When playing in a poker tournament, the first priority is always to remain focused on what is happening at your table where you should constantly be developing reads on the players against whom you are fighting for chips. But your success in tournaments also involves staying aware of the larger context, including where the tournament stands (players left, upcoming blind/ante increases, proximity to the money).
When a tournament nears the final table — i.e., when there are only two tables left — it becomes relatively less difficult to keep track of the big picture. Knowing, for example, what is happening with the short stacks on the neighboring table can be of importance, as was demonstrated at last year’s PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event once it had wound down to just 10 players.