Phil Gordon gives some great online poker secrets in regards to how to play when you are the big stack at the table in a poker tournament:

1. Never limp into a pot
2. If the blinds consist of tight players with average stacks, play almost any hand in position
3. Punish limpers with big raises from position when you think they are weak
4. Call from position more often when an opponent with an average stack enters the pot with a raise
5. Rarely, if ever, confront a short-stacked opponent without a premium poker hand
6. Try to win more hands before the flop

You dont always know how a poker player will react to what has happened to them at the table.  Take a time out when the below circumstances take place to determine how the table has been affected:

1. A player just won a big pot
2. A player just lost a big pot
3. A player at the table just got caught bluffing
4. A player was just eliminated
5. A player is tilting
6. A player has likely changed gears
7. The blinds have been increased

“When the board is paired, the chance of someone having actually ‘caught a peice’ of the flop is much smaller than if there are cards of three different ranks on the board.” – Phil Gordon

The online poker secret here is: Regardless of what you have, if no one else has bet, BET!

“When a player enters a pot before the flop and has more than half of his chips in action, I consider him 100% pot committed.  Given the opportunity, he’ll put in the rest of his chips before the flop.  if he doesn’t get that chance, he’ll likely use them all to chase the pot after the flop.” – Phil Gordon

And the online poker secret is: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE A BLUFF AT THIS POKER PLAYER!!!!!!

“Moving all-in before the flop is one of the most powerful plays in No Limit Hold’em.  It’s also one of the most dangerous” – Phil Gordon

When is it right to move all-in before the flop?

- When you have the best hand and believe your opponent will call.
- When you have the worst hand and believe your opponent will fold (The pot must be big enough to steal)
- When you have the worst hand, but even if your opponent calls, you are getting great odds on your money
- When you are getting the right pot odds no matter what your opponent holds
- When you have the best hand, and your opponent has the right pot odds to call, but an all-in bet might scare him into folding.