Poker News

John Vorhaus

In the natural ebb and flow of tournament poker, you routinely see a tightening of play as people get within shouting distance of the money. Those with short stacks cast nervous eyes about, looking for other short stacks and measuring the distance of approaching blinds. “Can I make it?” players wonder. “Can I make it to the money without taking a chance, or must my money move in order for me to cash?” These players are looking for an excuse not to play. They’re looking to make good laydowns. They don’t want to bust out of a tournament (out of the money) on the strength of their own bad choice.

It has long been known that this business of chasing a payday is borderline ridiculous in tournament poker. The real money is in the top three spots, and if you’re playing for any payout, no matter how small, you’re seriously undervaluing what your time is worth. Say you put a hundred bucks into a fivehour tournament and cash a bottom-money payout of $140. That’s eight bucks an hour. You can do better playing quarter-ante stud. Hell, you can do better working at Wendy’s. Still, people who would rather win $40 than lose $100 routinely limp to the money, and breathe a huge sigh of relief when they get there.

Then they go nuts.

After nursing their short stacks so long and so well, they’re suddenly looking to gamble, and they don’t much care what they have. (They can’t much care for, of course, they’re still short-stacked.) Now… at last… too late… they’re trying to win the tournament. Having made the money, they experience a momentary lapse of reason that sees them making big moves with small hands. Hence the expression cash and burn. They get their payday, but they don’t get the big payday, not unless they get lucky.

You, I assume, are not interested in making eight dollars an hour. You, I assume, are in it to win it. So your strategy for this trans-money zone should be different from theirs, and designed to take advantage of the predictable failings of others.

The first thing you must do is be not afraid to fail. There will be times that you make a strong move and have it backfire, due either to a foe’s hidden strength or just sheer bad luck. But train yourself to not fear this. Remember the eight dollars an hour.

Before the money, players will fold better hands than yours — sometimes much better — rather than risk busting out on the bubble. Attack short stacks with semi-strong holdings. Give them a chance to make those great laydowns they’re so fond of. Try to get your money in first in unopened pots. Put the squeezers’ feet to the fire.

After they make the money, cash-and-burn players will start going to war with all sorts of inferior holdings. Be careful what you choose to do battle with. Of course, the rising blinds will be putting pressure on you as well,but at this point the squeezers will start playing K-9, Q-T and any pocket pair. Snug up if you can. Don’t be afraid to get involved, but try to have quality hands when you do. Above all, recognize that if you make the money many times, but rarely make the big money, you’re probably doing something wrong. I know it sucks to bust out on the bubble, but playing not to lose is not the same as playing to win.

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