One table game with all new players

[danbridy]

How do you beat a one table (6-7 man) SNG with all new players? They never fold and hardly ever raise. Whenever I do have a hand, I generally end up losing to a straight with them showing me 2 random cards. Its funny, but also annoying at the same time. I am playing tight, but both times got busted by dumb hands. Maybe I am not raising enough to punish them, or maybe I am shoving at the wrong time. Anyways, any of you guys ever been in a similar situation? All opinions welcome.

[codewarrior]

You will get more replies if you give more specifics about situations that came up during the game. Make sure you include what site, what buy-in, what level, chip stack sizes, position, and if it was limit or no-limit.

For an answer to a question as broad as yours, I refer you to the sticky post at the top of the list, for the SnG FAQ.

Welcome to the forum. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[bigchips]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you beat a one table (6-7 man) SNG with all new players? They never fold and hardly ever raise. Whenever I do have a hand, I generally end up losing to a straight with them showing me 2 random cards. Its funny, but also annoying at the same time. I am playing tight, but both times got busted by dumb hands. Maybe I am not raising enough to punish them, or maybe I am shoving at the wrong time. Anyways, any of you guys ever been in a similar situation? All opinions welcome.

[/ QUOTE ]

If they never fold they are calling stations which can be taken advantage of by you only betting good cards and not calling their raises. Just bet superior hands. When you challenge them you may need to take them by surprise, build up your chip stack, then make aggressive bets to get them to fold (those who don't defend their blinds). Don't try to bluff if they are callers as they will likely call to the river. Let them take each other out - stay away from the all-in hands by others and then when the table gets down to about 3 wear them down with blind stealing and more aggresive play by you.

[lorinda]

Get your money in when in front, get all of it in, don't outplay yourself.

Double up, repeat.

Lori

[fujowpai]

[ QUOTE ]
They never fold and hardly ever raise. Whenever I do have a hand, I generally end up losing to a straight with them showing me 2 random cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here is MY opinion. People spiking a straight on the end with junk is an indication that they are not being forced to pay early. This is a classic limit holdem situation (i'm assuming you are referring to NL). Everybody has an "uncle point" relative to their stack. I'm new to tournaments myself, but I've noticed that players are more sensitive to their stack size than in cash games, presumably because they are afraid of getting blinded into oblivion after a couple of orbits. But just like cash games, once it gets low enough, they'll go with anything. This would be fine if you were heads-up, but things get complicated if you're not.

To echo what Lori said, if you have a hand preflop that figures to be better than even money against one player preflop, then find that uncle point and lean on it. You want to put them to a decision, and if they decide to play back, shove it in and let fate decide. Better to go out knowing you were correctly aggressive than being bled to death by playing weakly.

If you don't know the math, take some time to learn it.

If for some reason, you can't force a heads-up situation preflop or don't have a hand that justifies it, and you end up seeing a flop, look for the straight draws first. Possible flush draws are obvious and the presence of any big cards announces possible pairs. Either you have a hand that can prevail if taken to the end or you don't. If you have a hand, make the draws pay the correct price to see the next card. You may have to fudge this up for opponents who don't get the message. They need to know that if they miss their draw on 4th st, you are coming after them. That is, if that overcard doesn't show up, or that third suit, or another card to the straights you figured out earlier, then whack them again. If you are on a (non-overcard) draw yourself, and you are late, figure out if you are getting the right price. If you are early, it's considerably trickier. You wouldn't have limped in early, or overcalled an early limper, so you should have the lead when the flop comes. They don't know what you have, so lead at the pot. Don't check unless you know you are going to be check-raising for some specific reason. If you get raised, when it gets back to you, figure out your price. Generally, people who've called already will call the raise, unless its crazy, so you're safe to add their money. If you miss on 4th st, you may be able to bluff one opponent, depending on the circumstances. Otherwise, check-fold. Don't check-call to the end without some kind of hand.

Sorry to sound so pedantic. But there's my opinion on the matter.

Eric