Go Deep with Deep Stack Tournaments

High flying poker players love Deepstack tournaments. In deep stack poker tournaments, players begin with a much higher number of chips in relation to the antes and blinds. This means that these mandatory bets have less of an impact on the pace of the game. Deepstack tournaments are associated with many more poker hands, and these contests go on for a much longer period of time.

Experienced poker players thrive in these tournaments. There are much longer blind levels and these types of contests are ideal for cash game players. Most cash game players boast 100 Big Blinds in their stack. Deep stack tournaments typically feature 20 - 50 Big Blinds. There are many ways to play these tournaments, since they are a mix of tournament play and cash game poker.

Deepstacks differ from traditional poker tourneys in several ways:

• Players usually start with around 5,000+ chips in their stack
• The blinds increase slowly in Deepstack tournaments (15+ minute intervals)

The net effect of this is a slower pace, plenty of grinding, and deep stack poker play.

Top Reasons to Play Deepstack Poker Tournaments at 888poker 

The effect of variance and luck is minimized in Deepstack poker tournaments because players have deeper chip stacks in each level of play. For the cash players out there, Deepstack tournaments are ideal. The nature of the game suits cash players and there is plenty of aggression in these contests. Players can also test out lots of different poker strategies in Deepstack contests, making these perfectly suited to fine-tuning your poker skills.

Of course, there are also some cons to playing these tournaments. For starters, there are lengthy blinds and this means that Deepstacks take much longer to play than regular poker tournaments. Winning a Deepstack also means that you’ve got to compete against a large number of opponents. This takes tremendous skill and staying power. There are extended periods of grinding, going all-in, or sitting out hands.  Sometimes you get lucky, and walk away a champ, sometimes you don’t.

Are Deepstack Tournaments Right for You?

Cash games players will love Deepstack tournaments.  Plus, there’s the added benefit of enjoying much higher payouts with Deepstack tournaments over typical cash game contests. Deepstacks usually play out in the form of an MTT (Multitable Tournament) so there’s plenty of attrition at the tables.  Skilled poker players are better suited to these types of tournaments for a number of reasons. It takes tremendous powers of concentration, staying power and poker knowledge to succeed in a Deepstack contest.

If you’re looking to go the distance, then your Post-Flop Play must be better than your Pre-Flop Play. You can really juggle things around with different tactics, strategies and playing styles. Since you’ve got so many chips to experiment with, and the blinds are so much longer there’s definitely lots of opportunities to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the other players. Poker pros recommend playing in Deepstack contests to improve your game. These tourneys should definitely be added to your repertoire if you’re looking to learn about your own poker aptitude.

Remember: Deepstack poker tourneys are intense MTTs. They eat up lots of time and they often involve grueling sessions of play. In other words, they’re perfect for poker purists!

Top Tips for Playing Deepstack Tournaments

Success comes to those who follow the 5 Golden Rules –

1. Avoid Big Bluffs – In Deepstacks, chips change hands incrementally. Don’t bluff big amounts because if you lose you won’t recover those losses. Play tight and hold onto your chips. Let other players feed the pot.
2. Be Inventive – You’ll find that Deepstack poker play gives you much more leeway in decisions, betting, and playing styles. Use this to your advantage. Avoid predictable plays; mix things up when necessary. This will serve you well against experienced poker aces.
3. Patience is Key – In poker Deepstacks you will always perform better when you make calculated decisions. Wait for the good starting hands and fold poor starting hands. You’ve got plenty of chips to power through these MTTs. Only play premium hands.
4. Take Advantage of Weaker Players – This is easily done by stealing blinds and pressuring them when they’ve got weak hands. By the same token, always fold your mediocre hands against their strong hands. If you’re getting called all the time, stop betting and save your stack.
5. Watch Short Stack Players – These players may be easy pickings, particularly if they’re willing to go all-in. Take advantage of their gambles.