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Here are some strategies when playing online WSOP* Qualifiers.
It is important to firstly, really (really) know your poker, I know this may sound a bit obvious but standard MTT strategies do apply to all World Series of Poker* Satellite tournaments, but with a few key differences that make all the difference when you play them.
Choose your Starting Hands Wisely:
When choosing your starting hands, especially if you are new to the game, it is important to think very carefully about the cards that you have been dealt. It’s a “no-brainer” folding a 7-2 off suit (meaning the cards are not of the same suit), much as it’s obvious that if you are dealt two Aces then you should play the pot. The problem comes when you're dealt a marginal starting hand, like K-10 or Q-J. These are the hands that are often misleading, because if you hit on the flop (make a pair or a straight or flush draw) either of the two hands mentioned can be trouble.
The problem with a marginal hand is that there are many other hands that could potentially beat it. Let’s assume you've been dealt a K-10. The flop comes out K-x-x. Someone raises the pot. Your hand looks attractive as you have paired your K. However, with only a 10 as a kicker your starting hand would be beaten by a K–J/Q/A, and this raises the question: how do you identify a player who holds any of these card combinations? For a novice player the best way to avoid this situation is to closely regulate the cards that you play. If you avoid playing marginal hands then you are guaranteed not to lose money when they are beaten!
Be Super Agressive in the Middle and later stages:
The number one mistake of Satellite players is to play too tight, as they would in a normal tournament structure with cash prizes. It is important to study the maths of the Satellite tournament specifically. When you are playing in a normal MTT on most poker sites the top 10 to 15% of finishers end up "in the money" - However, with Satellite tournaments the percentage ratio of winners is far, far less. Most Satellites only award the seat to the top 1 or 2% of entrants, so you can easily play perfect tight poker for hours, only to come second out of 500 players, and only the winner goes through.
Remember that only the absolute winner often goes through, so it is important to remember this when you are trying to pick up pots through the competition. Playing tight to reach the final table can leave you at a serious chip disadvantage to other players when you finally get there, so you could just be wasting your time. Play Agressive, but try to balance it with chosing only the better starting hands. It's getting this balance right that's the key to qualifying for the Big Tournament online at Satellite tournaments.
Tournament Choice Considerations:
When choosing your Satellites its normally best to buy in directly to the finals, choose sub-satellites rather than choosing the micro-buyin super satellites, or to play in the more expensive ones that you can afford. Math always applies, and if you have paid $1 to enter a tournament, your chances are mathematically around 1 / 10,000 against qualifying. If you buy in for $1,000 then your chances are 1 / 10 - much healthier odds!!