Get Small
Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments can be long and the dynamics at the table change along with the chip stack sizes. Most poker pundits advise players to play a selectively aggressive game and to be judicious about which hands to play.
In tournaments, you must base your decision on your own chip stack, your position, your hand and the players behind you. There is also another consideration about choosing the most favorable spot, and that is the size of the chip stacks you will be challenging.
In a poker tournament, you want to look for the smaller stacks to attack. By targeting a player with a small stack, you are putting a low percentage of your own chips at risk. You gain fold equity by challenging a small stack with a bet or raise. A player whose stack is diminishing will often just fold in order to hold onto their chips for a better spot to play. If you win the hand, you have increased your chip stack, and might possibly eliminate another player.
When choosing your battles in a poker tournament, always take into account the chip stacks at the table. Part of picking the right spot is recognizing the vulnerable stacks and players who can’t put any of their precious few chips at risk.
