Sit 'n Go Strategy: Expert Advice for Beating One-Table Poker Tournaments, by Collin Moshman
Synopsis of Pt. I, low blind play
By Bill Haywood
I wrote this synopsis first and foremost to master the ideas and as a handy reference. As a reinforcer of things already known, it will be more useful to those who have already read the book.
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In his book Sit 'n Go Strategy, Collin Moshman details how he pounds the single-table tournaments found online (popularly known as sit 'n goes, or sngs). Reduced to its simplest, the method is to start out unusually tight and avoid large pots, then escalate the aggression as the blinds escalate and become worth stealing. Playing tight in early stages cultivates a rocky image and dissuades calls of large wagers later on. It enhances survivability by minimizing risk during much of a match, and improves chances of winning by letting other players eliminate each other. In late tournament, Moshman recommends a level of aggression and all-in play that might appear reckless, but is actually quite selective. Although the brevity of SNGs accentuates the role of chance, it also introduces novel situations for poor players to get wrong, providing a generous profit margin for skilled practitioners.
Part I, Low blind play
- Low stage = big blinds less than 100, in a tournament with beginning stacks of 1500.
- Avoid risks when you are not being whittled down.
- Be aggressive when you do play, which reduces risk.
- "mistakenly getting involved in a large pot is a huge mistake during low-blind play." p.60.
Critical concepts Tournament equity
Tournament equity is different from in ring games
- Only some players get paid, while ring game participants can cashout anytime.
- It is more than just total chips; eliminating, or being eliminated by, another player greatly affects equity.
- Chip values are not fixed. If a shortstack loses $500, she is nearly out of the tournament, but it might be only 10% of a large stack — a far smaller impact on tournament equity. In this particular context, the value of individual chips can be said to decrease as a stack increases.
- Do distinguish from cash-game chips, where $1 always equals exactly 100 cents, Moshman uses shorthand t600 to refer to "tournament" chips, as in, a stack of 600.
Because their equity is different, tournaments require strategy adjustments.
- You try to enhance prize equity, not necessarily numerical chips.
- Eliminating an opponent, or being eliminated, has value beyond the number of chips involved. Avoiding some +EV hands and letting other players eliminate each other may enhance tournament equity more than playing less-strong hands.
- The chance of elimination makes some plays negative EV, especially on the bubble, even if chip expectation is positive.
- "you always need a greater edge than if you were playing cash poker, since plays with positive chip expectation may still lower your equity in the tournament environment." p.60.
Pot odds Are of course a foundation of good play. Chip expected value cEV is expectation in terms of tournament chips, which is different from equity in prize money. The aggression principle Betting is better than calling because it gives two ways to win — a fold or best hand. Low-blind hands Avoid tough decisions by playing tight. Premium hands: aces, kings, queens, and AK
- Generally, keep pots small! AK can call a raise, rather than reraise.
- Usually raise several BB, especially QQ — slow play is unnecessarily dangerous in early stage, but:
- Be willing to go all-in against resistance
- Always call pf all-ins with AA or KK, not necessarily QQ
- Consider stealing all-in pf with AK if pot gets substantial
- Be quick to release dangerous flops
- AK is less tricky to play — easy fold if flop misses.
- Bet higher on flop vs. coordinated board or multiple opponents.
Sub-premium hands: JJ-99, AQ, AJ
- Dominated hands can lose a stack on seemingly favorable flops.
- Avoid AQo, AJ in early position, or against raises.
- EP, bet TT, JJ. AQs, p99, limp or bet 2-3 BB.
- MP, LP: call or raise vs. limpers, tend to fold vs. raises (especially AQ, AJ).
Speculative hands: suited connectors, lower pairs, suited aces
- Require cheap entry (late, maybe middle position) and two or more opponents.
- If two people limp and a third raises — a probable fold.
- Avoid possible reraises; even a small raise after limpers is dangerous — reopens betting.
- It is miserable to play draws out of position.
- Very loose passive tables may allow early calls.
- Quick release if flop misses.
Steal hands: decent cards in late position
- You must be late position opener (except for resteals, a later topic).
- In CO, KTs good, J8o bad.
- Probable half-pot continuation bet on flop if anyone calls.
Low-blind flop play Excellent flops (pat hands, top pair or better)
- Bet hard — punish draws or loose play
- Vary betting according to vulnerability of your hand
- Larger, pot-sized bets against multiple opponents or scary boards
- Half-pot or less on ragged, unthreatening boards — let them stay
- Very few hands, even monsters, are invulnerable, so usually bet at least some.
- It is not a disaster if opponents fold. Besides, slow-playing monsters can easily lead to tiny pots. Bet while they still have a chance to improve.
Draws
- Hold down pot size.
- Try to take pots with a semi-bluff.
- During low blinds, avoid coin flips for large pots.
- Take free card to avoid getting raised out of pot, unless a bet may work immediately.
- Multiway, if you would call a bet, you should probably bet out for the quick win.
- Expect to fold to raises, unless you have odds.
- Tend to fold to bets (unless small) if there are potential reraises behind you.
- Anticipate folding river if draw misses, don't try to muscle it in early tournament.
Missing the flop after raising preflop
- If there's little sign of strength before or after flop, try a continuation bet of1/2 to 2/3 pot.
- Expect to fold to bets or raises
Marginal made hands (easily beaten cards without draws)
- Example: 76 on a 732 board (weak pair, weak kicker).
- Don't involve much of your stack — check-raises commit too many chips.
- Don't get pot committed. You have to be able to walk away from top pair during early blinds.
- Take a stab with a 1/2 pot bet.
- Expect to muck if someone bets ahead of you, or you are raised, especially when you don't have the initiative in a small pot.
- Welcome free cards, rather than blasting onward.
- Avoid weak ace battles. Betting out is fine, but don't call.
Low blind summary: When in doubt, throw it out. Random bits If someone bets out after you were pf aggressor, they are usually weak, otherwise, they'd check-raise your inevitable continuation bet. If someone is on a draw against your very strong made hand, even if you slow play the flop, you must bet the turn. If they miss draw, that will be the only street you get anything out of them. You were aggressor pf with pQQ, board is KKx. EP bets out. That's a bluff because they would slow play against your certain aggression. But if there are people behind you, probably fold. |
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