small. If you can make a big hand with something like suited connectors, winning a big pot early can often be the key to making the money. Getting a big stack early allows you time to wait for real hands and gives you the ability to recover if you lose a pot or two along the way.
The game really begins when the table is down to six or seven players. This is where proper decision making becomes critical, and bankrolls are built or lost. Here are some tips for making better decisions when you get to 6-7 handed.
Big Stacks – If you find yourself down to 6 or 7 players and you’re sitting on a big stack, congratulations, most of your work should already be done (if not completely done). Don’t go looking for pots to steal, and don’t risk the chips that are promising you a spot in the final five. If you have enough chips, sit back and let other players knock each other out. If you’re the type to get bored sitting there doing nothing, open another Double or Nothing Tournament to focus your attention elsewhere. Risking too many chips now is unnecessary and could cost you an easy win. Get your ego boost by being smart enough to get in the money, not from trying to steal meaningless pots.
Medium Stacks – Stay tight and look for real hands. Steal blinds in unraised pots from late position. A standard tight/aggressive style is smart right now. Don’t bluff unless you feel very confident you can get away with it. Protect your stack while looking for good opportunities to build on it without having to risk too many chips. Pay attention to competitors stack sizes. If there are multiple short stacks, give them a chance to get knocked out by other players. Try to get into the money without taking any major risks.
Short Stacks – The number of other short stacks and the size of the blinds should dictate a lot of your moves now. For example, if the blinds are 200/400 and you’re down to six players, pay attention to where the blinds are. If there’s a player with less than 800 chips that will hit the blinds before you, they will most likely be all-in when the blinds get to them. Stay out of the action and give them a chance to get knocked out. At this point there are usually a couple of players with enough chips that will be willing to call an all-in from them, giving you a solid chance at making the money by purely hanging on. There is no lost pride in this strategy, remember that the only goal is to get in the money. Don’t let your ego get in the way of the goal.
If you’re down to seven players, look for decent hands and play them aggressively when you get them. If you aren’t picking up hands, look to steal blinds in unraised pots when you’re in late position. Position play is critical for short stacks now. Try to steal some blinds preflop and put a little space between yourself and a couple of shorter stacks. If you’re successful at doing this, tighten up a bit and give the shorter stacks a chance to go bust.
The Pokerstars Double or Nothing Tournaments are a great way for smart, conservative players to build a bankroll. Record your wins and losses and pay attention to your win-rate. Holding yourself accountable for creating a profitable win-rate is a good way to remind yourself to play smart.
Open Your Pokerstars Account and Get a $600 Bonus
If you don’t have an account at Pokerstars, write down Pokerstars promo code (marketing code) PSP1686 and bonus code Stars600. Enter the marketing code during the registration process and the bonus code when you make your first deposit. Used together, new players can get a 100% bonus up to $600.
For US players, Pokerstars accepts Instant eChecks, Visa, Mastercard, and Click2Pay for making instant deposits. For players outside the US, use Neteller, Moneybookers, Instant eChecks, Visa, Mastercard, or plenty of other easy deposit options.