Multi-Table Tournament Poker Strategy: How to Protect Your Hand

by David Williams | Nov 6 2008

Situation: Early on in an multi-table poker tournament you’re on the BB position and get dealt AK suited in hearts. You get three limpers before you and raise the pot 4x the BB. All 3 limpers call and see a flop. Flop comes A K 4 (two spades). You bet out a 3/4 pot bet and get two callers.
 
Question(s): You don't have any history on your players at this point. What do you put them on? The flush draw? What action do you take on the turn? Do you play it safe or do you continue to be aggressive? What types of scenarios are going through your head at this moment?

Well, the only hands I can really put them on are: 44, A4, a flush draw and an Ace with a weak kicker. I would probably eliminate 44 and A4 from their possible holdings because you would expect to see a raise to price out the flush draw. My most likely guess would be an A for one and a flush draw for the other, although they both may have the draw. It is very important to notice which card is the offsuit card. If it's the Ace, it's also possible that one of them could have an Ace and a flush draw. But you can most likely eliminate that hand also because it is so strong you might also see a raise.

Given that those are the hands, I would put them on my turn action would be determined by if the flush completes. If it does, then I obviously try and keep the pot small and most likely check. Depending on the stack sizes and obviously how they have been playing, I would consider folding…but I doubt it. Hopefully we are deep enough to be able to see the river and reevaluate. If the turn card does not complete the flush I continue to play it strong for two reasons. The first is to give the players with a flush draw a bad price to make their hand and hopefully punish them for drawing. The second is that if one of them has an Ace and was willing to call on the flop, I want them to continue to put money in drawing almost if not completely dead.

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