Changing Gears

To win a NASCAR race, you have to change gears. Well, if you want to be successful playing tournament poker, especially in the big-time events like those on the World Poker Tour, you also need to "change gears." It's something that all of the great players do.

Simply put, changing gears means changing your style (that is, speed) of play for a brief period of time. If you've been playing solid or fairly tight poker for a while, switch gears and play aggressively for a round or two and then go back to solid play. And if you've been playing fast, slow down for a while before returning to your aggressive style. Mix it up from slow to fast, and vice versa.

The advantage of changing gears is that it keeps your opponents off guard in regard to categorizing you into a certain style of play. Your mission is to keep them guessing as to how you play and what you have. It's much easier to play against someone when you know his style. For example, if someone doesn't play a pot for two hours, you can be pretty sure that he has aces or kings when he finally comes into a pot.

Now that you know that it's to your advantage to change gears, you should be asking yourself these questions: How often should I change gears? When should I change gears?

The answer to the first question is, not that often. You need to do it only a couple of times a tournament. When you should change gears is what's really important, and common sense plays a role here.

Once you believe everyone thinks you're playing tight, switch gears and play loose and aggressive poker for a little while. (Recognize that there is no sense in changing gears if you've just been moved to a new table, because no one knows how you were playing at the previous table.)

There are certain times that you should change gears in a tournament. One is when the blinds and antes have just gone up. If you've been playing tight, this is a great opportunity to get aggressive and pick up some pots. Your opponents will give you credit for having a hand and you should take advantage of the situation. Other times that you should step it up and switch gears is immediately prior to making the money and just before the final table is assembled. The vast majority of players tighten up because they just want to make the money and/or the final table. It's the perfect time to attack and accumulate chips.

To illustrate this point, I'll share a remarkable story with you. It happened in the championship event of the 1992 World Series of Poker. That year was the first time that 36 players were paid in the main event. We were down to 37 players and dealing "hand for hand" at every table. No one was playing a pot. All of the players wanted to make the money, so they folded and looked over their shoulders at the other tables, hoping someone would go broke. No one did.

I was sitting right next to Hamid Dastmalchi. He was very aware of what was happening, and started raising every pot. I knew he was stealing them, but like everyone else, I wanted to make the money and didn't want to get involved.

Incredibly, we played for more than an hour and a half before losing a player. (I would make a big bet that it took longer to go from 37 to 36 players in that tournament than any tournament in history.) Before we lost a player, Hamid went from $40,000 or so to around $140,000 in chips by stealing the blinds and antes. He went on to win the tournament and become the world champion.

Hamid changed gears and took advantage of the situation. Had he not changed gears at that particular time (or had we reached 36 players in 10 minutes), chances are that he would not have won that tournament. Give him credit, as he stepped it up at the right time.

When opportunity presents itself, you need to do what champions do, and change gears.

Take care.

Mike Sexton is the host of PartyPoker.com, commentator on the World Poker Tour (which can be seen every Wednesday on the Travel Channel), and the author of Shuffle Up and Deal (which is on The New York Times best-seller list and can be purchased at www.CardPlayer.com).