Best range for shorthanded play

One of my biggest leaks in SNG's is playing when we get shorthanded (3-5 players). I play TAG (15% of hands) and usually get a decent stack, but I always seem to lose a lot of chips late in the tournament. My question is how much should I increase my range? Should I increase to 20-25%? I know I have to play more aggressive and use my position, but any other suggestions to improving shorthanded strategy in the late stages of a tournament? Thanks in advance.

I also have problems with the 3-5 opps left in a SNG. With a decent to large stack, i'll try to loosen range and play position but I don't get the results probably due to lack of experience or lack of talent but with an avg or shorter stack I tighten up considerably and play allin preflop and I do alot better. looking forward to see the other responses to your post.

play more aggressive, stay tight. If your at the point of the antes kicking in you also should be raising more.
Remember one thing be aggressive. If you get high PP it may be best to raise haft of your stack.

M33K3R said:

One of my biggest leaks in SNG's is playing when we get shorthanded (3-5 players). I play TAG (15% of hands) and usually get a decent stack, but I always seem to lose a lot of chips late in the tournament. My question is how much should I increase my range? Should I increase to 20-25%? I know I have to play more aggressive and use my position, but any other suggestions to improving shorthanded strategy in the late stages of a tournament? Thanks in advance.

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The problem with a question like this is it's far too broad. Soooo many factors have to be considered in SnGs, such as your stack size, the stack sizes of your opponents, the relative aggression of your opponents, payout structure etc. It would be much better to post individual hands than to ask broad questions

If I'm in position and the blinds are weak and probably playing above their bankroll I will raise 2.5BB (if I have room for a fold) with about 50% of my hands: all pocket pairs (sometimes shoving), any two face cards, any ace, King7 and up, Q8 and up, and J9/T9.

If the blinds are aggressive I dont give them an option-I shove. If I'm playing within my bankroll I can afford to be aggressive. And I will sometimes make a call with Ace high if the blinds call and then shove the flop.

David Sklansky has a great section of shorthanded play in his book "Holdem Poker for advanced players." I know its limit holdem but some of the concepts still hold true for No-limit.

Lata

Thanks. I'm definitely gonna start being a lot more agressive, but stay pretty tight.

It depends on how your opponents react. If the blinds are getting up there, then you're going to be jamming kind of wide, but you want to have a good estimate of what your opponent's calling/jamming ranges (if you're not jamming first) are.

A lot of players at lower sng's are supposedly weak/tight near the bubble. I dunno how true this is, cuz I don't do the sng thing, but that's what I hear. If that's true, I'd be opening a real wide range to 2.5bb's trying to just rob my way into a stack.

Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with folding for awhile till the blinds are significant, then just jamming when you think you have a good spot from the combination of fold equity and hand value. If you're playing (or watching) a sng with solid players, you'll notice that the game always boils down to a jam-fest, with a lot of folding, one guy jamming and taking the blinds, then every so often someone re-jams and the unlucky one goes home.