single table SNGs

I just started playing today in single table SNGs and i've done pretty well, but must say i have seen good cards.
I'm wondering what the strategy is when it's down to the last three people, I've been finishing third a lot lately.
I've made profits at the bubble, I was wondering how playing itm is different from bubble play

Welcome to Cardschat. I always am excited to see more STT's players here

Often times how well you do when you're ITM depends on how you play when you're 4-5 handed. For example, you've gotten to the bubble, you have t2000 chips and blinds are t100/t200. So you're not in the best shape and you're not desperate yet. There are some players close to your stack and a bigger stack. You wait since you can't get into a bunch of spots, and when you're back down to t1500 one of the other guys busts. So now you're ITM, but say blinds are up to t120/t240, or t150/t300... Unless you get lucky and get dealt some good cards, there's not a whole lot you can do to finish higher than 3rd. It's all out of your control, basically.

Now say you get to the bubble with t4000 chips, and the blinds are still t100/t200. There is a player with t5500 chips who is to your right, and two players at t2000 to your left. This is a situation where you can abuse the opponents to your left, because neither of them is going to want to play a lot of hands - rather, they're both gonna wait for the other to bust out. So you can steal a lot of chips, and if they do manage to wake up with a hand, the consequence is you have t2000 now, which is not terrible.

So say we manage to bully them both a little, and we knock one of them out. We probably have t7000 or so, the shorty has t1500, and the other guy has t5000. Now we actually have a chance to get heads-up and win this thing. Often times in this dynamic the second place stack will be pretty tight, as he is waiting for the short stack to fold, so while he's waiting we can take this opportunity to steal his chips. This is going to help us when the shorty does finally get knocked out, because what happens if the second place guy KO's the shorty? We're pretty much even-stacked, which makes it a lot harder for us to win heads-up. But if we steal some of that guys chips, we can further ahead when we get heads-up. Even if we don't end up knocking out the shorty, if we can have t8500 or so when we're heads up, that's going to help us out a lot. So in the same way that our 4-5 handed play can set us up for good ITM situations, playing ITM well can set us up for good HU situations.

One thing that is in your control - often times players will loosen up once the bubble has burst, so calling ranges will get a lot wider. As such we can't be too aggressive in these situations. Also, let's consider the example before, but instead we're the t5000 stack. It's a crime to go crazy here before the other stack goes out, because often times we can just wait and we'll be guaranteed 2nd place prize money.

So, cliff notes - your ITM play has a lot to do with what you do before you get to the money.

Oh, btw - the SNG players that post here have a monthly thread, you can find that here: ***Mischievous March SNG Thread***

Join us!

i'm playing sng me too..i started 10 days ago with 15 $ and now i have about 100$...i play only superturbo about 4 table at time (2 with 6 players and 2 with 9 players).... when i arrive about 120/130$ i try to increase my buyin level in 5$ sng (now 2$ and sometimes 1$)...i hope to continue increasing my bankrollwith the same speed of those 10 days..

great post cj.

OP, when Im doing to the last 3(and in the money) if I havent started yet I get aggressive, pushing the other 2 around, if my stacks big ernough Im raising pretty much everything, if Im shortstack Im shoving all-in pretty much any picture card/pair, and the like.
but yeah check out the sng thread for lots of good advice

Play super agg around the bubble. With 5 left pick up the aggression, but don't go crazy. With 4 left it's pretty easy to get an idea of

1. Who's a good player
2. Who's just trying to cash/Who's trying to win
3. Who's tightened up around the bubble

In lower stakes (certainly I see it a lot in $5) the bubble play is super passive. Picking your spots and playing super aggressive is a very easy way to accumilate chips.
You want to be shoving if you have ~10BB or less (or if the effective stacks behind you have 10BB).
Try and pick the players you have seen be tight as they're going to be calling tighter, thus meaning you have shove a wider range more profitably.
Also look at the stack dynamics. If there are two players on 4 - 5 BB and one player on 15BB (and you have him covered) you can steal every hand without fail. Also, if he min raises you can easily flat and take the pot away on the flop/turn as he'll be SUPER passive when against you (check folding when he misses). Be aware of aggression in these spots coz it usually means he has the nuts.

For further reading see Moshmans SNG book. Itz tah NUTZ.

Once you read moshmans book, be aware that many other "regs" have read similar material, so use what you know against them. Otherwise you will be destined to be at best a breakeven-slightly winning regular.

http://www.cardschat.com/poker-strategy.php

At bottom of strategies you will see the SNG strats. Read these too. Free info is great!

Read Moshman. Post hands you are unsure of in tournament hand analysis. If you play at Full Tilt go to the academy and watch the strategy videos then click on challenges to earn points(if you don't play there then forget this last sentence)

Just play play and play some more! You will really not know if you are winning player until after many games(1000+). So just keep playing and always try to make the best decision you can.

Good luck to ya!

you're the boss you're suppossed to just move it lol , it gives SnGers way better chance to see it and resopnd jmo

Thanks for the advice guys.
I've been playing $1.20 turbo SNGs (I know it's low )

I just moved up from 2 tables to 3 tables and had the pleasure (with some luck) of winning all 3

I recently ordered the free $16 Per Hour SNG Blueprint, and have read through part 1. How much more helpful is moshman's book than this blueprint?

I'll check out the SNG thread.

I've never read that blueprint thing and haven't heard much about it. Of course the best way to improve is to post on the forum and participate in Hand Analysis (http://www.cardschat.com/f51/) imo

Also I would move up to the $2.25's as soon as possible, the drop in rake improves your ROI dramatically. So even if your roll is kinda small it's worth the risk.

Well done and welcome to CardsChat!