Poker Strategy

Sit And Don't Go Broke.
No, SNGs wont leave you queuing embarrassingly at the local clinic, SNG is the acronym for Single Table Tourneys, also called One Table Tourneys, Sit and Go's... - whatever you call them they are one of the best ways to pass a pleasant hour or two and maybe make some money. But is there a winning strategy for them?

Well poker is a true "Game" by the definition of Game Theory, so there is no universal strategy that works optimally regardless of your opponents. That is to say if a certain strategy was adopted by all players, any player who deviated from it would profit enormously. If everyone on your table is playing tight then you should play loose, it's standard poker knowledge!

That said, there are smart ways to play SNGs that will increase your return on investment. I'll run through my top tips which have served me well.

Firstly, most people play SNGs when they want a bit of cheap fun. Far too often they don't play well and over bet pots and play poor starting hands. Playing with this in mind will calibrate your spidey senses to the level you are playing at. Bet your strong starting hands hard at the start, you will get a caller who's looking to double up. If you don't get hands, resist the urge to playing poor starting hands looking for a cheap flop as you'll often get raised and leak chips. Pretty soon you should double up. A double-up often means you will get 3rd at least and almost double your stake. Continue to play tight and aggressively but avoid the chip leaders (who are more likely to be gamblers if they have accumulated many of the chips). Instead pick your points and your hands. You should be entering the pot with a raise more often than a call, but not entering many hands at all.

When it gets down to 3-way you have achieved your objective of increasing your tank and making money. Now you should decide if you want to play for the win or outlast second. Personally I prefer to play for the win as the money is generally small anyway but it's your call.