How to play an SNG

Okay, I've been playing a bit on Full Tilt Poker and they offer a token (if you play enough raked hands) to a $24+2 SNG in which 1st place (only prize) gets a seat in the $200+16 $200,000 Guaranteed tourney. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on playing this.

Thanks for all contributions.

Comments

  • I play sit and go's the same way I play tournaments. Tight/Aggressive. It works well for me. I make the money about 40/60 and when I make the money I usually get 2nd or 1st. Granted you can suffer some bad beats in sit and go's, by players who think KT are good cards to all-in on pre-flop.
  • This SNG is quite different in that it pays out only one spot.

    Ciaffone & Reuben discuss this kind of tournament breifly in their NL & PL book. Their basic idea is you can't be as patient as you can in a typical tournament because the top heavy payout structure forces you to eventually win all the chips.

    In a typical tournament (or SNG) you can afford to wait it out a little longer before trying to build a stack. Clearly you are always *trying* to win a tournament, but in a SNG or large multi you might be happy enough having a smallish stack in 3rd place, since this would put out into the money or large money, respectively.

    However, in a one seat tourney, I think you can afford to mix it up more with slim +EV plays simply because you cannot wait your way into the single prize spot.

    Mr. Scott... deploy the high variance package. :)

    ScottyZ
  • As A rule, I play a little looser (see more flops), trying to build a stack early, then tighten up as the blinds grow. Don't chase anything unless you've got the nuts early, as there are usually a couple whackos who will bet crazy trying to steal pots. If you do get a decent stack early, you can usually tighten up and get into the money. As the blinds get really big, you can bluff more to steal pots because no one will be chasing mediocre hands.

    This is what works for me in $5 and $10 SNG's online. Of course this is an oversimplification, and every game is different.

    Good Luck...
  • Ya, I ussually play SNG's the same way Paul describes, slightly looser in the early going as this is where you tend to get the most play from the less skilled players, but once people start to get knocked out and the blinds get bigger I switch to playing fairly conservatively, but on the hands I do pick to play I will try and punish anyone who is on a draw or who has a mediocre hand by playing very aggresivly.
  • Well, I found out they had a MTT Satellite and I played that one instead. 44 joined, 4 spots for tournament and 3 spots paid $$. I finished 10th. Two bad move in the final 15 minutes cost me the game.

    Hand 1: T4500 ish
    A Player took a bad beat the previous hand and was now in the BB, I had 33 in MP (5 handed) and raised 2.5 from 300 - 750, he raises to 2500 (all in), and I think and declare "lets gamble" thinking he has overcards @ best, but with (2500+750+150+250), to call 1750 seemed reasonable (2-1). Person actually had TT and hit a set on turn

    Hand 2: T2500 ish (I am 10/10)
    Blinds @ 200/400, I raise to 900 in MP with AsJs, and button raises me all in (so 1600 to call to 2500+900+400+200+250) give me 2.5-1 so I decide to shoot for the moon!
    Person has TT, and I can't outdraw him. Flop was KQQ as well.

    Really wanted to play for a shot. o well!
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