Tired of busting early in online poker tournaments?

Let’s be real, crushing online MTTs is no walk in the park. It takes a well-crafted game plan and the strategic know-how to outplay your opponents.

The good news – we’re about to spill the beans on five killer strategies that’ll transform your tournament game.

In this article, we’ll dive into some tactics that’ll have you navigating MTTs like a pro, from 3-betting deep stacked to adapting your strategy on the bubble.

Deep-Stacked Linear 3-Betting in Position

When you’re deep-stacked and in position against an open-raise, unleashing the power of a linear 3-betting range can be a game-changer.

This poker strategy gives you the firepower to not only play your monster hands aggressively but also sprinkle in well-disguised bluffs. To understand the power of the deep-stacked linear 3-bet, let’s look at an example:

You’re in the cutoff with 100 big blinds, and the player in the hijack opens for 2.5bb. With a linear 3-betting range, you’ll be re-raising not only with your premium hands, but also with a variety of other hands.

So, What’s in a Linear Range?

Think of it like a ladder, with the top rungs occupied by your premium pairs (AA, KK, QQ) and AKs. These are your automatic 3-bets, the hands that can often stack your opponents. But a linear range extends to include strong hands like KQs, AQo, and QJs, as well as playable suited hands like A5s, KTs, and T9s, and medium strength pairs like 77, 88, 99.

Why Linear?

The power of this range lies in its balance. It includes both your strongest hands and a selection of weaker hands that can be used as bluffs. As a result, it’s incredibly difficult for your opponents to put you on a specific hand, and will ultimately give you an edge.

Sizing It Right

Since you’re in position, there’s no need to overcomplicate your 3-bet sizing. A standard 3x the original raise is usually enough. Essentially, the goal is to build a pot while maintaining a range that’s balanced and adaptable.

Facing a 4-Bet

One of the beauties of a linear 3-betting range is how it gives you a ton of flexibility when facing a 4-bet. You’ve got plenty of premium hands in your range that can comfortably call a 4-bet, like your AA, KK, or AK, making it much harder for your opponent to narrow down your hand and exploit you.

Post-Flop Power

Post-flop is where the magic happens. When your 3-bet gets called, you have a range that can connect with a wide variety of flops. For instance, if the flop comes A-7-2, you could have anything from AA to A5s to A2s. So, you’ll be incredibly difficult to play against as it opens up numerous post-flop play options.

C-Betting Ace-King High Dry Boards from the Lead

When you’ve taken the initiative by raising first in (RFI) and find yourself in position on a dry board showcasing an Ace or King, it’s time to capitalize. This is your chance to seize control and rake profits with a continuation bet (c-bet).

Imagine this scenario: you raise from the cutoff and only the big blind calls. The flop reveals A-K-3 rainbow – a board that’s practically tailor-made for your range. You’re more likely to hold an Ace or King than the BB, so it’s a prime opportunity to c-bet, especially as there are no flush draws.

In these spots, bet frequently and keep your sizing small. A bet of 1/3 the pot is often enough to force folds and generate immediate profit. Think about it – your bet only needs to work 25% of the time to break even! Factor in your equity when called (like having a pair or a draw), and the profitability of this play skyrockets.

The takeaway? C-bet aggressively with a small sizing on dry, high-card boards that favor your range. It’s a simple, yet effective strategy that can run up your stack.

A Word of Caution

While this strategy is effective, always consider the context of the tournament you’re playing. Pay attention to the stage of the MTT, stack sizes, and any specific tournament formats like bounty or progressive knockout events.

For example, if you’re short-stacked and facing a well-covered BB, c-betting with air on a dry board might not be the wisest move. They could easily put you all in, risking only a small portion of their stack for a potentially massive reward.

Bubble Play: Don’t Let Tightness Cost You Chips

It’s tempting to tighten up and coast into the money on the bubble, and sure, there are times you should do so. But the best players know this is the perfect spot to exploit those who overvalue cashing. 

Let’s go through a detailed hand breakdown together:

You’re dealt A5o in the HJ with 25bb, three spots away from the money. The CO has 40bb, BTN 7bb, SB 16bb, and BB 21bb. The field size and payout structure determine how close you are to the money. If 100 players get paid, you’re close; if it’s 15, you’re actually pretty far.

If the CO is a known aggressor, a fold should be your go-to. However, if they’re likely to fold to a raise, and the shorter stacks (BTN and SB) are tightening up due to bubble pressure, raising becomes a powerful play. You’re essentially capitalizing on their fear of busting by taking the initiative and putting pressure on them.

And even if you face a shove, you can easily call off the short-stacked BTN or make a calculated fold against a larger stack. 

Keep in mind that not every big stack wants a confrontation, especially when folded to in late position. 

In fact, in smaller stakes games, the medium stacks (like the CO in our example) might be hesitant to 3-bet you, even if they suspect you’re opening wider, as they prioritize survival over aggression.

So, let’s say the CO folds and the BB calls your raise. The flop comes K-J-2 with two spades, a board that favors your range. You c-bet 1/3 pot, representing a range that includes Kings, Jacks, and Ace-high. The BB calls.

The turn brings a 7 of hearts, no help to any potential flush draws. 

Should We Keep Bluffing?

Well, if there are a lot of short stacks left in the tournament who are desperate to make the money, then continuing to bluff makes sense – applying pressure will force them to fold a wider range of hands.

However, if there are only a few to no short stacks left in the tournament, and the remaining players have healthier stacks (15-20bb or more), you need to be more cautious. In this case, the BB isn’t facing as much pressure to make the money, so they’re more likely to call with busted draws.

So, we bet half pot on the turn. They call. 

Now, the river is an 8, completing the board with K-J-2-7-8 with two spades and two hearts. The BB checks. Now, here’s where the decision to continue bluffing gets interesting:

Given all the information, this is a perfect spot for a shove.

While this might seem risky, consider this:

• Your opponent’s range is capped: Most players who call the turn in this spot will either have a King or a high equity draw, but no high equity draw has hit on the river. And as we don’t block any of our opponent’s draws, it heightens the probability the villain has one.
• Fold equity is high: Most players on the bubble are hesitant to risk their tournament life, especially when facing an all-in bet. So, they’re likely to fold anything but a king.
• The risk is calculated: Even if your bluff gets called by a King, you’ll still have enough chips to potentially make the money.

This time, we get it all in and the villain folds. 

On the bubble our opponent won’t call with nothing on the river when we have so many hands that get there in our range, like AA, KK, JJ, etc, so a shove on the river will do the trick most of the time.

Beware of The 4-Bet

Especially at the micro stakes, a preflop 4-bet is like a flashing neon sign screaming “PREMIUM HAND!” Most players here reserve this aggressive move for the absolute top of their range – think AA, KK, QQ, AKs, etc.

While the temptation to see a flop with a decent hand like AQo or 88 might be tempting – give it a miss. A 4-bet often commits you to a significant chunk of your stack before the flop even hits. And let’s face it, those pretty hands won’t connect often enough to justify the risk.

That being said, if you know your opponent is loose and aggressive, calling a 4-bet with a strong hand is a solid play. Although, if you don’t have any information on the player or they’re playing tight, get out of there.

Picture holding AQo and facing a 4-bet. Even if you hit your Ace or Queen, you could be walking into a trap. Your opponent might be sitting there with AA, QQ, or AK, ready to crush your dreams of a big pot. That’s the danger of reverse implied odds – your reward for hitting the flop becomes a devastating loss.

So, unless you’re holding a premium hand yourself, like QQ+ or AK, folding to a 4-bet is often the smartest play. It might feel a bit boring, but preserving your stack is important in MTTs. 

After understanding the power of the 4-bet, you’ll avoid costly mistakes and live to fight another hand. And who knows, you might even catch someone bluffing and turn the tables with a 5-bet shove!

Blind Stealing: Turning the Tables on Tight Opponents

We’re not advocating for reckless aggression right out of the gate, but as your online MTT rolls on and the antes kick in, a calculated blind-stealing spree is insanely powerful. 

Many players, especially in the lower stakes, tend to overfold their blinds, particularly when facing a raise from late position.

Although the button is the most obvious spot for a steal, don’t overlook the cutoff and hijack.

A simple min-raise is often enough to snatch those blinds and antes uncontested. If your opponents are passive, you’re essentially scooping up free chips by opening a wide range of hands, including suited connectors like 65s, 87s, or T9s, one-gappers like J9s or T8s, and some offsuit hands like A8o or KTo. Even if they call, you can outmaneuver them post-flop, especially if they brick.

But as we know, poker is a game of adaptation. If the blinds are tight and aggressive, a more conservative approach is probably the best shout. However, if they’re loose and passive, it’s open season. 

And there’s another plus side to this strategy – blind stealing cultivates a table image of aggression, your opponents might think twice before tangling with you in later hands, giving you a chance to induce more folds in tight spots.

Take Your MTT Game to the Next Level

Alright poker fans, there you have it – five proven strategies to elevate your MTT game: mastering the linear 3-bet, c-betting with confidence on dry boards, navigating the bubble aggressively, respecting the 4-bet, and strategically stealing blinds.

Now that you have a solid understanding of these key spots, go and hit the virtual felt and put your newfound strategies to the test.

May the poker gods be with you!