Difference between SNG and multitable

[Elvis]

I play mostly one-table NL tournaments (Pokerstars, Partypoker and Paradise) and I am doing quite well. I finish in the money about 50 % of the time.

BUT when I occasionally try the multitable NL tournaments, I *never* do well. My tight-agressive style just does not seem to work. I sometimes manage to stay with an average stack "forever", but then I am usually kicked out by some monster stack.

I guess the solution is to play more aggressively early in the tournaments. Could I please have some advice on *when* to be aggressive? Should I make huge raises pre-flop with hands like QJs? Or should I move all-in to try to buy pots when an "innocent" flop (e.g. J72 rainbow) hits the board? Not all the time, of course, but now and then. Or should I simply play more hands (I see the flop about 30 % of the time)?

[SoBeDude]

Hi Elvis,

I find the opposite of your suggestion to be true.

In the multi-table tournies, you must be patient. Being aggressive early has little impact on your results later on. You need to wait for good hands and push them hard.

You stay at a full table in a multi for many hours, so you must play your full table (tight-aggressive) game.

In a single table tourney you must be much more aggressive, betting and pushing many marginal hands. Why? because you quickly get short-handed. when short handed, you need less of a hand to bet and raise.

I won a SNG last night and had only one pocket pair dealt to me all tourney...a pair of 5's. If I had tried to play 'tight-aggressive' I would have busted out quickly.

So this all leads me to believe you may not be nearly as 'tight-aggressive' as you think. You're probably more loose-aggressive, which is good for SNGs, very bad for multis. Seeing the flop 30% of the time is not tight.

Good Luck,

-Scott