ITM, now what?

[rachelwxm]

Hi, all, since I started play SNG I really find this site helpful.

I have been thinking about ITM play, what if u are down to final 3?

To be more concrete, let's use party 10+1 example, the payout is 50 30 20.

Some of the threads I read said you should play very aggressively; u would rather be 1st or 3rd simply because
1/3*(50+30+20) =33.33 < 1/2*(50+20) =35
So it seems like u would gain equity by being 1st or third, but is this really right?

Here is my calculation, assume all 3 have equal stack blind is very tiny (not a realistic assumption ofcouce)

If u have a free choice of all in with equal chance with one of the other guy, would you want to?

My calculation shows if u lost all in, u get 20, but if u win, since u have double the stack, u have 2/3*50+1/3*30=43.3
Overall ur equity is 1/2*20+1/2*43 = 31.7

But if u play passively, of course, u need to steal ur blinds back, now u will be HP against one guy with doule your stack.
ur equity is now 1/3*50+2/3*30=36.7

So again, u gain equity by staying alive. EV=+5

I think most people in the board agree staying alive gaining equity in early rounds, but it seems it work out even in ITM case.

I seems to have more 2nd finishes than 1st or 3rd, I saw most of the good player here have less 2nd finishes than 1st or 3rd.

If I am BB and someone make a decent raise I will usually throw away JT and wait until my chance of steal.

Maybe I need to work my HP game, but is my calculation fraud as well?

Thanks for any response in advance.

[KJ o]

Your main point is that if two people go all-in, the third player gains EV. That's tru and clearly described in Sklansky's TPFAP (and a bunch of other places as well).

That would seem to dictate tight play. However, it's not quite that simple. The reason is that if you are too tight you will simply blind out since the stacks are always relatively short, at least at Party.

But the most important reason is that if you are agressive the person calling gives EV to the last person. That means calling on a coinflip is bad, and since calling is less valuable than in ring games, players do it less and agression pays more.

If the places were paid 50/33/17, meaning that every spot you move up from fourth would be worth the same, I don't think that would change how you play too much. (Or maybe I'm wrong here?)