In addition to earning over seven figures playing online, Brazil’s Nicolau ‘nicofellow’ Villa-Lobos has racked up the cashes at various events at the Brasilian Series of Poker. With so much experience in a wide range of buy-ins in BSOP events, Villa-Lobos is the perfect person to talk to about how to approach the early levels of a poker tournament, especially large-field low buy-in events.

There are plenty of players who don’t even bother to show up for a tournament until the antes kick in, but Villa-Lobos is a proponent of signing up and getting involved early.

“I think early levels are amazing to get to know your table, and also there are a lot of ‘free’ chips flying. If a big fish is playing, he is not going to stay alive too long, so it’s always a battle to get his chips,” Villa-Lobos says with a chuckle.

While he encourages players to get involved early, he also stresses you can be active at the table without having to voluntarily put chips in the pot every hand. Rather than focus on your phone, watch a video on your tablet, or give your attention to whatever sporting event is on TV, Villa-Lobos reminds players that, while it may be difficult to focus, keeping your attention on the table is the only way to get a good read on your opponents.

It isn’t just about following along the action either. Villa-Lobos believes there is no action too small to merit your scrutiny.

“Pay attention in every move your opponents make. The way they get the chips, how much they are betting,
how fast they are betting, and those kind of things,” he said.

For Villa-Lobos, a key part of the process isn’t just observing his tablemates, it is also about discussing the game with his friends, like fellow poker ambassador Bruno Kawauti. The two Brasilian pros share a lot in common, including the same sponsor, the same home country, and both can boast deep runs in the World Series of Poker Main Event. Villa-Lobos took 77th in 2012, while Kawauti finished 15th in 2013.

“He is definitely my best friend in poker,” he says of Kawauti. “We get along really well and I think I could spend some time saying good things about him. Most importantly, he is a loyal guy and I respect his values a lot.”

He is also a great sounding board, as Villa-Lobos credits the friendship as the key factor in his growth as a poker pro.

“I think that’s how I improved my game the most. Being close to good poker players allows you to be in a constant learning process. Every piece information is valid! I definitely learned a lot with Bruno, I guess it works the other way around too.”

While Villa-Lobos is always learning and improving, his approach to the first portion of tournaments doesn’t vary all that much from event-to-event. He has found a style he likes, and he sticks to it. He advises others to stick to their game plans in the first few hours of a tournament as well.

“I still use the same style [at the beginning of a tournament,” Villa-Lobos says. “(You should) play solid and just enter the pots with the intent to win. Try to be the aggressor too.” While he advocates a relatively straightforward approach, don’t think Villa-Lobos is suggesting you focus on observing the action unless you have a premium hand.

If anything, most tournament structures allow so much play early on that Villa-Lobos suggests keeping your range a little wider, as deep structures mean there is more room for post-flop maneuvering and aggressive play.

“Since everyone is deep-stacked, you can afford to see more flops than usual as well,” he explains.

In summary, if you’re taking a shot in a live tournament, don’t sacrifice the 25/50 level for some extra shuteye. Arriving at a tournament on time not only gives you more hands, it also gives you more opportunities. All levels of players are still in and there are more opportunities to win chips off weaker players. Thanks to deep-stack structures, there are more opportunities to see flops with non-premium hands as well. Most importantly though, there is free information to be had, but you have to both be there and pay attention to every little detail at the table. Observe, take notes, and talk things over with your fellow poker players to get a different take on the same situation.

Doing all these things may not guarantee tournament success every time, but getting in the habit of being both active and acutely aware of what is happening as soon as you hear “Shuffle up and deal” are the kind of good habits that helped Villa-Lobos make runs in everything from the BSOP to a second-place finish in the 2013 WSOP Europe High Roller for nearly $700,000 to the thrill every poker player dreams of—a big run in the WSOP Main Event.

Use Villa-Lobos’ tournament tips at the 888Live Poker Festival at the Aspers Casino in London, England this October.