How to Play Poker Tournaments (MTT & SNG)

How tournaments work: buy-ins, rising blinds, stack in BB, payouts, MTT vs SNG.

Convert your chip stack to big blinds and let that number pick your strategy.

Play deep, cheap early levels with patience, position, and disciplined stack-offs.

Antes fuel dead money — steal, defend, and re-steal while tracking your BB stack.

At ~10bb or fewer, quit fancy play: jam all-in or fold — here's exactly when.

Why chips aren't dollars near the money — and how to fold tight but shove wide.

Survive the money bubble: play your stack, punish fear, and know when to fold or shove.

Read payout ladders and let dollar equity — not chips — drive your late-stage moves.

Win the final table: read stacks, use ICM pressure, position, and push-or-fold.

Win the final duel: wider ranges, relentless button aggression, and the small-blind quirk.

Satellites pay identical seats, not cash — survive to the cutoff, don't chase chips.

Rebuys, re-entries and add-ons — when to fire another bullet and when to stop.

The tournament capstone: read stack depth and stage, then let ICM pick your play.