The first thing to note if you are a fan of multi table tournaments (MTTs) is that there is no single tab for these type of poker games on the Bet365 Poker site. Instead, you are directed to check out the “Scheduled” tab, which brings up a wide range of different MTT events, for a wide range of different buy ins for a huge number of different tournaments.
There are several different types of MTT available on Bet365 Poker, Freezeouts, Rebuys, Satellites and occasionally (though it is infrequent) Freerolls. The site also has occasional links to some of the land based MTTs that they may run as part of a tournament or a specific promotion, though these too only appear infrequently on the site.
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Tip 1: You need to understand not just the tournament you are entering but exactly which stage you are entering
A common mistake many new poker players make when entering MTT is to assume that the headline prize money is the one they are currently playing for. In truth, unless you are paying a hefty buy in to pay your way to the final stage of the tournament, you are only likely to be playing in a satellite.
This is not necessarily a bad thing; satellites are a great way to improve your poker skills against other players in a competitive setting. If you manage to earn yourself a qualifying spot by finishing in the top four, six or ten of an event, then you can qualify for the next stage of your chosen tournament and gain a seat in the next round at no extra cost, but you don’t win any cash at this stage.
For example, if you enter the “$200,000 Stage 2 Turbo 3” tournament for 30cents (plus 3cents rake) you may be playing against 20 to 30 other opponents for a place in the top four. If you finish in the top four, you do not win any cash, but simply earn yourself a place at the table in the next round of the competition (stage 3).
In order to win a slice of the $200,000 you not only have to qualify through each stage, but also get to the final few positions at the final event in the MTT. In short, while large-scale MTT’s are good for gaining experience, they are not great for building your bankroll.
Tip 2: As you progress in the tournament, expect the opposition to get considerably tougher
If you enter a MTT on Bet365 Poker at the very earliest stage and for the lowest possible buy in, then you will likely be up against a real mix of opponents. For a decent poker player with a solid all-round game, it isn’t too difficult to progress through the early hands and eliminate some other players.
However, as you progress in any MTT, one thing is certain and that is that your opposition skill levels will markedly increase until you reach the latter stages of the bigger MTTs when you may well be facing off against some of the world’s strongest poker professionals.
Tip 3: Watch the blinds creeping up
In many MTT’s the early stage blinds are relatively small and winning a free pot here and there doesn’t really make a big difference to your stack. This changes greatly when you get to the final few players and the blinds have risen considerably.
When blinds reach 200/400 chips or above, winning a pot is hugely important and you need to adjust your strategy accordingly to maximise your chances of winning them.
Betting when in position and of course, a slice of luck, can help here but choose your timing carefully too and play with stronger cards when you can. You want to try and avoid having to go all in on a hand because you are forced to pay the big blind, without even knowing what cards you are being dealt.
Tip 4: Play for finishing position, not chip accumulation
Managing your chips well is crucial because in many MTT’s you don’t need to win all the chips to progress. If your MTT states a winner will be a player who finishes in the top four, or top ten, then you need to play with that in mind. It doesn’t matter if you finish with 5,000 chips more than any other player, or a single chip in your stack, if you are in the qualifying group, you qualify.
A good example of this is if you are playing in a MTT with 4 qualifying positions and there are five of you left at the final table. One player, short stacked goes all in, another with lots of chips calls. You have a strong hand too but calling would leave you without chips.
Should you call? In this situation, you stand to lose more by calling than you do by winning the hand. If you call and lose, you are eliminated. If you fold and the player with most chips wins, you remain in the tournament and qualify.
Conclusion
MTT’s on Bet365 Poker are great fun and can be played very cheaply for micro stakes, but they are not an ideal way to build a bankroll. However, the cost of playing them is easily offset by the experience you get of playing in a tournament against other players. Use them wisely and you can help improve your poker skills at a relatively low cost.
If tournaments aren’t your thing, check out our guide to Bet365 Poker Sit n’ Gos.
