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There are 4 segments of the single table no-limit tournaments: the Beginning, the Middle, In the Money, and Heads-up.

THE BEGINNING

The beginning of a single table tournament is similar to multi-table tournaments in that you start by playing tight. Most of the people that play in the small buy-in one-table tournaments are pretty bad, (small, meaning any buy-in of $50 or less). By simply waiting for strong hands, you allow the weaker players to become short stacked or eliminated.

In the beginning, just play big pairs, and play them strong before the flop. Any pair below Q-Q try to limp in and see a cheap flop. Any raise should be 3 times the big blind, but be sure to get away from the hand if an over-card comes on the flop. Limp in with any small pair but give them up if you don’t flop trips.

Your pre-flop folding percentage should be well over 80%. Play this way until you are down to 5 players. Hopefully you’ll have almost as many chips as you started with or more.

If you haven’t really gained too many chips by the time you’re down to five players, it’s now time to change gears and get really aggressive.

If you have about double the chips you started with or more, then you can be more conservative and wait for strong hands. Your ultimate goal is to make it to at least the top three and in the money.

THE MIDDLE

The middle of the tourney is when there are only five players remaining. Time to change gears and get very aggressive! Most people will be a bit conservative at this point because they are close to the money and want something in return. Take advantage of these people. This is a time for chip gathering. Now you can open up your raising requirements quite a bit.

You should raise with any pocket pair, A-x, any two cards ten or above, or K-x suited.

You must still consider position and play a bit tighter if in very early. You’d rather be first to enter the pot with these hands, but one limper can be tolerated (you’d rather the limper be a weak player).

If you have a big hand, raise from any position. A raise should be at least three times the big blind. A smaller raise may not fold the big blind and also may tempt someone to limp-in with weak cards, which may end up beating you. If you get called, be careful, especially if you’re up against a tight player. Make one medium sized bet at the pot if you completely miss the flop. If you hit the flop fairly strong, play aggressive, but be careful. Most of the time when you raise at this point of the tournament, you are NOT looking to be called, unless you have a big hand.

Play this aggressive style until you are down to three players.
You should have a competitive stack from all of your raising. By raising, you’re playing on your opponents fears of busting out early. If you’re re-raised by someone with a lot of chips, be very careful, and often times, fold. You don’t want to play against the big stacks until you’re in the money. Don’t be tempted to limp in and see a cheap flop. If you can’t come in raising, then don’t come in. Wait for a better hand that is worth raising.

IN THE MONEY

You made it! Top three! Don’t settle for third! Most of the money goes to the top two. If you’re second in chips at this point, go after the big stack. He’ll be a little more conservative. He may think he has enough to win and will play tight. Have a better hand against the short stack, which hopefully you’re not. The short stack may be more likely to gamble now because he’s happy to have made the money, and the blinds are usually so big now that he’ll call more often. So have a better hand against the short stack than the big stack. Get it? Short stack doesn’t care and may call any bet. The Big stack has a lot at stake.

HEADS UP

Now it’s time to turn it up another notch. It’s time for down right nasty, evil, hell-bent, foolish, aggression. You’ve got to play like you don’t care if you get first or second. Let your opponent worry about that. He wants to win, and you don’t care. Out-right, over-the-top aggression. He checks, you bet! He calls, you raise. Bet, bet, bet! Of course you should throw away most of your garbage hands, but stay the aggressor most of the time. Play like you don’t care and you should have the best of it most of the time.