SNG micro stakes strategy for newbie

I am 16 and I have been playing 2-3 hours a day for about two months on Global Poker. Since I'm young and don't have a lot of money, I have been playing micro stakes SNG tournaments to try and build a small bankroll. I chose SNG tournaments because they are easy to win and I don't have the patience or time (since i'm in school) to play cash games or tournaments. In the two months that I have been playing I have lost about $120 from buying in 5-10$ multiple times. I am not trying to make a living wage playing poker, I am just trying to build a bankroll of about $500 so that I can start to play higher stakes. I do not think I am a bad player, and my understanding of the game is strong, and so I don't know why I can't turn a profit in these games. Is there a strategy to low stakes SNG's that I am missing? What can I do to win more?

There is an answer that you might not like hearing, but you most likely need to go down in stakes. It sounds like your issue is that you do not have a large enough bankroll in order to be playing these $5-$10 SNGs. Now if you do this just for the joy of it, and the money you put on these games does not have significant value to you, then by all means keep playing at the stakes you are. However, as you play higher stakes you will encounter more skilled players. Again, if the money you are losing isn’t an issue to you, a solid strategy for single table SNGs is to play a very tight range of hands when antes are not in play. Once they do come into play, it just becomes a matter of playing aggressive and trying to play in position when you can. I recommend reading up on SNGs and watching youtube clips of SNG players, it will help in the long run whether you decide to pursue a serious poker career or not. Best of luck!

As above it sounds like you need to go down stakes until your bankroll improves. Your bankroll needs to be able to sustain a pretty significant downswing. I' recommend having at least 20 buy in's for your chosen stake and not to go up stakes til you have at least 20 buy in's for the next level up. Also if your bankroll drops to 20 buy ins for the level below you need to drop down to that level until you rebuild your roll. For example if your playing $10 sng with a $200 bankroll when your bankroll hits $400 dollars you could move to $20 sng. However if your roll drops to $100 you need to drop to $5 sng.

In terms of SnG strategy how are you approaching the games?

5pAce_C0wb0y said:

As above it sounds like you need to go down stakes until your bankroll improves. Your bankroll needs to be able to sustain a pretty significant downswing. I' recommend having at least 20 buy in's for your chosen stake and not to go up stakes til you have at least 20 buy in's for the next level up. Also if your bankroll drops to 20 buy ins for the level below you need to drop down to that level until you rebuild your roll. For example if your playing $10 sng with a $200 bankroll when your bankroll hits $400 dollars you could move to $20 sng. However if your roll drops to $100 you need to drop to $5 sng.

In terms of SnG strategy how are you approaching the games?

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My current play style for 6 person sngs is to play tight for the first 10-20 minutes, mostly surviving and only playing strong hands until I make it into the money, and then playing an aggressive shove-fold style. It works a lot of the time, and I think I could easily have a positive win rate in the future, but if I don't win them consistently I find myself having to buy in again. Should I start playing 0.5-1$ games?

Have you tried studying the icm? Do you take notes on the players? Do you review your hands after you play?

ShealynMillay said:

My current play style for 6 person sngs is to play tight for the first 10-20 minutes, mostly surviving and only playing strong hands until I make it into the money, and then playing an aggressive shove-fold style. It works a lot of the time, and I think I could easily have a positive win rate in the future, but if I don't win them consistently I find myself having to buy in again. Should I start playing 0.5-1$ games?

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I think you need to adjust your strategy. 6 max SnG play 2 places so if your going to make the money and win it where the real booty is you need to have a decent stack. If your scraping into the money it's then an uphill battle to win. Play to win not to cash is my advice.

ShealynMillay said:

I am 16 and I have been playing 2-3 hours a day for about two months on Global Poker. Since I'm young and don't have a lot of money, I have been playing micro stakes SNG tournaments to try and build a small bankroll. I chose SNG tournaments because they are easy to win and I don't have the patience or time (since i'm in school) to play cash games or tournaments. In the two months that I have been playing I have lost about $120 from buying in 5-10$ multiple times. I am not trying to make a living wage playing poker, I am just trying to build a bankroll of about $500 so that I can start to play higher stakes. I do not think I am a bad player, and my understanding of the game is strong, and so I don't know why I can't turn a profit in these games. Is there a strategy to low stakes SNG's that I am missing? What can I do to win more?

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Hi, if you lose at microlimits, at high limits you will also lose. Watch the tutorial video, it's a lot on YouTube.

I'd go down in stakes to at least 1:100 buy-ins and grow your bankroll that way. If you're consistently cashing/winning then you'll move up in stakes naturally. You're risking a lot just jumping in at that big of a buy-in without the ability to reload.

*wait until you turn 18- you are more than likely violating the poker sites terms of service. I know a few teenagers who had their accounts closed and couldn't withdraw their monies over this.

I was going to say 16 is too young too. I wonder if somehow the original poster used their parents account. I still play smaller buyin tournaments than this kid. Id recommend this kid to join gamblers anonymous. But I might have an answer for the strategy too (for those over 18). If playing for cash with no time for freerolls id recommend playing at the tables where the minimum buy in is a dollar or less but buy in at approximately 3 dollars. I don't know if its just luck or the the poker software it programmed this way but your destined to get better hands on average than those with low buy ins.

"I am 16...." - so I do not know how laws in your country work, but...."I chose SNG tournaments because they are easy to win and I don't have the patience or time... " - this is just wrong. Sngs are not easier in some magical way, I would argue that at some point if ops aare decent they becmoe unbeatble rakemachines as opposed to MTT. And timewise... if you grind you grind - you then...
"I have lost about $120 from buying in 5-10$ multiple times" - thats 24 and 12 BI respectfully, this is nrmal for SNGs
"I am not trying to make a living wage playing poker" - good, so go down stackes and play with atleaset 100BI's and when yo have good results move
GL

Not to put a too fine point on it, and not to sound like a complete curmudgeon (although I am), but I hope your are putting 2-3 hours a day into your school work as well.

Yes, poker is a nice past time to learn, enjoy and from which to possibly profit. Learning about poker maths will actually help your maths ability. Learning about strategy will help your life skills. Learning about putting your pursuits into proper perspective at different times in your life will make your life more fulfilling whatever fortunes prevail. Balance - always balance (end of sermon

Good luck and enjoy the game for a long time to come

ShealynMillay said:

Is there a strategy to low stakes SNG's that I am missing? What can I do to win more?

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The Main strategy for S&G play agressivly! play with only good hands (don't come into a Flop with rubish with a hope to find smthg COOL)... & final, when your stack has become 10 or less big blinds - Play "PushAll-In" or "Fold" ! & Good Luck !
That's it ))