OTB #083: Edge Passing - The Skill The Separates Winners From The Rest

There are 19 players left in the WSOP Main Event. You pick up Ace-Jack suited and open to 2bb from the HJ off a 31bb stack.

The BB, a very good player who you've played a lot of hands with in this tournament and has you covered, shoves and puts your tournament life on the line.

You try to do the maths really quickly in your head—you think it’s close, maybe slightly profitable to call.

So, you call, right?

Not so fast...

Great tournament players don’t just ask, “Is this spot profitable?” They ask, “Is this edge worth taking right now?”

Most players make one of two mistakes:

1. They take every small edge they see, thinking they have to grab every possible +$EV spot.

2. They fold, hoping for a better opportunity later, without realising that poker is unpredictable.

   
   

Both of these can be costly. The best players understand edge passing—choosing when to take an edge and when to let it go.

What Is Edge Passing?

Edge passing is choosing to avoid marginal spots—even when they might be slightly profitable—because they don’t meaningfully improve your situation.

This isn’t about being scared or playing too tight. It’s about recognising that not all edges are worth taking.

The bigger your perceived skill edge in the tournament, the more selective you should be about taking thin edges. If you believe you have a significant edge over the field, why flip for your tournament life in a marginal spot?

Think of it like chess. I don’t play much, but I know that the best chess players think several moves ahead.

You should do the same in poker:

• What happens if you lose?

• What happens if you win this hand?

• Does calling give you more tools to dominate the table, or does it just add unnecessary risk?

Let’s say you’re in the BB facing a 15bb shove from the CO. Calling is marginally profitable.

• If you have 150bb and calling still leaves you with the chip lead, then taking or passing the spot doesn’t matter much.

• If you have 14bb and calling would bust you, that’s a completely different decision.

Edge passing isn’t just about the hand in front of you—it’s about how that decision impacts your tournament life.

The Misconception About "Finding a Better Spot"

Some players misapply edge passing by saying, “I’ll fold because I’ll find a better spot later.”

This is flawed thinking. You can’t know if a better spot is coming. Tournaments are unpredictable. You might not get another playable hand for 20 orbits.

But that doesn’t mean you should take every small edge. Instead of thinking, "Will a better spot come?" ask yourself:

• "If I pass, am I still in a strong position?"

• "Does taking this edge actually help me?"

• "Is this edge big enough to risk my tournament life?"

You’re not passing an edge because something better might happen. You’re passing because the edge isn’t meaningful enough right now.

The Players Who Get This Wrong

The players who struggle with tournaments usually fall into two categories:

1. The Gambler – Takes every +EV spot, no matter how thin, and wonders why they bust in marginal spots all the time.

2. The Nit – Passes up good edges for no reason, afraid to go broke, and ends up blinding out instead.

   
   

Both approaches are mistakes. The best players know when to take an edge and when to pass.

I think you can approach it like this:

• The bigger the number of Big Blinds that you're risking, the bigger the edge you need: it wants to be very profitable to call. There's no need to risk 150bb all-in pre in a very marginal spot.

• The shallower your stack, the less of an edge you need. You don't want to pass these profitable spots when you're short stacked.

  
  

Edge Passing in PKOs

With PKOs (Progressive Knockouts) making up over half of online schedules, edge passing becomes even more situational.

Let’s say you’re facing a marginal all-in decision. Normally, you might pass. But if winning the pot means you cover the table and can start hunting bounties, that changes things.

However, if calling and losing means you’re now covered, you need to think twice. The ability to cover opponents in a PKO is a massive edge that impacts future hands.

Edge passing isn’t just about EV right now—it’s also about what it unlocks in the future.

Final Thought

If you feel like you’re constantly busting in marginal spots or playing too tight and missing out on deep runs, you might be taking the wrong edges—or passing on the right ones.

Inside MTT Poker Academy, I break down exactly when to take an edge and when to pass—so you can stop guessing and start making deeper runs.

If you’re serious about improving, you should seriously consider joining. Click here to find out more.

That's it for this week.

See you next time