How many winning SNG players hardly play a hand on Levels 1 and 2?

[DrewOnTilt]

Having read through many of these posts, I see some conflicting opinions on how often to enter the pot in Levels 1 and 2 on Party SNGs.

On several occasions I have either read here or elsewhere that many people don't play much other than AA KK QQ AK et cetera on levels 1 and 2 simply because the blinds aren't big enough. Essentially, this advice is to wait for only huge hands on these rounds and let the weak players bust each other out.

I am very curious as to what experienced SNG players with strong ROIs think of the aforementioned strategy for the $10/$1 games on Party. Too tight? Just right? Game dependent?

[El Maximo]

I have since moved up to the 22s but I was extremely tight in levels 1-3 at the 10s. Over 250 sngs and had a 45+ ROI. It worked for me.

[ChrisV]

I don't think you'll find many long-time posters here who don't advocate a tight approach in the first couple of rounds. Consensus is very much for tightness.

[esbesb]

I definitely think you should cast a line out there when you have small pairs/suited connectors in favorable circumstances (lots of limpers before you and decent position).

[david050173]

It is a little too tight. It is more don't try to steal the blinds early on. It isn't worth it. If you have a game with a lot of limping, trying to hit a hand (trips with small PP or straigh with 10J) I have found to be good moves. Trips are the easy one (ie if thier are 5 limpers, you don't even need implied odds to call). The suited connectors are harder since they require post flop thought. You don't want to spew chips with a pair of tens. Don't try fancy plays like reraising with AJs to try and get those limpers to fold. They won't. And if none of these situations come up early, don't worry there is still plenty of time.

[Greg Zabawa]

I've been pretty successful at the $215 level and I play pretty tight early on, but not so tight that I only play the top 4 hands. I think it is worth to play any pocket pair for a reasonable price b/c if you hit a set, you could double up. My thoughts in levels 1 and 2 are: Try and conserve chips so I have at least 900 chips during prime blind stealing time (50/100 blinds and up), but also try to double up with a premium hand or pocket pair that turns into a set. I will usually fold AJo, AJs, AQo, from any position in level 1.

[woodguy]

If you are going to play less than premium hands while the blinds are small remember 3 things:

1) Position
2) Position
3) Position

Most players who do not do well bleed chips when partially hitting a flop out of position.

When the flop hits a marginal hand in the face its easy to play, it the hands where you flop 2nd pair with an iffy re-draw or TPMK, and you have players behind you that get most people in trouble.

I usually find it easier to just take the hard decisions away and not play the iffy ones unless I have great position.

Regards,
Woodguy

[raptor517]

i agree with the small pairs. these are excellent double up hands. people will limp in with all kinds of garbage, hit their top pair no kicker and reraise you when you flop a set. you go all in, they have to call, you double up, lots of chips, easier itm. i simply will not tolerate calling with aq, aj, any of that crap. it is only a trap hand. you wont bust out when you flop a set nearly as much as you will when u flop an ace with the second best kicker and get stuck to it. also, a lot of times with ak, aq, you run into people that will call that raise with a9. when it comes a94, you lose your whole stack. with the small pairs, no set, no bet, no loss. you must maintain your stack in the early stages, and put minimal chips at risk.

[SuitedSixes]

During Rds. 1 and 2 is when I catch up on my OTT posts and make myself a sandwich. I'll play pocket pairs, but mostly I just try to keep myself out of trouble.

[Bigwig]

I play at Stars, so my starting stack is slightly bigger, and I limp in the early levels fairly frequently. This depends on two criteria, however.

1) Position
2) Previous limpers

The second is important because you're much more likely to see a flop with limpers already in the pot, as players with good but marginal full table hands (AJs, 99, etc.) are less likely to get nuts trying to win the pot preflop. I'm not afraid to lose 10% or so of my stack in the first two rounds to try and hit a big hand (trips, straight, flush, etc.). You do, however, have to be willing to let go of top pair and other decent flops at times if you suspect strength from an opponent (especially one of the blinds). If you can't dump a 'good' hand, don't even put yourself in the position of taking flops with hands like JT, 76s, KJ, etc.

[adanthar]

I will often limp AQ in any position (and sometimes raise it) and AJ from MP and later on a table where I don't fear a raise, but if you do this you have to know both how to keep the pot small and fold top pair. Those are not easy and don't even really apply at the $10+1 level.

If it's a close decision, just fold.

[betgo]

I try not to get drawn in to the wild action, but I try to play my real hands. I raise with big hands and limp with speculative hands. It depends a lot on position and previous action. I play looser on Stars than Party, since the stacks are bigger on Stars.

Because of the wild nature of the action, I agree that pairs are the best to play, since you may get a set on the flop. Due to frequent wild flop betting, it is harder to play high cards when you don't know if top pair is good or suited connectors where you may be pushed out if the hand by big flop and turn bets.

I usually raise limpers with AJ, AQ, TT, 99, maybe AT or KQ. Then you get a big pot on the flop, so the money isn't that deep at that point. This lets you play top pair or an overpair aggressively and sometimes bluff at the pot if you miss.

[poboy]

If I can get in cheap I'll play the baby pairs. If I have the button or CO and there is no large raise than I'll add in suited connectors,Axs,AQ,AJ, and KQ.

[Voltron87]

I play 33s mostly, until the blinds are 50 100 I stick to:

TT
JJ
QQ
KK
AA
AK
AQ
AJ and KQ (maybe)

I will limp and call small raises with any pp to hit a set. I rarely fold small PPs early, unless they are raised big (>60).

Hands like AQ AJ and KQ I will easily dump though. I will play them in late position but will not open big.

[stillnotking]

As others here have said, I like to play pocket pairs early. I have several times been able to get someone all-in against my set in round 1. (Sometimes they hit their draw, but that's OK, I'll take the odds and I'd rather finish 10th than 4th anyway.) I also play Axs but I am definitely not looking to flop a pair of aces with that hand, and I will not give action if I do. I am less of a fan of hands like T9s and 98s early; in my experience it's rare to double up with those hands and easy to get a troublesome flop (such as a gut straight draw with 2 overcards, top pair weak kicker, or a low flush draw).

[bts]

[ QUOTE ]
I play 33s mostly, until the blinds are 50 100 I stick to:
...
AK
AQ
AJ and KQ (maybe)

[/ QUOTE ]

Just wondering if you play the above only suited or not (well, everything but AK).

[Voltron87]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I play 33s mostly, until the blinds are 50 100 I stick to:
...
AK
AQ
AJ and KQ (maybe)

[/ QUOTE ]

Just wondering if you play the above only suited or not (well, everything but AK).

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't look for suits. It's a bonus.

[Al Mirpuri]

Spoken like a true acolyte of TJ Cloutier. Well said.