Satellites may not be as exciting as other tournaments for professional and recreational poker players, but they offer a lot of value when approached correctly.
This article will explain why satellite tournaments are a good idea and what strategy you can use to get the best results. Let’s get started:
Satellite Tournament Playing Benefits
There are many satellites available at most top online Agen IDN Poker websites. So the question is not whether you should play them. Satellite tournaments are worth looking into depending on your bankroll, experience and schedule. Let’s take a look at the benefits.
This tournament format is great for players who want to build their bankroll and play in larger buy-in events. Satellites give them the chance to win tickets to bigger tournaments without having to risk a large portion of their bankroll.
You should also give satellites a try, as most players aren’t familiar with this format. If you spend enough time learning the correct strategy, you will be able to beat your competitors easily.
Third, satellite tournament strategy is simpler than other formats. This means that you’ll have a much easier time mastering the format.
You will also have a significant advantage in skill, so the variance in satellite tournaments is lower, as players need only make money in order to receive a ticket.
Satellite Tournament Strategy
As with all MTT formats it is important to adapt your play to the stage. There are three main stages to consider:
- The initial stage
- The middle stage
- The final stage
Let’s look closer at each stage.
Strategie for the Early Stages of Satellite Tournaments
Satellite tournaments are best approached in the beginning stages with the same approach as other tournament formats. This means that you should aim to build a stack and avoid marginal hands.
Satellite tournaments often have a large number of weaker players in the early stages. You should play pots against them but not so much that you get into 3-betting wars.
Wait for good starting hands. Sometimes, weaker players will give you their chips by playing mediocre hand combinations.
Strategy for the Middle Stages of Satellite Tournaments
Depending on the size of the field in a satellite tournament the middle and late stages may overlap.
Larger tournaments have a more recognizable middle structure. It can be hard to tell the difference between the middle and later stages of smaller events.
The most important task at the middle stage of the process is to determine how close you are from the bubble and how many chips it will take to make the money.
You can play sub-optimally if you make a mistaken assumption. It could be that you are trying to win pots, when you don’t need to. Or you might be playing too tight when you really need to. These are some of the biggest mistakes satellite players make.
This being said, it is a good idea to find out what the average stack is in the tournament and how many players are still left. This will allow you to determine how many chips are needed to survive and earn your ticket.
Strategy for the Middle Stages of Satellite Tournaments
You will need to adjust your regular tournament strategy to the late stage of satellites. There are no pay jumps so you can either win or lose.
In regular tournaments, for example, the prize for winning the money is typically 2x the buy in. Satellite tournaments offer a much greater reward than regular tournaments. It is approximately 10x the buy in. Each mistake is therefore more expensive.
It is important to know how far you are from the money and how many smaller stacks exist in the tournament.
You can play passively if your stack is larger than in regular tournaments.
If you have one of the shortest stacks you will need to win chips. However, try to push into other players with similar stacks to yours. They are less likely to call you and give you the chance to win more chips without having to go to the showdown.
This is it! Now go play satellites to get your big tickets!
