Sit-Out Strategy - How to place ITM

In a SNG tournament you are down to 4 players. Chip totals are roughly 4000 and 3k, 2k, and 1k. Only one more player to eliminate for guaranteed money.

You have 2k in chips. The 1k guy is the sitter. His strategy is to sit out the blinds and only play if he has a monster hand and try to double up.

The blinds are 200/400. The chip leader is putting pressure on you by doubling the blinds so you can only go in with premium hands to see the flop.

The 3k player has been mixing up his play with both loose and tight selection and will go all-in in order to try to improve his position and possibly double up. Usually this happens when I have a pretty decent starting hand and am willing to post a doubled blind to see the flop. If I go up against the all-in and lose, the sitter will slide into 3rd place.

Do you play conservative and wait for the sitter to be blinded out, losing $600 in chips every go-round, and risking the chance that the sitter hits a big hand and doubles up? or do you call double blinds and/or go all in against the 3k stack in hopes of beating them out?

Depends. You call him a sitter, and describe him as more than what I call a ghost. Acutally prefer zombie but it never caught on.

At most of the tables I have played, not all, but most (over 50%), the active players will tone down the game till that sitter is gone.

But you describe a table where the big stack knows this and is exploiting it to his favor.

I would take into account whether or not I was playing well, the cards were flopping well, and just how much I wanted that money. And how much money it is, and what was the time worth.

I often sit quietly when I know I can outlast a ghost. At 600 per orbit, it won't be long.

Well, you should be trying to win the thing, not just make 3rd place since you barely get your money back this way. You shouldn't be calling a raise if it's costing you nearly 50% of your stack - it's all-in or nothing. And the short stack is only going to last about 7 more hands before he's blinded out, so I don't see how this is a viable "strategy" for him.

He is counting on a battle between the chip leader and 2nd/3rd, or 2nd vs 3rd to eliminate one player, maybe 2. This way he slides right into the money by folding.

Chances are he will bet with a monster hand and double up, leaving me short stacked. But in the meantime, I am getting killed by doubled blinds and mr all in. I have come this far and do not want to lose to a folder.

Chances are if I have a good hand I will miss the flop and be Out. I guess I should state that my main concern is bursting the bubble here, not making first at this point. The question does not address taking first place, but more about how to handle the shortstacked sitter.

It`s very simple.

If you have a really solid hand (meaning, in this situation, pairs TT or better, or AT, AJ, AQ, AK) play it for your whole stack. You`ll probably double up and be well placed to take 1st or 2nd, where the real money is.

If you get busted, don`t let it get you down. You can`t win them all.

If you don`t get a top hand, sit back. Short-stack will be blinded out before you.

BTW, if you are 12skin, does that mean you have 3x 4skin ?

it all depends on how u play ureself. if u play loose /tight keep playing the same way . changing ure style at that point is a sure loser. if u play loose and tighten up u wont take the gamble that puts u into 1st or 2nd and if ure tight u wont gamble at all hoping for aa/kk and ure 1 shot to make the money which normally gets kicked for touch by 78 suited or some such rubbish and u get left sitting there crying like a little girl but maybe thats just me

aren't sitters hands auto-mucked, and hence will not go to showdown for as long as (s)he is sitting out?

I made money a couple of times by sitting out through all of it (but only in the 3$ turbos). Had to go and found out i ended up 2nd in both!

But anyway, i think you shouldnt get too comfy at all in this situation.

If short stack wins a hand or his blind, and it happens a lot, youre now shortest stack and desperate for a hand.

When you get a good hand you should raise and try 2 get the blinds and secure your position

Im talking about the stragegy of sitting not auto-sitting out. I have found alot of players that auto fold or manual fold will still watch thier cards and will play if they get a good hand, especially when they feel they can double up. I also find most large stacks will call even with marginal hands for the chance to get them out while not risking much of their stack.

I have seen people fold down to 90 bucks and then go all in in desperation and double or triple up.

LOL, my screen name when i picked it had nothing to do with that. But that is what everyone says about it.

dude you have like 3 bb. shove every hand until you are chip leader.

This^^^

Play to win, not to make it ITM.

i think that sitting out is a cold way to win. if you can't win sitting at the table the whole time, then don't enter. get more practice on play tables. it may be good stradigy but it tells ME that you don't play that well

aggressiveness is the key when short handed and short stacked, if you'll call a blind, it's time to shove, bottom line.

I have actually been in a few with several sitters. Why bother playing at all.

There is a vast difference between waiting for premium hands to play, and sitting out hoping you'll back into a money spot. I play a lot of the small stakes MTTs, and if I'm on or near the bubble, sitting back is often a viable strategy, BUT, if you get dealt a monster, go for it and take your best shot

Build a solid image early on and milk the blinds later.

I think your example is a little extreme because of the size of the blinds c.f. chip stacks. Really, if it gets as bad as this then its lotto time because everyone needs to make a move and you've missed your chance to exploit ITM weakness.

When the blinds are 100 to 200, you should be raising (2bb) with any hand to force people out of the hand and take the blinds, and folding if you don't hit the flop or meet real strength.

I find myself sitting at the final table folding for prolonged periods of time quite a bit. It seems pretty simple that if you get a monster hand to push and at least attempt to steal the blinds to keep momentum. On the other hand if your not catching cards it also makes sense to "SIT" until you catch at least a power hand. So in my opinion "Sitting" is all interpretation.