babyrosejr
Rock Star
Platinum Level
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what really drives long-term results in tournaments – aggression or patience. Sometimes it feels like poker is all about constant pressure and fighting for every single pot. You open wider, throw in more 3-bets, keep opponents uncomfortable – and it works, until someone decides to fight back. Then you can easily lose half of your stack in just one hand.
On the other hand, there are tournaments where patience seems to be the key. You wait for strong spots, capitalize on opponents’ mistakes, and move forward step by step without taking big risks. The problem is, this kind of strategy doesn’t always give you enough chips to compete deep into the tournament, especially when ICM pressure starts to matter.
I’m starting to believe that the real skill is not choosing one style over the other, but knowing how to switch between them. Sometimes you need the discipline to fold top pair, and other times you need the courage to shove a semi-bluff when your stack is slipping.
How do you approach this balance? Do you lean more toward aggressive play and constant pressure, or do you prefer a tighter, more patient strategy? I’d love to hear examples from your own tournament experience and any advice on how to adjust effectively.
On the other hand, there are tournaments where patience seems to be the key. You wait for strong spots, capitalize on opponents’ mistakes, and move forward step by step without taking big risks. The problem is, this kind of strategy doesn’t always give you enough chips to compete deep into the tournament, especially when ICM pressure starts to matter.
I’m starting to believe that the real skill is not choosing one style over the other, but knowing how to switch between them. Sometimes you need the discipline to fold top pair, and other times you need the courage to shove a semi-bluff when your stack is slipping.
How do you approach this balance? Do you lean more toward aggressive play and constant pressure, or do you prefer a tighter, more patient strategy? I’d love to hear examples from your own tournament experience and any advice on how to adjust effectively.
