I've had a very good stretch with startup investing, and I think it's very important to know when to hold your chips.
Consistently playing suited connectors like 8c-7c for raises and reraises will cause big chip swings. If that's what you want, well, strap on your seatbelt, because you've got a turbulent ride ahead of you!
My primary game is to put my chips into the pot only when I'm super-strong. I tend to fold a lot of hands while waiting around for those strong hands to come.
In tournaments, you want to steal the blinds as cheaply as possible without risking a high percentage of your chips.
Protect your hand when you're confident you're in the lead. Don't be greedy and try to milk your opponent for a few more chips when the pot is already large.
The most important reason why it's dangerous to risk all your chips pre-flop is that you simply can't be certain that you are even in a coin flip situation at that time.
One or two great lay downs per tournament will give you a few extra lives while a few well-timed bluffs will give you a ton of extra chips.
It's imperative to save a few chips whenever possible when playing small-ball poker. You never want to risk a high percentage of your chips unless you're dealt a monster hand.
When my reading ability is sharp, I can dodge bullets, baby! I have no problem folding super-strong hands and that saves me a ton of chips.
It used to be considered an art form to win a tournament without having to shove all your chips in the middle.
In tournament play, it's generally advisable to avoid risking large sums of chips in coin flip situations, like pocket sixes versus A-K. After all, the pocket pair is only a very slight heads-up favorite.
