Low Stakes SNG Strategy

Debi

Debi

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This is our strategy thread discussion for Week 3 in the CardsChat December Forum Challenge. Anyone can feel free to take part in the discussion - even if you are not participating in the challenge.

Please read this article and discuss:

Low Stakes SNG Strategy


I always struggled with sng's while doing quite well in tournaments. I think based on reading this article that I played a bit too tight in the early levels.

I did better in the middle and late stages - but had often lost chips by then even playing a bit tight.
 
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mtl mile end

mtl mile end

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Firstly, the idea that Sit 'n Go ALWAYS means single table and Tournament ALWAYS means multi table is a little misleading. Online MTT Sit 'n Go's are plentiful - at least on pokerstars.

For low stakes single table Sit 'n Go's, I think that table image is crucial. You're playing with the same players all the way through. I find few things more frustrating than cultivating a table image for dozens of hands only to be swept away to another table. This is not a problem in single table tournaments. With this in mind, everything that you are trying to do in the game should be considered in terms of this context. If you're card dead, when it's time to shove, people might just think you're a rock with a premium hand. When you're getting tons of hands and play, play play, people might think you're spilly. The key factor of course, is what are they actually seeing. The approach may need to turn on a dime if the wrong hand gets called down.
 
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chronical

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low stakes (i think we include micros too?) are well polirized as they can get =) You have uber nits to 82o pushes from MP for 50bb so all I can come up with to beating them is get notes/stats on your opps. Having 50/50 table of players is normal. Also as we are talking about lows - dont get too fancy as with any "non-regish" games. Even a NIT will call you off with paird A on 3 suited bord when you try to "make a play". IN addition they atract alot of new players who get frustrated with being "card dead" foк 15 hands (LUL) and punt a stack with something that has 30% equity. What I would also think about is game before 15bb, after taht you are basically bound to push-fold, but befor you can have some intersting ways to make chips with TPs
 
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Muzyka1996

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I start to play aggressively, trying to raise my stack several times. If I go up, I try to play it less aggressively.
 
pr0serbian

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First few levels tight play and if i hit strong try to stack some fish becouse there are a lot of fish in first few levels.Medium phase if im under 15bb jam good cards trying to dobule up,if im good with chips trying to steal blinds etc...
 
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r21sp

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it's just a lottery, worse than in the hyper turbo only in the freerolls where after the first hand you can have a 4 times higher hand than the starting stack
 
ebellari

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i use the same strategy in sng and mtt and it always make me qualify for the winnings, never got the 1st place but its ok
my strategy in sng is patient, i always wait for good cars and always notice players and label them

but int he late stages i always go out by trying to bluff
 
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ucdengboss

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Firstly, the idea that Sit 'n Go ALWAYS means single table and Tournament ALWAYS means multi table is a little misleading. Online MTT Sit 'n Go's are plentiful - at least on PokerStars.

I agree with this. To me a Sit N Go is just that... you sit and when the required number of players all sit down then the tournament starts. It has nothing to do with the number of players or tables. The SNG tournament just does not have a pre-defined start time. Could be 2 players, 4 players, 8 players, 18, 45, 180, even 1000+. They could be standard where with 9 or 10 players it pays 50,30,20 or double or nothing, etc. They are all still Sit N Go in my mind because they fill and start when the required number of player sit down.


MTTs on the other hand have a defined start time and could start with any number of players. The payout structure is based upon how many joint but typically pay out to the top 10%.


Although I must say that I believe all SNGs are always a freezout format and never have an add on. I don't know of any webpage that does this with any SNGs but it is possible I suppose.


As for strategy I think that playing very tight aggressive poker early when your chips have a very small $ value and then getting loose and aggressive as the blinds force the action is the best way to go. Once ITM I tend to find it acceptable to take reasonable risks to try and go for the win rather than take a minimum cash. This goes for both STT adn MTTs.
 
Bev

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Low Stakes SNG , to me on poker stars is playing the 2 cent game or the 10 cent games , they are likely listed as micro , but for me it is the only SNG that I have played.
There are always multi tables , and usually 100+ players , so I treat these like a tourny - which it really is. You end up getting moved to several tables as there are a lot of donkeys in these tournies , and so I generally treat them as such on how I play them.
Thing is , I have found out I never do well and have never placed in the ones I have tried ... and so I rarely play them anymore. It is a fixed number of players for each game, and it seems the type of players doesn't get better with higher buy ins , I am not fond of SNG - and so don't play them anymore.
 
zam220

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This material is good for beginners, it will help to understand how to play in the SNG, to learn the strategy !The main goal of the tournament-to take the highest place. To make decisions and must act on this basis.Main through aggressive play increase the stack but the aggression should be used with a certain balance.
 
playinggameswithu

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Beginning levels speculative implied odds play as stacks are relatively deep for a SitNGo. That means seeing flops with suited aces,53s,64s,74s,56s,76s,j10s, any small pair 22-88. Trying get good sense on the players.
 
Ivansito26

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The SNGs are a tournament of many regular players that you will always see at the same table depending on the structure they play, the best way to get ahead in these tournaments is always to observe how the players act since you will always see them playing at the same table as in MTT turns is different, .. in the first levels, if it is turbo or slow, you have to be more aggressive because players will always come back to you with mediocre cards always trying to steal the blinds, try to see a little more the flop with very cheap, and in hands premiun to play the most aggressive since those types of players will pay you with any card ...
 
CRStals

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Nice article for those starting out, or getting back into SNG's online as it breaks out the tournament in easy to understand steps for beginners to follow and learn the ropes.

I will say that the biggest mistake any player falls into is utilizing the same set strategy for every game of poker they enter. In the early stage, the single biggest thing that a player must do is identify the types of players at the table and use that against them as you move into the middle stages. If you have 4 or 5 players that are simply pushing in to double up, you can't play bluffs. Likewise, if you have TAG's at the table, you need to adapt your opening ranges to account for that and open up even more.

In the middle stages I feel that in a one table, 9 player SNG when you get to 5 or 6 left, it's vital that you're 3rd or higher. As the tournament gets closer to the bubble, being on the right side of the bubble is important, not just for the money aspect, but being in the position of applying pressure to the 4th or 5th place players. There's nothing worse than being 4th out of 4 and getting squeezed on the bubble trying to get into the money. So, I feel it's better to chip up with 5 or 6 left to try and move into a top 3 position.

Late stages - don't get cute with great hands. Better to win the blinds than to double someone up. After the bubble, it's important to realize that ranges open up when the pressure's off, so be sure to take that into consideration with the table images you've already built to know how to proceed. Min cashing is fine, but there's no glory in 3rd.
 
RidersFan

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I agree with playing aggressive in the early stages, I also 3bet a lot more when I’m in position. I don’t like limping in from early position, I prefer to be the aggressor in the hand, you tend to go 6 ways or more to the flop. Even you go 4 ways and get a bad flop that you have to give up on you don’t risk very much with the blinds being so small.
 
kena3000

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Really good article. SNG is the type of game a play the most. I started a threads after it, because i tried to apply some strategies to get ITM and obviously to win these fun tournaments, but somehow i got 4° plenty of times, i have won some, but mostly i get 4° from 10 players. I guess sometimes i get a wrong idea of open hands range and lose some chips when i shouldn't. Anyway i think i'm improving my game step by step.

Sorry for my English
 
PsychoVas

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Good beginner's guide to Sit'n'Gos, although I strongly disagree with the "limping" part, even in early stages. Limping is an option maybe in the big blind or the button, but not in early position.
I absolutely back up the "position" part. Sometimes a 2,5 raise and a c-bet is enough to get you some chips, especially near the bubble.
Aggression is another key concept for those. Strong is beautiful!;)
Another benefit of one-table
Sit'n'Gos, is that they are great practice for final tables!
And I totally agree that they are the best option when your time is limited!
 
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Really like this article. I have been playing SNGs on ACR lately and this is pretty much the straightforward way you need to play. At the micro-stakes don't get cute trying to run big bluffs there is no need. Just play good solid poker and you have a good shot at making the money. Just watch players you need to adjust too based on aggression.
 
BentleyBoy

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Great Article once again from the CardsChat strategists. I like the balanced way in which the advice is given and provides options for how play can be varied at different stages. I think to some extent, the way to play depends pretty much on the value of the but in and the platform on which you play. However, if you get involved in the same level SNG at the same site, you will soon get to know the regs (and them you) and you can start introducing more knowledge into your game and play that accordingly too.

Using this advice, helps you to realise that other players will be playing similarly, so exploit that with a variation that suits the situation in which you find yourself in each hand.


Good luck


BB
 
albosaltenio

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I share with the opinion that it is the best way to build your bankroll, due to the structure it has and it is much more feasible to enter prizes than in mtt in which there are thousands of participants.
for me the best way to play it is calm without hurry and waiting for the right hands to hit, and once the bubble is broken play more aggressive.

in an hour you can earn much more than in a tournament that you should wait approximately three and a half hours to reach a minimum payment.
 
SPANKYSN

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The article gives good advice, but appears geared to micro or mini stakes. I find that players play these almost the same as Freerolls....too may early chasers. The article says to hit monster hands hard in the early stages...number one, there will be a lot of chasers, secondly AQo is NOT a monster hand...it is a hand that can deal you much pain.
 
MTCashman

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I like playing single table sit and gos because they don't take too much time to complete. My strategy for these games is to be patient and avoid getting involved in too many pots early on when the blinds are low. Use this time to get a grasp of how your opponents are playing so you can use that information when you decide to play some hands.

When the blinds are bigger they are worth fighting for so I will take more chances. You can apply a lot of pressure to players on the bubble and this will be the best time to pick up some chips.
 
Rijckenborg

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I very enjoy playing double or nothing SNG.
Next one I will play, it is sure that I will follow hint that I had read in that article.
When playing other kind of SNG, I had some difficulty in late stage.
Even if I have a lot of chips, it look like that I cannot handle it, and most of times I waste it all.
 
lilu80

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For IMO this strategy is good, when we play BI>11$. From low BI and freeroll strategy doesn`t make sense because we`re alone with wise thinking! :D
 
migesan

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In my opinion everything depends on the speed of the SnG tournament, and from experience I'm going to the turbo tournaments when you are the only one who saves you that you are close to the prizes and that you delay the time of the time, when I played, I did not even get a big pair to get the players they had a large stack of chips, on the other hand at regular levels, the situation is different and it can get into the money.
 
MrHachiman

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I do not agree with the first part of the article. In my opinion it is better to play fewer hands in the initial stages, since the blinds are small there is no need to get involved in the boats unless you have a good hand. Being multiway boats you will often be playing against 3 or more players where your top pair may not be the best and you can go to the street early. Also, taking into account the ITM your chips have more value at the beginning of the tournament, as the blinds grow they are devalued so it is best to try more blind thefts and by then you will have information of your opponents on who is tight or loose
 
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