How to become "great"?

[ChrisMonkeymaker]

What are the qualities, philosophies and strategies of a great 5+.5, 10+1, 20+2, 30+3, and 50+5 sit-n-go player? Can someone provide me links or opinions that can teach me the steps to having ROI of 20% to 30% at these levels?

General strategies, mind-set, philosophy, and so on. Thanks.

[tigerite]

Tight early, loose late. Push, don't call.

check this (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1918735&page=0&view=colla psed&sb=7&o=14&fpart=1)
Also Harrington on Hold'em Vol. 2 is good for shorthanded and heads up as well as dealing with huge blinds.
If anyone else has an updated version of the link I posted I would really like to know. Thanks.

and another one (http://www.pocketfives.com/BCA6D444-A5E4-4839-9849-9D90D4AC7658.aspx)

[handsome]

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and another one (http://www.pocketfives.com/BCA6D444-A5E4-4839-9849-9D90D4AC7658.aspx)

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I stopped reading after this: "I don’t play STT’s with a higher buy-in than $50, but in the ones I do play, I am a consistent money finisher (well over 50%), and I almost never finish 3rd."

[johnnybeef]

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and another one (http://www.pocketfives.com/BCA6D444-A5E4-4839-9849-9D90D4AC7658.aspx)

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I stopped reading after this: "I don’t play STT’s with a higher buy-in than $50, but in the ones I do play, I am a consistent money finisher (well over 50%), and I almost never finish 3rd."

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I used to make this mistake as well. But, the thing you gotta remember is that as you progress, you must pay more and more attention to what your opponents are thinking about. I can think of no better way to learn about how my opponents think then by reading what they write.

edit: I just finished reading it, and for the most part the article is a decent start. But, there are a few flaws in the guys thinking.

First off

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One quick note about all this: You always have to adjust to the way your opponents are playing. I can generally figure out pretty quickly which players are fearful of busting out on the bubble, and I focus my aggression against those players, as well as any player who isn’t able to take more than about half my chips in one hand .

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This statement is incorrect. Short stacks are much more likely to gamble with you as they have much less to lose.

Also, he really doesn't seem to stress how important patience is when you have a stack. But, for the most part, this article was a pretty decent outline of sng strategy.

He specified no larger than $55!
Problem with few 3rds?
Not enough gambool/aggression for first?
Maybe I agree. But maybe not when only playing one at a time and can focus well.
However, this is all moot as the author advocates mucho aggressivo on button and ITM anyway.
Have you never heard the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" (or the first couple sentences in this matter)?
However, if this strategy (tight early, aggro late, bully ITM) is incorrect please enlighten..................

[tigerite]

The problem is an ITM of 50% long term is absolutely impossible.

Ok tigerite, agreed. But will somebody please read the entire link and explain what is wrong with the strategy!!!! I vote naddadamnthing.
****just read johnny's edit. Thank you!

[Paul2432]

The strategy is fine if all you want to do is beat low limit SNGs.

The OP asked how to be great.

Paul

he asked how to be "great" then defined it as 20-30% ROI no higher than the $55's. I think to really make him great we better start with just getting him good. Make sense to anyone else but me? And besides, your not gonna get "great" playing SnG's. Greatness is cash games. Greatness is $2000-$4000 @ Bellagio. Greatness is WSOP bracelets and WPT titles. And most importantly, "great" SnG play is >30% ROI even though most "good" players dispute this (author makes no claims to greatness). SnG's may help you achieve greatness once down to the final nine of the main event, but please don't correalate good SnG play with poker greatness, no matter how much dough you pull. Just my opinion.

The OP asked for help becoming a great SNG player, not a great poker player.

[Moonsugar]

1) discipline
2) great hand reading ability
3) thorough understanding of "fold early/push late"
4) memorization of all-in prices
5) creativity

That is 'all' you need to be great at SnGs. Good luck /images/graemlins/smile.gif

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4) memorization of all-in prices


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can you elaborate? I'm new to SNGs, and I've got most of these down. I haven't read any books on NL, let alone tourneys.

[raptor517]

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SnG's may help you achieve greatness once down to the final nine of the main event,

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they really wont. holla