PP SnG's

[MrGo]

How do you win these things? Pretty broad question I know. I played 3 $50+5 SnG's yesterday...I got a 2nd, a 3rd, and a 7th.

When it's down to 3 handed, I feel my game has some serious leaks that need addressing. I seem to play more tight, more timid. I don't try to steal with garbage hands. Perhaps I am thinking too much about the money? I'm not sure, but it is costing me money.

I feel I have a solid game, but my heads-up play and even play when down to 3-4 handed is weak.

Any suggestions or comments on where I could start improving this part of my game?

Thanks

[chill888]

One of the great S&G challenges is to be able to shift gears dramatically on a short period of time.

In Poker Stars S&Gs I often get called a huge Rock and a Crazy Maniac - occasionally in the same tourney.

Tight solid aggressive play early hoping to double or triple up. The number of times I go 1st forty hands without a win and then win two in a row on a bluff...

Leverage tight reputation eraned eraly for appropriate aggressiveness late.

No time for super tight play late. You must be very selectively aggressive.

Just MHO

[papawawa]

I agree with chill. You must be able to quickly adapt to short handed play. Granted I've never played as high stakes as $50+5, but when I'm down to three, I'm usually raising preflop as much as possible. If called, I will usually bet out again and fold to a raise unless I hit something. Some indispensable material for these situations is in HPFAP, in the short-handed section. Sklansky descibes that, effectively, raising almost every hand is the correct play because you only have to steal the blinds a small percentage of time to show an AUTOMATIC profit. Of course the nature of NL changes things a bit, but I think the concept remains the same. Check it out.

[chill888]

<<<Sklansky descibes that, effectively, raising almost every hand is the correct play because you only have to steal the blinds a small percentage of time to show an AUTOMATIC profit

Careful, though this assumes (I believe) that you have the discipline to fold when reraised while stealing.

An interesting science is how much you need to raise when stealing to make a guy fold. ie. you'd like to raise as small as possible in case he comes over the top, but if the bet is too small he may raise or call for value with lesser hands.

I guess it is an art not science.

One good tip, Anytime I see a guy use autofold i make a note. Often this means u can steal in future using small raises - easy to fold if reraised.

[papawawa]

Good point about the autofold; I never thought of that before.

[ilya]

[ QUOTE ]
One good tip, Anytime I see a guy use autofold i make a note. Often this means u can steal in future using small raises - easy to fold if reraised.

[/ QUOTE ]

Be careful with that, people might be using autofold consciously. For example, I sometimes use it to give players on my left the impression that I'm not a blind thief.

[poboy]

[ QUOTE ]


One good tip, Anytime I see a guy use autofold i make a note. Often this means u can steal in future using small raises - easy to fold if reraised.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can someone explain this a little more, I believe it is correct just not sure why. I use the autofold and am now wondering if I shouldn't be? Am I giving away too much information?

[MisterNatural]

I hate it when everyone folds to the SB and he's using auto-fold and ends up giving the short stacked BB more ammo.

[C M Burns]

Is Party so much the standard that noones asks if PP is paradise or even pacific? Anyhow I've been playing the 50's over the past few months (at party although paradise has a little better structure i think), and trying to master that secret as well. First the rock till the end semi sitting out till the money does not work, since they rarely get to the money before 150/300, if not later. you will be blinded out quickley. So you do need to acumulate chips to do well. Of course earlier you need to play very tight, and not put much money chasing draws, but lev 1 i may limp in lp hoping to hit something and i may limp w/ pairs hoping to catch a set for a bit.

Mid- unless I have gotten some chips I am wary of getting to many of my chips invested preflop, w/ things like tt, JJ or even AK, unless I think there is a good chance I can win the pot there, or even if I get an unfavorable flop.

Later on near the money, I like to keep in mind that if it is for all or most of my chips I never want to be called unless I have the nuts on the river, the payouts just don't justify taking excessive risks so it is better to win some chips 4 sure. Once the levels get to 100/200, unless I am big stack vs. big stack I think pushing in best. If you have people covered or close to it stealing is very effective, and really a necesity since you just can't hope to wait for big hands consistently. And in stealing base decisions on the person and the stack situation, since if you get called Q7 is likley not much better than 94. And if I have everyone well covered where i can aford to loose a pot i've had success pushing in w/ everything first in.

Head-up I think i may have been too aggresive of late, but I think pushing w/ all but the worse hands is generally not too far from best, depending on the oponent.

So I don't know if there really is a secret formula to winning or at least I haven't found it but if you do please let me know.

[lastchance]

I think I have a decent basic strategy for winning SNG's, pretty similar to CM's.

Generally, don't lose a lot of chips the first few levels trying to win the tournament. But if the cards come, let the fish pay you off so you don't have to make chips later.

When your stack hits about 20x blinds, start opening up a slight bit and try to grab a few chips, but don't lose a lot, because you'll need a stack when the blinds move on to the next level.

If you're here shortstacked, it's ok, but you really need to make your bones here. By raising, and stealing. Close your eyes and bet. Bet preflop, bet on the flop, and move in whenever you think your opponent will fold. Bully people around, and make stands by reraising. Weak-tight is ok early on.

It's suicide once the blinds come up to this point. HU, you can bet with any 2. Remember, when blinds can you eat you alive without any help.

If you see your stack heading to 4x BB, you're not stealing enough and putting your chip stack at risk to make others fold. SH, it will get folded to you in the button a lot, and you should push 60-70% of the time from that position shortstacked.

Basically, the plan is this. Weak-tight until blinds become big, then switch gears and go into Loose-aggresive.