If you’re playing a short- handed satellite where the top 10 or 15 players go through to a bigger event, your in-it-to-win-it strategy goes out the window. In full-handed tourneys you can cruise through to the last few spots if you’re a medium stack. In short-handed action – when the blinds are coming around almost twice as fast – you can fi nd yourself getting sucked back into bubble trouble a lot more easily.

Keep a close eye on the other tables and don’t force the issue if there are players running on just one or two blinds. The law of averages means they’ll crash out before you. Don’t be afraid to run the clock down in such circumstances, as people on other tables probably are too.

If you’re the chip leader in such circumstances, you want to avoid big gambles, and if you do get involved, it should be with the intention of slowly grinding down your foes. If you’re a small stack, you have no choice but to be aggressive and hope that you don’t get any callers. Picking up the blinds can be the difference between a ticket and nothing.

If you’re a big stack in the company of another tower of power you should try to implicitly collude against the small stacks by getting involved in three-way pots and both checking it down. It’s not cheating – it’s cooperative action for mutual gain, but you can get done for it if it’s reported that you’re discussing doing it, so keep schtum. Quick checks on every street should advertise your cruel intentions.