Three Steps to Sit ‘n Go Success
I love the occasional big tournament and I don’t mind sitting hours on end at a juicy cash game, but the problem with both of these forms of poker is that they can require a multi-hour time commitment, something that not every poker has to offer. Luckily, there exist Sit ‘n Go (SNG) tournaments. The standard SNG is a single table tournament that pays the top three spots and starts out with 9 to 10 players. SNGs are a great way for new players to get involved in tournament poker because they offer low buy-ins, few opponents, and the opportunity to cash easily if you understand the differences in strategy involved with playing a SNG versus a regular tournament. Lets take a look at a few of them.
1. Controlled Patience: Since so many SNG buy-ins are cheap, you’ll see a lot of players playing recklessly during the starting levels, as they simply don’t care about the money and just want to try and bully the table. This strategy can work, but it is far too dangerous of a way to play during the opening rounds of a SNG simply because the blinds are too low and you often will have to risk too many chips in order to pick up minimal pots. Instead, take the early rounds as an opportunity to wait for premium hands, gain information on your opponents, and get an overall feel for the table. Is everyone playing super tight, super loose? Since it’s a single table tournament you’ll be playing against the same players from beginning to end, and many of them will continue to play the same way from their first hand to the last, so be patient in the beginning, gather information, and pick your spots.
2. Don’t Blind Off: Since only the top three spots typically pay out in a SNG, many players will often let their chips dwindle down to nothing, all while hoping that enough players get knocked out in the meantime in order to place themselves in the money. This strategy is terrible on every level. SNGs are typically only profitable in the long run when you win, so you shouldn’t ever be aiming to just come in third or even second. Secondly, if your chips get far below the average stack at the table, you will be bullied by the majority of the players, which will eventually result in you having to go all-in with a mediocre hand, which normally leads to elimination. The rule of thumb to follow is as soon as your down to about 10 times the big blind in chips, you are now just looking for spots to go all-in and double up. Small pocket pairs or hands like A-J? You’ll have to shove and hope that you double up, otherwise you’ll blind yourself out of the tournament.
3. Play to Win: As I mentioned above, the payouts for 3rd and 2nd place in the typical SNG is not profitable in the long run, therefore you must always play to win. Playing to win doesn’t mean playing recklessly, but it also doesn’t mean to fold every hand while waiting for the other players to eliminate each other. When you make it to the final three, your play will almost always have to switch styles and become more aggressive, because smart SNG opponents will do the same, and you can’t afford to fold hand after hand in a heads-up or three-handed situation. If you get the opportunity to eliminate an opponent when your down to the final three, you can’t be afraid to take it, as those extra chips will put you on the fast track to an overall victory, which is the only way to make long term profits from SNGs.
By: Chris Iaquinta
