Poker in local tournaments often seems unpredictable, but for experienced players, it is almost the opposite: it is full of repeated patterns. Professional and best-selling author Alexander Fitzgerald
1) The inability to fold in multi-way pots
Many players cling to top pair or medium draws even though the action indicates a very strong hand. When a solid opponent bets big against several opponents, their range is usually very powerful. In this context, Fitzgerald suggests that disciplined players can take advantage by betting stronger with made hands, as recreational players will tend to overpay.
2) Playing too many hands preflop
At full tables, the correct strategy involves folding most of the time. However, the average player enters the action with weak raises, limps, or marginal calls. Detecting these opponents allows for adjusting the strategy: betting for thinner value when they show weak hands or pressuring them with bluffs when their range is wide and fragile.
3) Not using the three-bet enough
In many local tournaments, it is perceived as a move reserved only for premium hands. Fitzgerald emphasizes that it is a fundamental aggressive tool, relatively cheap in chips and very effective against players who open too many hands. Incorporating three-bets with high cards or suited connectors can balance the game and punish excessive openings.
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Alexander Fitzgerald has just over three million dollars in online poker and nearly one million in live tournaments.
4) Bluffing only out of frustration
Many players bluff when they miss draws or feel the session has gone against them. The problem is that their lines do not represent strong hands. The best moments to bluff do not depend on emotional state, but on the logic of the opponent’s range: for example, when their line indicates they cannot have strong hands.
5) Not finding the fold on the river
In small tournaments, where rebuys are possible, players call out of pride, intuition, or simple anger. But when a recreational opponent bets big on several streets, they usually have real value. Recognizing this allows for saving chips on unnecessary calls and maintaining a competitive stack.
The conclusion is simple: observing patterns and understanding common weaknesses turns every hand into a strategic opportunity. In local poker, the advantage is not always in the cards, but in the correct reading of the opponent’s behavior.
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Source: Alexander Fitzgerald at PokerHeadRush.com
