Magriels M and Harringtons Q

Magriels M in Endgame Poker Strategy

When it comes to endgame strategy in poker tournaments, one of the most widely accepted and used concepts is Magriels M. Every player in a tournament has an M number which dictates the way they should be playing, the bigger your M is the greater your set of options are and the longer you have before you need to start making moves, with a very small M your options are significantly reduced to just two moves, all in or fold.

Calculating your M is easy because the number represents the ratio of your stack to the sum of the current blinds and antes; simply add the blinds and antes up and divide your stack by this number, which gives you your M number. For example, if the blinds are 200/400 with a 25 chip ante at a full 10 seater table, the total of the blinds and antes are 850 (200 + 400 + (10 * 25) = 200 + 400 + 250 = 850). If your chip stack was 85000 then your M would be 100, whereas if your chipstack was only 3000 then your M would be slightly over 3.5 which means you should be playing differently than if your M was closer to 100.

Recognising when your M has changed sufficiently to warrant a change in strategy is straightforward, there are 5 zones which tell you how to play in relation to your M, they are:

Green Zone

20 times the sum of the binds and antes or greater
Any tactics can be employed in the green zone, you have a full range of options available to you, your stack size does'nt limit how you play whatsoever.

Yellow Zone

Between 10 and 20 times the sum of the blinds and antes
You must become slightly looser and more aggressive because your M dictates that conservative play is no longer appropriate, small pocket pairs and low/medium suited connectors become less playable though.

Orange Zone

Between 6 and 10 times the sum of the blinds and antes
The ability to make complex moves that require betting on multiple rounds is lost in this zone because you no longer have enough chips to make them, therefore your play becomes even more aggressive as your need to double up increases.

Red Zone

Between 1 and 5 times the sum of the blinds and antes
You have now been reduced to just two moves, all in or fold. Your stack size no longer gives you the opportunity to force your opponents into folding, you will most likely get called no matter what so your goal is to pick a spot to raise all in, even with comparatively moderate holdings such as small pairs and small/medium suited connectors.

Dead Zone

Less than the sum of the blinds and antes
Your aim is to never allow yourself to slip into the dead zone as your chances of recovery are miniscule at this point and the only bet your able to make is all in which should be called by at least one player in an attempt to knock you out for a very cheap price. First in vigorish is highly attractive here, it may force some opponents to lay down marginal hands which they would have normally played. Your cards are no longer important, you are now purely looking for good spots to double or treble through.

Harringtons Q in Tournament Poker Strategy

Harringtons Q is another concept worth understanding, it tells you where you stand within online poker tournaments in relation to the other players by comparing the ratio of your chip stack to the average stack size. Calculating the average stack size involves multiplying the number of players who entered the tournament by the number of chips assigned to each player at the start, then dividing by the number of players remaining in the tournament.

For example, if 100 players joined a tournament and each started with 2000 chips then the total number of chips in play would be 200,000; if there were only 10 players left then the average stack would be 20,000 chips. If you had 50,000 chips in your stack then your Q would be 2.5, if your stack was 15,000 then your Q would be 0.75.

Harringtons Q is interpreted similarly to Magriels M, the higher your Q the more options you have and the longer you have before needing to make moves. When your M and Q numbers conflict, it's advisable to consider your M as a stronger factor than your Q.