Poker players love to play large field multi table tournements (MTTs) these days. The way to make money in these is to have the occasional big result. One of the problem many players have is that when they finally reach a final table, they don't know the right tactics. They are untrained in final table play.



In the final table, every time a player goes out, two things happen that are different than at any other time of the tournament. First, that player isn't replaced at the table, like earlier in the event. This means you need to know how to play against a table with fewer and fewer players. Second, every tine a player goes out, you make more money.

This means that it's crucial that you are skilled at playing in these conditions. The problem is that even the best players only reach the final table a small percentage of the time they play. So, how do you know how to play once you get to the final table?

Take advantage of one of the most popular games played in the online poker rooms, the sit and go (SNG). These single table events start when the table fills up with players. You can play them all day. Okay, how do they help you with final table MTT play?

If you play the full table (9 or 10 players) SNG, it will simulate a final table very well. The only difference is that only 3 players get paid in the SNG. This works good enough becaause the top three make the big portion of the final table prize pool in the MTT.

The decision making process will be very similar for both SNGs and final tables. The biggest change from normal MTT play is that the number of players at the table keeps dropping as players are eliminatied. The SNG format is the same.

As players are eliminated you need to make adjustments in your play. The stack sizes of everyone at the table is a big factor in making choices. The blinds will be big, and if they are you will need to steal blinds whenever you can. Having a good read on your opponents will be a big help.

When the number of players gets smaller, you need to play more hands to avoid being blinded down. However, there are times when you need to be patient. An example would be when one player is very short stacked. Wait for him to be eliminated befor making any risky plays that might knock you out. If he goes out, it's more money in your pocket.

If you have a big stack, the best play is to attack the medium stacks. They have the most to lose if you take a lot of chips from them. The short stacked players are likely to attack your bets by pushing all in. They have nothing to lose and need to take chances to increase their stack.

If you have enough chips, you can push all in against a short stack when you have a decent hand. This is better than raising and then having to call there push. This takes away their fold equity in the situation.

These are things that become second nature when you play SNG tournaments regularly. You can play them in about an hour, much less if you play the turbo version. So, play some SNGs and get yourself ready to play with confidence when you reach the final table of that big MTT.