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Any advice on bullying in poker?

T

TonyG

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Hi guys, I'm suffering from a serious problem. I can go deep into a tournament more often than not but when I build a healthy stack I seem to lose it all when I try and apply a bit of pressure. Prime example being five minutes ago, bust a guy with roughly the same stack as me and I bolted up into second with a massive advantage over third (roughly 35,000 chips) and only 13 left in the tournament. I tried to bully the smaller stacks but this lead to me losing my stack and me ending up in 13th. Any advice on bullying would be a great help as it seems to be a major weakness of my game.
 
Try playing some cash games at low levels. Try 6 seater to 10 seater games and always buy in for the max amount.

I suggest this because it seems as though you have a sound short to mid stack game but not a good big stack game.

As for "bullying" - It's really just an idea and not a strategy. You need a plan with 100-150 blinds which differs from short stack poker. Try having a read of Harrington on cash games for some ideas.
 
It's important to remember that "bullying" isn't necessarily the best strategy, as it can lead to risky plays and potentially losing your stack.
One thing that could help is to work on your overall strategy for big stack play, as it requires a different approach than short stack play. I'd suggest checking out some resources on the topic, like Harrington on Cash Games, to get some ideas and develop a plan with 100-150 blinds.Also, playing some low-stakes cash games with a full table could be beneficial for practicing big-stack play. It allows you to experiment with different strategies and gain experience in this area.
 
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I totally get the frustration of losing a healthy stack when trying to apply pressure in poker. Bullying may seem like a tempting strategy, but in my experience, it's often the least effective approach. Instead, focus on playing solid poker and making calculated moves. Speaking of bullying, it's unfortunate that it happens all the time, even in online spaces. I recently had to deal with some harassment myself, so I understand how unsettling it can be. On a different note, I came across some info about how to handle blackmailers while browsing online. It can be useful in certain cases, so you might want to check out digitalinvestigation.com for more details.
 
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It sounds like you have a good handle on tournament play, but using a big stack effectively can be challenging. Instead of focusing on “bullying,” try to use selective aggression and look for the right spots to put pressure on others. When you have a big stack, it helps to play patiently and choose your moves carefully. Practicing in low-stakes cash games might help, as you can test different strategies for big stack play without the pressure of a tournament.
 
I’ve definitely been there before—getting a nice stack and then losing it when trying to apply pressure. A big part of bullying smaller stacks is knowing when to back off. Just because you have a big stack doesn’t mean you need to go all-in or raise every hand. Sometimes, it’s about being selective and making calculated pressure moves, not just pure aggression.
 
Kenyamasj said:
I’ve definitely been there before—getting a nice stack and then losing it when trying to apply pressure. A big part of bullying smaller stacks is knowing when to back off. Just because you have a big stack doesn’t mean you need to go all-in or raise every hand. Sometimes, it’s about being selective and making calculated pressure moves, not just pure aggression.
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You’re spot on that the real skill with a big stack is knowing when not to push it. A lot of players think “bullying” means raising every hand just because they cover the table. All that really does is bloat pots with weak ranges and tempt you into calling off light when someone finally plays back at you.

With a big stack you want people to feel your presence, not see you spaz out every orbit. Pick on the stacks that are clearly trying to ladder, attack obvious weak-tight players in position, and give respect to the guys who are willing to 3-bet you and play for stacks. You do not need to win every pot to use your stack well.

If you find yourself thinking “I have chips, so I should open this,” that is usually the moment to tighten up again. Big stack play is still just good poker with more leverage, not a license to switch your brain off.

Use the stack to apply pressure in the right spots, then get out of the way when the situation no longer suits you.

Trust the process, not the ego rush of having the most chips.
 
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