Any tips for picking up on reads at SnG's/MTT's?

#1 31-01-2006, 12:44 AM

at ring games it is much easier for me, I cant seem to get accurate reads fast enough at sngs/mtts

any tips?

#2 31-01-2006, 1:16 AM

- Play very tight early on and observe. Reads don't become crucially important in a SnG until blind stealing becomes an issue (usually at something like 50/100 blinds and beyond, this will vary a little according to the table you're at, the blind structure etc), as in the early stages you should just be treating the game as a ring game for the most part and playing your cards and odds more than playing your opponents.

- Get Pokertracker and PAHud/Gametime. Helps hugely with general reads on players (who is seeing a lot of flops, who is a calling station, who bets out on a lot of flops etc)

- Take notes on the players. Someone raised in early position with 93o? Note it. Someone only cold-called a small raise with AK? Note it. Someone limp-reraised AA from early position? Note it. Someone has repeatedly slowplayed big hands? Note it. Someone made a checkraise semibluff with a flush draw? Note.... you get the point.

#3 31-01-2006, 2:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dorkus Malorkus

- Play very tight early on and observe. Reads don't become crucially important in a SnG until blind stealing becomes an issue (usually at something like 50/100 blinds and beyond, this will vary a little according to the table you're at, the blind structure etc), as in the early stages you should just be treating the game as a ring game for the most part and playing your cards and odds more than playing your opponents.

- Get Pokertracker and PAHud/Gametime. Helps hugely with general reads on players (who is seeing a lot of flops, who is a calling station, who bets out on a lot of flops etc)

- Take notes on the players. Someone raised in early position with 93o? Note it. Someone only cold-called a small raise with AK? Note it. Someone limp-reraised AA from early position? Note it. Someone has repeatedly slowplayed big hands? Note it. Someone made a checkraise semibluff with a flush draw? Note.... you get the point.

Very nice, Chris. You know when I take good solid advice like this to the tables I seem to do significantly better. Coincidence or ------?

#4 31-01-2006, 3:19 AM

yeah there is some really solid advice on this site, thanks again

#5 31-01-2006, 6:52 AM

http://fulltiltpoker.com/images/ourT...Howard-SNG.mp3

^^^Mr Lederer's got a pretty interesting interview about SnGs
they are my personal favorite money-maker

#6 31-01-2006, 8:48 AM

got pokertracker just in time to find out that it wont work at titan

#7 31-01-2006, 6:22 PM

Always take notes, be surprised when you get bounced from a table to actually come back to players you've allready played.

#8 31-01-2006, 6:29 PM

Betting Patterns, its the only real guage you have. Does a player always slow play a Overpair then go all-in on the river? Does your opponant min bet every round then put a big bet in on the river when he misses? It's all down to watching and remembering, i made a great read when a player at my table only raised when he hit top pair, i had made a straight and knew he wouldnt stop betting so waited to the river to re-raise him.

One thing to remember ( i have only just learnt this recently myself ) is that player who raises EVERY hand and seems to get lucky ALL the time isn't nessesarily an idiot, he might just be catching cards, i was knocked out becuse of this, i was fed up of this player re-raising all in all the time so called him with AJ, he had KK and won. I watched for a while and everytime he got called he had the hand.

#9 31-01-2006, 11:37 PM

Awesome tips.. I finally found a good way to use the notes (at titan you get almost no space for notes..) and have won two dirty dozen's in a row by making great reads. (12 man sng, if you get 1st 4 times in a row they give you $2000 bonus cash)

i think im beginning to understand how to tailor my play around the players. vs the super tight aggressive guy ill raise when he's in the blinds almost every time except utg/utg+1 and bet out the flop, and vs the calling station ill change my play, and vs the loose aggressive ill just let him make all the bets when i have a monster, etc. also taking notes helps me to watch out for the kid that slow plays every hand, or limps in with aa kk aks aqs etc..

#10 31-01-2006, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joosebuck

Awesome tips.. I finally found a good way to use the notes (at titan you get almost no space for notes..)

This is where a good shorthanded note taking system comes in. My notes typically look something like "ccstpfr 2* w/QQ iMP", which is a little more condensed than "cold called standard preflop raises on two occasions with QQ in middle position". Enables me to fit more things in on sites where they get stingy, and also allows me to find one specific note more quickly then having to scroll through loads of irrelevant stuff if I have a lot of notes on someone (like CC players

).

#11 01-02-2006, 2:34 AM

yeah mine look somewhat like that, not quite as extensive tho, mainly consists of stuff like cc ak mp(or utg or b or sb or bb) for cold calling ak in whatever position, or lr for limpraise, or other easily recognizable shorthands

#12 03-02-2006, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChuckTs

http://fulltiltpoker.com/images/ourT...Howard-SNG.mp3

^^^Mr Lederer's got a pretty interesting interview about SnGs
they are my personal favorite money-maker

Wow, I strongly disagree with howard's advice to play tight on the bubble. I found when I do that I am definately a losing player. I loosen up once the blinds get to 40/80 or 50/100 depending on the type of players at the table. That being said, I like playing the $2 jackpot sit-n-gos at titan (ipoker network). It has 12 people with 4 spots being in the money. I find it extremely easy to make the money, but hard to get the win.

I used to play the regular 6 person sit-n-goes at titan where I would win more often, but I found that there is more variance and I was winning less then with the 12 person. And who knows I might win 4 in a row which would be a bonus.

Just what works for me.

#13 04-02-2006, 6:37 AM

it's easier to get top 2 5 times in a row at the higher ones... ive been close to the jackpot a few times on the $2 ones, (won 2 in a row several times, 3 in a row twice) but just couldnt seal the deal.

#14 04-02-2006, 2:44 PM

Often you can tell if someone has given up on their hand by the speed of their bet. An istantaneous bet USUALLY means they just want to get the hand over with. This is mostly true on the flop.

#15 05-02-2006, 7:42 AM

#16 06-02-2006, 1:44 AM

A tip i can tell for reads is, when someone quickly calls, his ethier on a draw or slowplay , so be very carefull of the quick calls

#17 06-02-2006, 5:36 PM

At some sites you can do a "find friend". Try to see if the other players are playing in other games, ring or tournament. If so they may be distracted and not paying attention too closely to your game. Take that into account in your decisions.

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