Anyone sandbag in poker?

B

blix177

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Total posts
530
Awards
1
Chips
13
Sandbag is a term when you are a few level above the current level but refuse to move up and just beat up newbies/rookies/beginners.

While in other games/sports it is frown upon, imagine Lebron James schooling a high schooler in basketball. In poker it seem the natural thing to do. Why should you level up till you fail. If you are beating $1/2 moving up to $2/5 not fare as well.

There is an idea of Peter Principle "In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." If you keep going up, you will eventually reach the point of failure.

So anyone else go about and just play the min level you can squeeze a profit? Or do most overreach and reach failure?
 
AllenKll

AllenKll

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Total posts
329
Chips
0
The whole point of poker is to work over people that are less skilled. You can't expect to make money playing people that are as good as you are or better.

In the old B&W, tv show Maverick, James Garner says,
  • When you're playing in a game with men who are as good as you are, poker's no long a game of skill. You're gambling.
If you want to make money, don't gamble.

That being said. Sandbagging is relative. If you're good enough to play 100/200, but you're playing .01/.02 you're wasting your time. but playing 25/50 and beating the hell out of the poeple there? That's just good planning.
 
Last edited:
rj_montana

rj_montana

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Oct 29, 2019
Total posts
506
Chips
0
yes I like to beat up on the lower limits and probably have stayed down there too long
 
P

ph_il

...
Silver Level
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Total posts
10,128
Awards
1
Chips
25
i don't know if its sandbagging, but i play small field $1-$2 mtts majority of the time and have done very well with it over the years. i'm pretty sure i would do fairly well moving up to the $3-$4 mtts, but i just don't see why i would want to.

my biggest reason is why would i play one $4.40 game when i can play four $1.10 games and give myself better odds to do well?
 
hugh blair

hugh blair

Legend
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Total posts
11,173
Awards
8
Chips
30
freerolls rule plus EV all year long no downswing.:)
Hurts a lot less downswing on 1, 50 x $1 buy in games versus downswing on 2, 50 x $10 or 3, 50 x $100 buy in games.:eek:
Very easy to lose money in poker getting a profit and keeping it involves fanatical freerolling and sandbagging for me a sometimes degenerate player to counterbalance the rake and variance.
Can play 1,2 or 3 and still have over 50 buy ins but playing option 3 all the time is a recipe for disaster especially when tired,tilted or, stressed for example.
No level is easy to sandbag either exhibit A for example my K10 hand just now few minutes ago all in on the flop thought I was toast but no winning bounties and a charge on thanks to a 3 outer.:p
Week 1 task 1

Week 2 task 1
 
Last edited:
O

Oxinthewater

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 21, 2020
Total posts
274
Chips
4
I think poker is more profit orientated and it's not quite the same thing. In golf, Sandbagging involves dishonest manipulation of scores which is more or less akin to cheating, so is a much bigger deal.
 
D

DS3

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Sep 9, 2019
Total posts
7,441
Awards
1
GB
Chips
189
I was under the impression sandbagging in poker meant slow playing a hand or trapping. I haven't hear it used as term to describe someone playing below their level- but that is interesting.
 
B

blix177

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Total posts
530
Awards
1
Chips
13
I was under the impression sandbagging in poker meant slow playing a hand or trapping. I haven't hear it used as term to describe someone playing below their level- but that is interesting.


You could be right, it is usually used in competitive gaming where higher rank players dominate in lower leagues for the win.
 
D

DS3

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Sep 9, 2019
Total posts
7,441
Awards
1
GB
Chips
189
You could be right, it is usually used in competitive gaming where higher rank players dominate in lower leagues for the win.

I like the use in the context you have given! I think it is going to stick in my mind now as a way to describe that scenario.
 
D

dgroes

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Total posts
692
Chips
0
i don't know if its sandbagging, but i play small field $1-$2 mtts majority of the time and have done very well with it over the years. i'm pretty sure i would do fairly well moving up to the $3-$4 mtts, but i just don't see why i would want to.

my biggest reason is why would i play one $4.40 game when i can play four $1.10 games and give myself better odds to do well?

have you tried the 4,40 tournament to conclude this? its worth 4 times the time to play 4 1,10 tournamnents... is it worth it? curious for confirmation or negation.
 
Alex70793

Alex70793

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Total posts
835
Awards
1
Chips
0
I think everything is much simpler, easy money that is enough for a living, which is why winning players do not want to raise their limits, everyone plays poker for money, well, except crazy millionaires for whom poker is a hobby )) staying on the limit where you always win is just a pragmatic approach to the game, it's normal.
 
N

neptun1914

Legend
Silver Level
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Total posts
1,656
Chips
0
Main purpose in poker for the pro players is to have maximum profit. There is limit how much you can earn at certain level so if you crush there it is natural to move up and increase your profit. Eventually you will reach your limits and play at that level. You can be the 9 best player in the world but if you constantly play with the 8 better than you it will not finish well. Also if you can beat 10/20$ level there is no reason to stay at 5/10$.
 
Top