In Texas Holdem tournaments, blind levels increase over time, adding pressure and forcing players to make decisions faster and more strategically. Knowing how to adjust your play as the blinds rise is essential to surviving deep into the tournament and building a stack capable of competing at the final table. This guide will walk you through how to stay ahead of the escalating blinds and avoid being blinded out.

Why Blind Increases Matter

Unlike in cash games where blinds remain constant, tournament blinds escalate at set intervals—typically every 10 to 20 minutes online or 30 to 60 minutes live. As the blinds go up:

• Pot sizes grow, increasing risk and reward
• Effective stack sizes shrink, creating pressure
• Stealing blinds becomes more profitable
• ICM pressure increases near payout bubbles

Recognize the Impact of Blind Levels

1. Effective Stack Sizes

Your effective stack size (stack size relative to the current blinds) determines what hands you can profitably play. As your stack shrinks in terms of big blinds, your hand range should adjust.

• 40+ BBs: You can play more post-flop and apply pressure
• 20–40 BBs: Look for value spots and positional steals
• 10–20 BBs: Time for shove/fold decisions
• Under 10 BBs: Push or fold—no more limping or speculative plays

2. Blinds Put Pressure on Everyone

As the tournament progresses:

• Short stacks are forced to act
• Medium stacks become targets
• Big stacks gain leverage to bully others
  You need to stay aware of where you stand and play accordingly.

How to Adjust Your Strategy

1. Play More Aggressively in Late Position

When blinds are high:

• Use late position to steal blinds with wider ranges
• Target players who are folding too much
• Don’t limp—raise or fold is generally best at this stage

2. Attack Tight Players

Tight players trying to survive rising blinds are vulnerable to steals. Open-raise more frequently against these players, especially from the cutoff or button.

3. Defend Your Blinds Wisely

As pots get larger:

• You’ll need to defend your big blind more often with marginal hands
• Consider calling or shoving over small raises with hands like suited connectors or Ax, depending on your stack