Double or nothing strategy to help in a double or nothing poker tournament can take you a long way in these new tournaments. For purposes of illustration, understand that such a tournament is one in which 10 players start and in which the last five players left are paid out double the amount that they paid to buy in.

You should always come to the tournament constantly checking out who you think your competition will be. You should try to always avoid a table where you are sure there are going to be a number of regulars competing against you. In fact, there are two different ways to play a double or nothing tournament, which is playing against random players and playing against regulars.

Most experts in poker advise that you go into the tournament with enough buy-in to comfortably back your play. For professionals, the recommended minimum is at least 40 buy-ins while recreational players are advised to start with at least 20 buy-ins. In a $10 tournament — which is typical — he’ll start your equity position at $10 and you will double it at $15. 55

When it comes to strategy, beginners need to remember that anytime they open from an early — meaning close to the dealer — position they will want to have a strong hand such as a big pair. In some cases, the Ace/King combination can also work, but that would be the bare minimum in order to open when you are so close to the dealer.

Later positions can scale their openers down accordingly. Keep the following pieces of advice in mind when playing in a double or nothing tournament: Don’t call a push if you have what is called fold equity after a hand. You will need to be at least an 80% odds-favorite just to break even when you have fold equity.

As you move through the tournament, keep in mind that in the early stages you want to play in a very tight manner. The middle stages of the tournament will require that you watch your stack and try to keep it from going down too much. In the end or later stages try to avoid going out on any bubble. At a minimum, know what your buy-ins will be and what to do if you’re left with just fold equity.

For more help to improve your double or nothing strategy with these double or nothing tips.