Ask Collin Moshman and Katie Dozier About Sit ‘n Goes!

[Patrick Healey]

Favorite Format?

Thank you for everything you all are doing, cardschat has been helpful. So, I am just getting back into tourneys and now there seems to be so many different formats. What's the best format for me? Is it just trial and error or is there a format you would suggest for semi-beginners ? Thanks again.

 

[Katie Dozier]

Thank you for everything you all are doing, cardschat has been helpful. So, I am just getting back into tourneys and now there seems to be so many different formats. What's the best format for me? Is it just trial and error or is there a format you would suggest for semi-beginners ? Thanks again.

You’re right! Formats have changed a lot in just a few years—even moreso than normal I’d say! A lot of paths players take to improving differ, but personally I really liked the way I went about it—by starting in fast-structured SNGs.

This allowed me to cement my shove/fold play while working on the deeper-stacked concepts more slowly. Back when I first started grinding, those games were 9-man super turbos, but now 3-handed jackpots are the closest modern day equivalent. Another nice option would be microstakes turbo SNGs as well. Hope this helps!

Wow!!! I'm stoked to be taking your course. I have played so much Poker in my life, unfortunately I can not say I have been successful lately. I learned how to play a long time ago but went to prison for 14 years and played almost everyday in there. I have seen more flops then most players, but "prison poker" is not like poker out here so it's time to freshen up. Thanks for offering the course!

Thanks, hope you and enjoy the course and good luck! [emoji4]

 

[SperrStundIs]

First, it's an honour to get the chance of an answer of also a hero of my youth haha.
I read your first book and it was okay.

The question that I have is the following.

I wanna play Poker on the Internet and my coach right now said that pokerstars is the best site because they have the biggest Tour and its a 100% safe place and you can play EVERY time and the Software is close to the old monsters of Pkr, cake or mermaid and of course ipoker.

But when u have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Or when u start learning Sngs and Tournaments u wanna make ALL THE MONIES from EVERY FORMAT because when i dont play these i leave money on the table right?

When i say there are more than 40 formats i mean
--- 6 max Hypers. --- 6max Hyper Satz, --- 6max Turbos, 6max non Turbos,
18man Turbo, 16man Satz, 180 Turbo non Turbo Hyper..... I mean come on haha


I searched alot in the Internet and with of course Ur help and others i become a little bit of a filter.

--- dont play satz (no satz at all!!!) when u dont have the bankroll for the main tour
but why on gods earth??? but okay when she dont let me play --- its okay i gues

https://www.pocketfives.com/forums/...e-sngmtt-bankroll-management-chart-and-guide/

--- turbos are better than normal, when u at least be a little winner ;

https://www.pocketfives.com/articles/should-you-play-turbo-or-regular-sngs-224768/


--- does that mean hypers are the best?


But how can I find MY games?


I tried so many things

--- play the first startet tour ---play the tour that startet last ---- play the tour with the most or less man ---run a randomizer and until i played it all in 1 session i randomize which to play next

 

[Collin Moshman]

Thanks for the nice words Sperr.

There may be around 40 different formats when you include different game types, betting structures, level lengths in tournaments, etc.

But that doesn't mean you should play all of them Just focus on one or two that you enjoy. For example, just no-limit hold 'em cash games or just a couple of different MTTSNG formats. That will make it easier to learn and do well in the games.

So regardless of what other people/articles say, think about what you really enjoy. If you're not sure, then Stars has great play money action so start there. Good luck!

 

[DDISPARO]

First, I play. Then, I learn.

Or do you have any strategy for the sit 'n goes?

 

[Collin Moshman]

Or do you have any strategy for the sit 'n goes?

Yes, check out me and Katie's course here which was written largely with SNGs in mind.

If you have any other questions on this format you're very welcome to post them here

 

[SperrStundIs]

What are ur thoughts about late registration in tour?
How u play ur sessions or how u add tour to your sngs?

I know that u love turbos

 

[SperrStundIs]

and which poker and non poker related books do you recommend?

 

[Katie Dozier]

What are ur thoughts about late registration in tour?
How u play ur sessions or how u add tour to your sngs?

I know that u love turbos

The best value for winning players will always be to be in from the beginning ideally but when that’s not possible I like to make a decision based on how much variance I’m okay with. That may mean entering a tournament relatively short stacked for buy ins that are very low to me, but for my highest buyins I would plan my day around them and thus only late reg if I was a couple minutes late getting to the table!

I intermix sngs and mtts just being careful not to confuse what table is what!

 

[Katie Dozier]

and which poker and non poker related books do you recommend?

This is one I could spend hours answering as I have learned a lot from many poker books over the years and then on the non-poker side I majored in English but instead I’ll attempt to not bore you to death!

My favorites are of course written by Collin lol, but for those I’m a bit less personally tied to [emoji6] my favorite series of all time has to be “Harrington on Hold ‘em” which I partially credit to my decision to start taking poker seriously back in college.

As for non-poker books, I love reading poetry anthologies (do those count?) by primarily modern poets, but my favorite author of all time is Mark Twain.

 

[SperrStundIs]

thank you so much
haha with collin


so everything from 2+2 and when u want some nice books u just ask little kids on the street what they now learn in school.

 

[italorohdrigues]

Drag The Bar has a lot of free content including excellent videos from Katie on 45man SNGs.

Hi, I was searching this thread with interrest on 45 man sng but I couldn't find these on the Drag The Bar site, could you give us a link or show how to find it?

Thanks!

 

[Luvepoker]

I just recommended one of my favorite but even more most game changing book for one aspect of my poker game. I just realized that it was Collin Moshmans book Heads up No limit holdem. Before this book I could just not take down tournaments or play just good heads up poker. I know this is for questions but I just wanted to thank you for writing this book and helping my game so much.

 

[Collin Moshman]

I just recommended one of my favorite but even more most game changing book for one aspect of my poker game. I just realized that it was Collin Moshmans book Heads up No limit holdem. Before this book I could just not take down tournaments or play just good heads up poker. I know this is for questions but I just wanted to thank you for writing this book and helping my game so much.

Thanks very much Luve, that’s great to hear!

 

[Collin Moshman]

Hi, I was searching this thread with interrest on 45 man sng but I couldn't find these on the Drag The Bar site, could you give us a link or show how to find it?

Thanks!

I’m not able to find a link on my phone but I think most are in the premium section. We are also planning more 45 man content for CardsChat in the future. Thanks for the question here and feel free to post more on 45 man strategy if you’d like!

 

[italorohdrigues]

Can you give some advice on how to approach long sit and gos sessions?
My goal is to play 8 hours a day, sometimes I can sit and play the whole day without too much trouble, but other times I start to feel tired or distracted by something else

What is your approach to that? 8 hours straight, two 4 hours sessions? What do you prefer to do?

Along with that, I believe that having a good mindset is key. I'm trying to improve in that too but I still feel like I'm making wrong decisions when I face a lot of bad beats in a short period of time, or when things goo wrong in one of my tables, it starts to affect the others.

Last days on my challenge it was pretty clear, things were going okay until they weren't and I start to feel unmotivated to continue on opening more tournaments.

When this happens I only continue playing for a couple of hours and then I take a break from the grind to continue later on, is that bad?

 

[Collin Moshman]

Can you give some advice on how to approach long sit and gos sessions?
My goal is to play 8 hours a day, sometimes I can sit and play the whole day without too much trouble, but other times I start to feel tired or distracted by something else

What is your approach to that? 8 hours straight, two 4 hours sessions? What do you prefer to do?

Along with that, I believe that having a good mindset is key. I'm trying to improve in that too but I still feel like I'm making wrong decisions when I face a lot of bad beats in a short period of time, or when things goo wrong in one of my tables, it starts to affect the others.

Last days on my challenge it was pretty clear, things were going okay until they weren't and I start to feel unmotivated to continue on opening more tournaments.

When this happens I only continue playing for a couple of hours and then I take a break from the grind to continue later on, is that bad?

One longer session is by far the most efficient and what I try to do the real majority of the time. But what you said is 100% correct — mindset is key. If you’re distracted or tilting them and the session as quickly as possible and play another later in the day or just call it quits for the day.

So what you’re doing now sounds like a great approach and nice work on getting in 8 hours a day. That’s not an easy thing to do and keep up focus so way to go on this goal and all your hard work accomplishing it.

 

[maxi93s]

Hi collin, im trying to building a bankroll with microlimits sit and goes', i read your book, saw a couples of your videos and studying icm all the time, think i have crushed 0,50$ (9players), i went from 0 to 50$ in few weeks, next step soon is the 1,50$ and i see i will have to play more loosen and playing more post flop in the early blinds. So my question is how can i improve my skills post flop? maybe learning some cash game ? Thanks in advance and sorry for my bad english.

 

[Collin Moshman]

Hi collin, im trying to building a bankroll with microlimits sit and goes', i read your book, saw a couples of your videos and studying icm all the time, think i have crushed 0,50$ (9players), i went from 0 to 50$ in few weeks, next step soon is the 1,50$ and i see i will have to play more loosen and playing more post flop in the early blinds. So my question is how can i improve my skills post flop? maybe learning some cash game ? Thanks in advance and sorry for my bad english.

Nice work Maxi!

I suggest using tracking software if you have it to mark hands where you're unsure on the right action. (If you don't have tracking software that allows for this, then you can do it manually by recording hand details while you play.)

After each session, return to these marked hands to think about the right play, calculate odds, and post ones that have you stumped in the tournament hand analysis sub-forum right here on CardsChat. There's a great group that posts feedback on these hands.

I hope that helps and good luck in the $1.50's

 

[CRStals]

Hi Collin and Katie!!

It may not be a specific tournament question but more general but I'll ask it in your thread as it relates to your course you created for us (AMAZING by the way!!!))

You reviewed hand ranges early and broke down an UTG+1 limp / 3 bet shove call from a player possibly on tilt. They showed K5s which was outside of the range we would have put them on. Initially you commented to ignore it - but how often would that have to happen for us to expand the range we have on our opponent?

 

[Collin Moshman]

Hi Collin and Katie!!

It may not be a specific tournament question but more general but I'll ask it in your thread as it relates to your course you created for us (AMAZING by the way!!!))

You reviewed hand ranges early and broke down an UTG+1 limp / 3 bet shove call from a player possibly on tilt. They showed K5s which was outside of the range we would have put them on. Initially you commented to ignore it - but how often would that have to happen for us to expand the range we have on our opponent?

Thanks CR!

I'm not sure I remember that hand, but it definitely sounds like I didn't speak too clearly about it The reason is that I wouldn't ignore a limp/shove with K5s, this is great info to have even if we know nothing else. My advice would be to assume this was a crazy/unpredictable player the first time I saw a move like this. Subsequent similar plays would only confirm the read.

 

[blkmoney12]

Good afternoon to u

Good afternoon to u. With ur help, I have almost recovered from my downswing this is what u messaged me around early dec
Good question Blk and sorry to hear you've been downswinging recently. A few suggestions I have based on what you're saying (more details in the course):

** Don't play too tight early. For example, start playing suited broadway hands from all positions if there's an ante (and from middle position and later if there isn't one)

** Work a lot on shove/fold ranges. Holdem Resources has a free tool or there's great paid software. You should often be shoving weak hands with a very short stack instead of getting blinded out.

** Put in the volume or work to change mindset where a given coinflip loss is less noticeable, not that it's ever fun!

I hope that helps and best of luck

That advice helped me a lot I have recently uploaded videos of me making the ft in two tournaments in the last week one was a special bounty series on PokerStars pa and the second one was a 10$ 3000$ gtd on the same site when u get the time can u tell what I need to do to win these tournaments please ty and have a nice day.

 

[Collin Moshman]

Congrats on the final tables!

If you have a time stamp on one of them where you have a questions, I'd be happy to take a look -- just let me know what time and video the question is on.

I'm very glad to hear you've been doing well since the last time we spoke

 

[LEV1ATHAN]

Just starting out

Hey, I'm pretty new to poker overall and recently decided to start maybe playing sngs because of the time flexibility. I've studied a decent of tournament and deepstack play so I find myself pretty comfortable. However from reading this thread I see that the are some differences between MTTS and SNGs mainly that you are in the Push/Fold mode much faster and with much more ICM then in regular MTTS, I started using the ICMIZER App but was wondering what other differences should I pay attention to vs an MTT as currently I'm basically just doing the same thing as an MTT(Tight, Aggressive) and any other advice you have for a tournament player who wants to learn to crush sngs. Btw I'm at the microstakes level not trying to play games that I cant beat yet. Also what type of ROI, ITM should I expect compared to tournaments. Is there more variance or less compared to larger tourneys?

 

[eagleaces]

Hope i get a reply lol

Thanks Martin!

I started off playing $25nl cash games and got into SNGs when I was trying different formats and discovered that 10man SNGs (they all had 10 players back in those days!) were a lot of fun and easy to beat with a super-simple tight strategy. I did play other formats including MTT then, but always loved one-table SNGs and played them as my primary game.

Katie started playing SNGs (I believe!) because that was my main format and she started playing online poker after we met.

I think spins are cool but like you said, the variance is incredibly high, and the rake can be difficult to beat on some sites/stakes. With that said, if you find soft spins and enjoy the format, then they're fun and can definitely be profitable. I prefer conventional SNGs though!

When There are Four players (for me i usually have chip lead or average and above Most of the sitngos i play, 50$ to micro 1.50$) I lose more even though i always get it in with the lead or a small dog. For instance four handed i get delt AK Clubs suited UTG and i usually make it 2.5bb pre at this stage. SB calls and the bb folds. Flop: 3d 7d Qc. SB checks and i Make a C bet(3.4bb) and its called. TURN: Kh SB leads out here (8bb) and i call.
RIVER: 3s Sb checks and i decide to check behind for simple reason of i only have a pair lol. He turns over Ace 3.
I will always lose with premiums From here on out. Usually when i win the Sit n go its cause i make a Gut Feeling shove or i just plain outplay my opponents post flop. Im just curious if i played that right and also is it a thing to not play Standard to win a Game.