Think in big blinds, not chips
A 30,000-chip stack means nothing on its own. At 100/200 blinds it is 150 big blinds and deep; at 1,500/3,000 it is 10 big blinds and desperate. Every decision in tournament poker starts by dividing your stack by the big blind.
| Stack | Mode | Main tools |
|---|---|---|
| 60+ BB | Deep | Play like a cash game; speculative hands gain value |
| 25–60 BB | Standard | Open, 3-bet and c-bet; fold marginal hands out of position |
| 15–25 BB | Short | Open smaller; re-shove all-in over late-position raises |
| Under 15 BB | Push / fold | Move all-in or fold preflop; avoid open-limping |
Early levels
Blinds are small compared with stacks, so there is little to steal and a lot to lose. Play solid, position-aware poker, value bet the weaker players hard and avoid big bluffs. You cannot win a tournament in the first hour, but you can lose it.
Middle levels and antes
Once antes kick in, there is far more in the pot before anyone acts. Stealing becomes profitable. Open wider from the cutoff and button, and defend your big blind more often because you are getting a good price.
The bubble and ICM
Near the money, survival has real cash value. The Independent Chip Model (ICM) shows why: doubling your stack does not double your prize equity, but busting reduces it to zero. Two consequences follow. Medium stacks should avoid all-in confrontations with players who cover them, and big stacks can open aggressively because opponents are forced to fold hands they would normally play.
Push/fold play
Below about 15 big blinds, a normal raise commits you anyway, so move all-in instead. Being the one who shoves gives you fold equity: you win the blinds and antes uncontested often enough to make hands like or profitable shoves from late position.
Final table
- Pay jumps are large; ICM pressure is at its peak. Know where each player sits in the pay structure.
- Attack the medium stacks who are trying to ladder up. Avoid the short stacks who have nothing to lose.
- Heads-up, play very wide. More than 80% of hands are worth playing from the button.
Frequently asked questions
What is ICM in poker?
The Independent Chip Model estimates what your tournament chips are worth in real money. It shows that chips you could lose are worth more than chips you could win, which is why players tighten up near pay jumps.
When should you go all-in in a tournament?
Push-or-fold play generally becomes correct when your stack falls to about 10 to 15 big blinds, because there is no longer room to raise and fold.
How do you survive the bubble?
Big stacks should attack, medium stacks should avoid confrontations with bigger stacks, and short stacks should look for the best spot to move all-in, often before the blinds reach them.