It can feel daunting and intimidating to sit at an online poker table these days, where you think everyone has their strategy perfectly dialed in, using GTO (Game Theory Optimal) strategies. You might be thinking, is it even worth it to play tournaments online? Do I have any hope to profit in today's poker games? While it is true that games have evolved to a different level of skill as GTO studying has become mainstream for regular poker players, there are still many ways to profit in the current poker climate. Beating other GTO players isn't only about studying harder than them and implementing closer to optimal strategies than them. You can find the biggest edges not by approximating perfect play; but by finding cracks where human error slips through. This can and does happen often in tournaments, especially when ICM (Independent Chip Modelling) becomes a factor. Here is a roadmap to exploiting subtle mistakes and finding edges.

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1. Exploit Situational and Stack-Size Adjustments:

While GTO strategies are theoretically unexploitable, they are not perfectly executed by human players. No human can remember all the possible scenarios simultaneously and nobody can play perfect GTO all of the time. Pay close attention in certain situations where opponents are known to deviate from GTO, like being short-stacked, the bubble, and ICM especially when facing significant pay jumps. Exploit these deviations and you will gain an edge on GTO players. Because of the varying stack sizes in tournaments there are plenty of opportunities to find these. Some things to look out for;

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• Error - Over-folding or Under-folding at a specific stage of tournament.
• ‍Exploit - Use larger aggression and bet-sizes or lesser aggression and lower bet sizes.

• Error - Pre-flop range is too wide or too narrow for the format.
• ‍Exploit - Adjust your flatting, defending and 3-bet range accordingly

• Error - Predictable bet sizing patterns.
• ‍Exploit - When they indicate strength, be cautions, if they indicate weakness; pounce.

• Error - Over aggression.
• ‍Exploit - To counter this you have to balance the fact that you can call lighter in many spots but you should open less.

• Error - Under aggression.
• ‍Exploit - If he isn’t bluffing at a high enough frequency, fold more often against big bets. If he is too passive in specific spots such as being short-stacked you can adjust by robbing their blinds at a higher frequency than GTO recommends.

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2. Employ Balanced Exploitative Play:

GTO strategies are calculated to be unexploitable so that there is no line your opponent can take to gain EV from you. The thing is that they are not the most profitable approach against specific opponents. Develop a balanced strategy that incorporates exploitative plays that take advantage of the tendencies and weaknesses of your opponents when the situation calls for it while maintaining your solid GTO strategy most of the time. In other words, don’t overdo it and try to outplay your opponent in every single spot because you picked up on some mistakes by them.

3. Focus on the Endgame and Final Table Play:

A decent percentage of the field still  struggles to properly adjust their strategy effectively in the final stages of tournaments. Spend a good portion of your studying time focusing on late game and Final Table play because this is the stage of the tournament which presents both the most opportunity and the most profitable opportunities to exploit opponents who are failing to adequately adjust to increased ICM pressure.

4. Specialize in Specific Game Formats:

While GTO strategies are applicable to various game formats, being an expert in specific tournament structures, such as turbos, PKO (Progressive Knockouts), or Mystery Bounty events can give you a huge edge. Develop your knowledge and skill at implementing the adjustments required to optimally play when unique dynamics have to be considered.

5. Incorporate Reads:

While GTO strategies are based on Nash Equilibrium, poker is also a game of incomplete information and human behavior. To outplay your GTO opponents, you need to not only approximate the proper GTO range for your opponent in a spot but also know how his specific range might deviate from that, based on your stats and observations of that opponent or the field in general. Develop your ability to read opponents, pick up on their tendencies, and adjust your strategy accordingly. Incorporating game flow and table dynamics into your decision-making process will improve this ability.

6. Bankroll Management:

Tournament poker involves tons of variance, and playing GTO will not save you from making poor choices here. Develop strong bankroll management skills and maintain emotional control to avoid tilt and handle the swings like a champ. This mental edge will provide you with an advantage over opponents who struggle with it because you will be more fearless to make the difficult but correct decisions you have to, like bluff catching light in a certain spot or overbet shipping with air when the situation calls for it.

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The last word:

Unless someone is using a solver real-time and outright cheating, they are not infallible as a GTO player. Skilled players can and do find ways to exploit even evidently unexploitable strategy. Continuous study, practice, and adaptation are key to gain or maintain an edge in today's poker world.

Finding a way to compete against  players who are playing close to GTO is difficult but not insurmountable for someone who is determined to. Perfect GTO is unexploitable over the long run, but it is not always the most profitable line to take.

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