Play tight and try to survive longer than one or more of the other players left in the game. This puts enormous pressure on the players on the bubble to try to win a pot before you do. If they lose, you are further up the climb to the top. If they win, you still have the chance to win another pot and put yourself in the same position they are. Assuming you have enough chips to see the next few hands, playing tight reduces the chance of elimination and allows other players to take each other out of the game before someone reaches the bubble.

At this stage, the blinds are becoming so high that the majority of the remaining players have become short-stacked. Once the bubble has burst, the next objective is to take a seat at the final table. As the game becomes increasingly short-handed, players with short stacks may only see a few hands before their chips are lost to the blinds.

It is important to keep an eye on the other tables or to watch the tournament monitor closely to see how many players are left. Most low buy-in tournaments only pay out to players at the final table. As fewer tables remain, you can get a better feel for how many chips the remaining players have. If you have an average to above average stack, you want to play aggressively when you raise, and play conservatively when you call. As you near the final table, it is best to fold any but premium hands—trying to outlast the players with the short-stacks.

In tournament play, it is not a final big hand that makes the difference. Instead, it is what occurs when you are down to the last two or three tables that matters most. It is at this point that you should develop your chip stack and focus on understanding the other players likely to make it to the final table.

Final table play is different from regular tournament play. You must make an adjustment after the elimination of each player. With five to nine opponents remaining, you should continue to play your basic game. This means playing premium starting hands aggressively, playing hands when in position and playing the situation. As fewer players remain, the game—and how you have to play it—changes dramatically.

It is important to remember that when you are at the final table, and are not one of the chip leaders, it is not advisable to challenge the larger stacks with less than premium hands. The only exceptions are if you are on a blind steal or if you notice a weakness in a larger stack you can successfully exploit. At this point, the larger stacks can end your tournament without any misplay on your part. Realize that—normally—the better players are at the final table, and that trying to get cute can easily lead to disaster. If you are going to make a move, do so against the smaller stacks. The players with smaller chip stacks are often just trying to hang on and move up the pay scale, making them vulnerable to aggressive play.