SNG's when you can't steal
Thought I'd poll the masses and see how other people deal with these situations. Latter stages of a SNG, sitting avg'd stacked, but hoping to start accumulating chips through stealing. Problem is, the guys on your left are both big stacked and very loose since they've hit a few too many 2 outers and have busted people (weak players). I find myself cursing my seat and get frustrated that stealing simply isn't an option for me since I will almost always be called by some sort of questionable hand. Is the only play here to just STOP all steal attempts whatsoever, sit tight, wait for a monster and then push (knowing you'll likely get called by a marginal hand)?
Comments
The players on your left have big stacks, but they're not good. Even BAD players don't want to lose half their stack close to the money. The only weapon you have is an all-in bet. I've been the big stack enough times (as have you, and all of us) to know that the only thing that'll get me to fold my BB when we're close to the money and I have a monster stack is an all-in bet. That being said, if that all-in bet is less than 3XBB, I'm usually calling with any two. If it's more, I'll fold hands like ace-small, KJ, even KQ. I'll fold small pairs, 77 and lower off the top of my head.
So if your stack is still enough to hurt the big stacks, (ie: half their stack), you still have a LOT of power. Raising small won't work... they'll either call and move in on the flop or they'll move all-in preflop. Especially if they are as loose as you describe. When you're shorthanded, and the blinds are big, and coming around fast, you don't have time to wait. With two big loose stacks on your left, it would be nice if you could wait, but you can't. You have to make all-in moves with any ace, two high cards, small pairs, and even middle suited connectors and suited one-gappers. And if you're not even getting any of that junk, you have to move in with any two before you get to 3XBB. I know the players on your left will call you with sub-optimal hands because they're morons who don't understand big stack play, or they are good enough to know that your all-in bets could be made with a large variety of hands, and that therefore lowers their calling requrements. But, you could get them to fold trash, or if they call you could get lucky by having the best hand and having it hold up or having a slightly worse hand and sucking out. Sometimes being on the 40 end of a 60/40 shot isn't that bad a thing, like when the circumstances are as bad as you describe.
That's not a problem.
That being said, I agree that having loose players on your left is not *usually* a problem. In the situation that ScoobyD oulined though, it can be, IMO. How would you handle the situation?
If you pick up a real hand, you double up and if you pick up a better than average hand you can double up. With the tighties, you may be able to steal more, but your road to the double up is harder.
But you can only wait so long. If you don't see any of these types of hands--and I'd add any suited king into the mix too--then it's any two cards at 3XBB, and hope for the best--a fold, or a lucky double-up.