One aspect of No Limit Texas Hold em that many players lack, is the ability to change strategy in tournament play depending on the size of their chip stack. It is crucial to your success in tournament play that you alter your approach based on whether or not you are small stack or have the big stack. Learning this will determine not only how much you win, but also how many tournaments you avoid losing by staying in as long as you can.

First off, most poker players think it is much easier to play with a big stack than a small stack. For the most part I would agree. However, WHEN you have the big stack (in other words, what point in the tournament) makes a huge difference. For instance, having a big stack early on, simply means you should choose your spots and many times be a bit more picky. Many a big stack has been frittered away by playing hands you simply should not be involved in.

Many players have a tendency to want to club the other players at the table over the head with  their chip lead, even when they have inferior cards. Of course, you can choose your spots and steal pots with a big chip stack,no doubt. However, it does not give you a license to play crap hands hoping to push other players off the pot all the time.

If you try to do that, you will simply run into monster hands that will turn you chip lead into a meager holding very quickly. Do not fall victim to this. Use your lead to pick spots, but also to be more selective. You have time do not have ot worry about the escalating blinds nearly as much with a big stack. Take advantage of this to play only the hands that put you in the best position to win, be it because of your cards or your position.

Conversely, having a small chip stack gives you fewer options, but it can also make your decisions easier. When you are short stacked, you cannot be tempted to mess around with hands that you should fold. You either get in the hand or stay out. It is really that simple.

For example, if you are down to $450 chips in a 9 player SNG after starting with 1500, and the blinds are $300-$150, then your options are to fold or go all-in. This doesnt require any thought, you just pick the hand that you want to play (usually by position) and raise all-in. You then let luck take its course because your chip stack is not large enough to do anything else.

So, in tournament play, your strategy is really the opposite of what many players think: Be a bit more picky with a big stack, and go for broke with the small stack. Try it. You may find yourself in less trouble with the big stack and getting out of trouble with a small stack!