Some people like to play the cash games at Bodog Poker. Others prefer tournaments. You can’t go wrong either way, but you can get the best of both worlds by playing single-table tournaments (STTs). These tourneys are a specific kind of Sit and Go, where the game begins as soon as the table fills up. It could be a full-ring STT with nine players, a short-handed table with six players, or heads-up with just you and one opponent.

With STTs, you get to enjoy the fun of playing a tournament, and you also have a prime opportunity to build a bankroll – you can play up to 20 tournament tables at once when you play poker at Bodog. Fitting these STTs into your schedule is easier, too; a full-ring STT will be over in about 30-60 minutes, or even more quickly when you play a Turbo STT. Here are five tips to help you get the most out of this exciting and flexible format:
 

1. Tight Is Right in the Early Stages
As with any other tournament, when the blinds are low and there aren’t any antes on the table, you don’t have a lot of incentive to go chasing those chips. Open a tight range of hands, and don’t risk too much of your stack trying to complete your draws.
 

2. No Slowplaying Early
Since you’re opening with a strong range during the early orbits, you’ll usually be better off pounding that hand for value with bets and raises, instead of playing a trapping style with checks and calls. Unless you have the almighty nuts, getting your opponent to fold is more important than trying to take all their chips.
 

3. Get Aggressive in the Middle
Once the first few players have been eliminated, it’s time to take advantage of the other tight stacks at the table. Having the ability to change gears like this will put you one step ahead of your opponents – and help you avoid getting short-stacked.
 

4. Target the Right Players
When you’re close to the money bubble, make sure to target your aggression at the right players. If you’re the big stack, attack the middle stacks and leave the shorties alone. If you’re one of the middle stacks, stay away from the players who have you covered. And if you’ve got the short-stack, don’t be picky, just get those chips in the middle as soon as there’s an opening.
 

5. Know When to Push
At some point, you’ll probably be the short stack at the table. Treat this situation like any other poker tournament, and either go all-in or fold once you get down to around 10 big blinds. If you double-up, brilliant; if you bust, shake it off and immediately turn your attention to the next STT. Remember, no matter how good you are at poker, you can’t win ‘em all.