Going All-in at Poker Tourneys:

Almost every online Poker tourney strategy guide that you will read will tell you that you should always play tight, as if your life dependent on it. At the same time, you should be aware that there will be circumstances wherein going all in will be appropriate.

Before going all in at a hand, you must first consider the timing. Early on in a Poker tourney it is correct to play tight. Going all in early will create the impression that you are a loose player, and this will give you trouble in the latter stages.

Now when you are in the middle stages of the Poker tourney, and everyone is very tight, you may consider it. For example, if you are holding a good hand, raising the stakes, or going all in, will definitely cause the other players to fold. They will not be willing to risk what they are holding. You will end up with a lot of chips in your stack.

Another time when you will want to consider this option is when you are at the late tables of the Poker tourney. By raising in early against a more skilled opponent, you reduce the chances of him outplaying you on the board.

Of course, going all in is always an option when you are short on chips. Instead of having your chips get blinded out, use them to make a last stand. Of course you should not make the mistake of putting it all in the middle with any kind of hand.

Pick something that is decent, and if the table is tight, you will get a lot of players to fold and you will be back right in the game.

Of course, most of the time, you should not. One of the most frequent instances wherein Poker tourney players go all in when they should not is when they are holding QQ or JJs at the pre flop. They raise quickly, and are called. After the re raise they will find themselves beaten down by players holding KK or AA.

Going all in at a Poker tourney has its risks, but its potential rewards are also great. It can bring you extra chips, or take you back into of contention.

If you want to be a great player, you must be willing to take the risks, and by doing so, you will learn other ways to handle these situations.