Lowstakes SNG's

#1 28th October 2009, 9:50 PM

I am thinking of playing lowstakes SNG's, does anyone know if these are still beatable and upto what level. I keep hearing about SNG's becoming a solved game and its kind of putting me off.

I am not interested in making big bucks but $200/week wouldn't go amiss
Do you need to know ICM at the lower levels. Just started playing again after a long time out and am playing on Ongame (Pokerloco), would also like to know what the thoughts are on this network.

TIA

#2 28th October 2009, 10:52 PM

There are people who beat sng's at every level so it can be done. ICM is said to be very helpful - but it is not absolutely necessary.

What's important is that you study the game and learn as much as you can. I would highly recommend that you read Collin Moshman's "Sit 'n Go Strategy.

#3 29th October 2009, 1:37 AM

SnG's are a solved game. However, no one at the $10 level or below has a clue. Just be prepared for some wicked variance once you get above the $10 level, because your edge starts to get pretty small.

#4 29th October 2009, 1:43 AM

What does "solved" game mean? (forgive my ignorance lol)

#5 29th October 2009, 2:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakota-xx

What does "solved" game mean? (forgive my ignorance lol)

Given a certain blind size, and position, it is known what the optimal range of hands to go all in with preflop given your opponent. And its known what the optimal calling ranges are.

Since your decisions are reduced to a simple push/fold, if you know roughly what range of hands your opponent will call with, then its not hard to figure out the exact range you should shove so that you can't be exploited.

#6 29th October 2009, 2:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dakota-xx

What does "solved" game mean? (forgive my ignorance lol)

have you ever saw "war games" when they made the computer play tic tac toe. basially there saying that every possible play has a perfect counter. under 10BBs there is a good(still not perfect) push/fold strategy. but i do believe SNGs are far from solved.

--but to answer the OP yes these are very beatable. you do however have to know atleast some ICM theory at least. like you need to be better than 55% favorite to stack off with 9 players(with equal stacks) are left. and you got to be over a 65% favorite to stack off on the bubble when the stacks are again equal. but as dakota-xx says buy Collin's book. and join our monthly microsng thread.

#7 29th October 2009, 8:07 AM

when the blinds are high in these sng's...i'm an all-in machine..and i was surprised at first how often it works out...i really wish sometimes there was a way to disable even seeing the hand i'm dealt from time to time....maybe a post-it note over the screen or something (maybe i'm exaggerating a little bit here). i don't know if its a solved game though...been trying hard to work on my calling range

#8 29th October 2009, 1:44 PM

In that same vein here is annette_15 (WSOP-E Bracelet Winner iirc) doing a $5 180 man SNG with a postit over her whole cards. Folded pocket kings at one point, shoved with like jack-7 off. I heard she peeked once, and actually lost the hand she looked at.

YouTube - Annette_15 Blind Tourn Replay

Now this is probably a lot of luck to actually win, but I think it still proves just how important position is.

#9 29th October 2009, 3:10 PM

Smotpoker, that brings up a great point. Most of the time i'm playing i'm using my position, not really caring what cards i have.
When i post some hands, that i have won, that i should of been out of, i knew that in the past, well watching a player, they where using their position.

1.10 SnGs are easy, all i need to do C9 is raise, to get folds, i always get one who is loose, is the first to go...

#10 29th October 2009, 3:26 PM

Yeah, I was heads up in a 9man SNG yesterday. He was obviously pretty bad at HU because he folded when he had position. I'd min raise every single time I was on the button and pulled down 3/4 blinds. So I was pretty handily owning this guy just by using my position to steal the blinds.

I think he got fed up cause he started pushing all in on every hand. I eventually got an ace and called and it turned out he had a higher ace than me and I lost anyway. I was really short stacked after that and it ended pretty swiftly.

But I feel good about my play so its still a win in my book.

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