Tournament Adjusting Your Strategy as the Blinds Increase in Texas Hold’em Tourneys Owen Gaines Owen Gaines is a professional poker player and author who has played an estimated ten million hands and written four poker strategy books. September 8, 2025 Tournament success often comes down to adjusting smoothly to each blind increaseIn tournament poker, one of the most critical adjustments players must make comes when the blinds start to rise. Unlike cash games, where stack sizes stay relatively steady, blinds in Texas Hold’em tournaments increase at set intervals, constantly putting pressure on players to adapt. Failing to shift gears as the blinds grow larger can quickly lead to being blinded down and losing the ability to compete effectively. Early in a tournament, blinds are small compared to starting stacks, which allows players more freedom to see flops and play speculative hands like suited connectors or small pairs. There’s time to wait for premium spots, and survival isn’t yet under threat.But as levels go up, those same speculative hands become less profitable because each pot requires a bigger commitment from your stack. That’s when tightening your hand selection and valuing position even more becomes crucial.As the middle stages arrive, stack sizes in relation to blinds shrink, and players must shift from waiting to applying pressure. Stealing blinds becomes an essential part of maintaining a playable stack.Opening in late position with a wider range, or re-raising against frequent stealers, can help keep chips flowing without always needing to see showdowns. At the same time, players have to be more mindful of stack-to-pot ratios and avoid spots where they could be dominated with marginal holdings.Shorter stacks and larger blinds in the late stages bring the game into push-or-fold territory for many. This phase requires an understanding of shove ranges and knowing when calling all-ins is mathematically correct. Players who adapt to these dynamics put themselves in a position to survive longer and reach deeper finishes.