Preflop play is the foundation of success in multi-table tournaments (MTTs). While poker strategy often focuses on complex postflop decisions, the reality is that many hands, and even tournaments as a whole, are won with the decisions made before the flop is even dealt. Stack sizes, table position, blind pressure, and opponent tendencies all combine to create evolving preflop dynamics that you will need to react to in order to survive and advance.
In MTTs especially, preflop decisions carry even more weight than they do in cash games. Tournament stacks are finite. Blind levels increase over time. Survival has real value! Your thresholds to push/fold, 3-bet, and select hands to open must constantly adjust as stacks get shorter and pay jumps loom. Players who master these adjustments gain a significant edge over opponents who rely on static ranges or outdated strategies.
Another key reason to study preflop play is that it directly affects every postflop situation that follows. The ranges players construct before the flop dictate how boards interact with those ranges later. A well-built preflop strategy will simplify many difficult postflop spots, while poor preflop choices often lead to awkward situations that are difficult to navigate in important pots.
One of the best places to study modern poker strategy is Run It Once, the poker training platform founded by Phil Galfond. Run It Once Training offers a wide library of content covering cash games, tournaments, theory, and practical applications. The platform provides a number of high-quality videos for free, as well as deeper strategic libraries of content available through Essential and Elite membership tiers. For tournament players looking to sharpen their preflop game, the Run It Once video library is an excellent resource.
READ MORE: Run It Once Training — A Thorough Review
Below are five videos that highlight different aspects of preflop play in tournaments. The first video is available for free, while the remaining videos are part of the Essential membership library.
Preflop Sensitivity – Alex Theologis
In this video, Alex Theologis explores the concept of preflop sensitivity using solver analysis to demonstrate how ranges shift when different table dynamics have changed.
Rather than presenting a fixed chart or rigid strategy, Theologis highlights how different variables such as rake structures, stack sizes, or opponent responses can influence optimal preflop decisions. The lesson here is that poker strategy is not static. What appears to be the “correct” opening range or 3-bet frequency in one situation may look very different hand to hand, depending on what has happened.
MTTs are full of variables: stacks fluctuate constantly, players tighten up near the bubble, and pay jumps affect what players should be willing to risk their stack on. By understanding how sensitive solver solutions are to these inputs, players can become more flexible, learning to adapt and use tools to learn rather than blindly following charts.
WATCH: Preflop Sensitivity – Alex Theologis
Different Ideas for Preflop – Ivan Banic
In this Essential-level video, Ivan Banic dives deeper into the idea that there is rarely just one “correct” way to construct a preflop strategy. Using solver outputs, Banic demonstrates that multiple viable solutions can exist for the same situation.
This may sound surprising to players who expect solvers to produce a single definitive answer. In reality, poker equilibrium strategies should allow for a range of balanced approaches. For example, a player might achieve similar results by mixing more 3-bets while defending less, or by defending more while 3-betting less aggressively.
Banic walks through several examples that illustrate how these different approaches can coexist within theoretically sound play. The takeaway for tournament players is that understanding the underlying purpose of a strategy is more important than memorizing specific frequencies.
Learning how these solutions differ also helps players tailor strategies to their own strengths. Some players may prefer aggressive, 3-bet heavy approaches, while others may be more comfortable with flatter, postflop-oriented strategies. As long as the overall structure is balanced, multiple approaches can work!
WATCH: Different Ideas for Preflop – Ivan Banic
MTT GTO vs Exploitative Preflop Play – Adam Crawford
While game theory optimal (GTO) strategies provide a valuable baseline, real-world opponents usually stray away from theoretical play. In this video, Adam Crawford explores how to balance GTO fundamentals with exploitative adjustments in tournament preflop scenarios.
For example, many tournament fields tend to overfold to 3-bets or under-defend their big blind. Recognizing these patterns allows skilled players to shift away from strict GTO frequencies and capture additional value.
The key lesson here is that GTO strategy should serve as a starting point, not a rigid rulebook. By understanding what balanced play looks like, players gain a reference point that helps them identify profitable deviations.
For tournament grinders, developing this balance between theory and exploitation is crucial. It is essential if you are playing live tournaments, in particular. The ability to recognize when to stick to baseline strategy and when to deviate aggressively is one of the defining traits of elite MTT players.
WATCH: MTT GTO vs Exploitative Preflop Play – Adam Crawford
Final Table Big Blind vs Opens – Adam Crawford
Final tables introduce more preflop variables than any other stage of the tournament. Stack distributions are often uneven, pay jumps can be significant, and the Independent Chip Model (ICM) dramatically alters strategy.
In this drill-based video, Adam Crawford focuses on big blind defense against open raises during final table play. Because the big blind closes the action preflop and receives excellent pot odds, the position naturally encourages wide defending ranges. However, ICM pressure often complicates these decisions.
Crawford walks through a series of practice scenarios designed to test and refine players’ instincts in these spots. By repeatedly examining situations with varying stack sizes and payout implications, players begin to internalize how dramatically ranges shift under ICM pressure.
These drills are particularly valuable because final table decisions often happen quickly. Developing strong instincts for these scenarios can make a significant difference when real money is on the line.
WATCH: Final Table Big Blind vs Opens – Adam Crawford
How Postflop Strategy Changes with Preflop Decisions – Ivan Banic
The final video we’re including in this guide ties everything together by examining how preflop decisions influence postflop play. In this lesson, Ivan Banic demonstrates how different preflop strategies create entirely different postflop environments.
For example, choosing to 3-bet rather than flat-call changes the stack-to-pot ratio, the perceived range strength, and the types of boards that favor each player. These differences ripple throughout the hand, affecting c-bet frequencies, bluffing opportunities, and value betting decisions.
Banic’s analysis highlights why strong players devote so much study time to preflop play. By constructing better ranges before the flop, players create situations where postflop decisions become clearer and more profitable.
Understanding this connection also reinforces a key concept: preflop strategy should never be studied in isolation. The best preflop decisions are those that set up favorable situations for the rest of the hand.
WATCH: How Postflop Strategy Changes with Preflop Decisions – Ivan Banic
Building a Strong Tournament Foundation with Run It Once Training
For MTT players looking to improve their results, mastering preflop play is one of the highest-impact areas of study. The decisions made before the flop determine how stacks are risked, how ranges interact with boards, and ultimately how profitable a player’s overall strategy becomes.
The Run It Once Training videos highlighted above provide a strong starting point for exploring modern tournament preflop strategy. From solver sensitivity to exploitative adjustments and final table dynamics, each lesson sheds light on a different part of the preflop puzzle.
Whether you’re a newer tournament player or an experienced grinder, investing time in these concepts can pay huge dividends. With resources like Run It Once Training providing both free and premium training content, there has never been a better time to deepen your understanding of tournament poker strategy.
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