Sklanskying the SNG: a dumb/fun experiment:

[Fraubump]

For the heck of it, I've decided to try to apply the Sklansky System to Party 10+1 SNGS: I will do 10 and detail the results here for the amusement of all. I fully understand that this is a losing strategy, though not the worst possible.

Since the number of players at the table shrinks as we go along, unlike in the multis for which the system was developed, some modifications are necessary. In the discussion that follows, all bets are all-in unless stated otherwise.

At the beginning of the tourney: If I am first to act, go all-in with: Any Pair; AK; Suited Connectors down to 54. If anyone else acts first, go in with only AA and KK.

Now how to modify as we lose players or as the blinds increase relative to my stack size? This will not be rigorously sytematic. I think as long as my stack is 500+ and the blinds are under 100/200 I'll stick with the above, though if there are few enough players, QQ is probably going in regardless.

Once I'm short-stacked or the blinds are a high % of mystack, it's time to loosen up considerably when first to act: AQ, AJ, KJs, etc.. Also, if I'm the chip leader by some miracle, a bit looser for stealing seems right.

What to do with unraised BB? My discretion, but all bets by me regardless of situation are all or nothing.

Any comments on the process are welcome.

Here goes.

[Fraubump]

Hand #5: A3s in BB. 2 limpers. Flop has 2 spades. One limper bets 300. I fold.

Hand #13: 77 in 2nd position: All fold to my all-in.

Hand #15: Q5s (not spades) in BB. 2 of suit flop. Large bet made. I fold.

Hand #22: 8 players left. QQ utg. All-in. Lose to AA. Out in 7th.

[Fraubump]

Hand #1: AK in 4th Pos. All fold.
Hand #5: 53s in BB. Win the limps with a pair of 5's as all check it down. 870 chips.
Hand #6: some guy is stealing my thunder: beats KK and Ax with T9s. 8 left.
Hand #18: 33 utg. 7 left. All fold. 860 chips.
Hand #19: someone with TT beats two AK's. 7 left.
Hand #20: KK one limper before I move in. Get called by 300 stack with A7. Lose. Now have 500 chips. Ouch.
Hand #24: down to 6. 425 chips.
Hand #32: BB: 72s. One limper. Flop comes 7 high. I go all-in. Folds. 525 chips.
Hand #34--down to 5 players: 2.5K, 2.2K, 1.4K, 1k, me with 525.
Hand #41: have been getting nothing. Hand before 200 blind will hit me I go all-in with 87o. I wonder if you think at this point I should wait for the blind, as this is pretty weak stuff and I can't expect a fold. I lose to Q4o. 5th Place.

[Fraubump]

Hand #8: 9 left. 44 5th Pos: all fold.
Hand #17: 9 left. 88: all fold. 800 chips.
Hand #21: 8 left
Hand #24: 7 left. 725 chips
Hand #28: 6 left
Hand #33: 4 left 650 chips.
Hand #36: KJs in SB. 500 chips 50/100 2 Limpers to me. I don't know what to do. Stacks are 2.8K, 2.5K, 2K. If no limpers, I go all-in. I fold. Regret it. System weakness identified.
Hand #39: 400 chips (after post) in BB w/J5s. UTG goes all-in. Don't know what to do. Fold.
Hand #40: 24o in SB. 2 limpers. Can't go in with this. Fold. 350 chips
Hand #41: Button K6s. Move in. Split with BB who also has K6s. 400 chips
Hand #42: K8o UTG. Move in. Lose to BB who has A8. Out in 4th.


Summary of 1st three windmill tilts:

Have been called only once in early stages and that by AA.
Have yet to have suited connectors when acting first.
Have yet to win a showdown.
Need to modify what to with half-decent hands when chips are tight, but not quite desperate.

[TylerD]

The System was not designed for such small tournaments (in terms of buy-in and players) but this is interesting none-the-less, keep it up! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Al_Capone_Junior]

I suspect that the system was really not meant for online play at all, since the WSOP has such a different structure. Even stars, with the best tourney structure online, still starts with far fewer chips and proportionally higher blinds that go up faster.

al

[jaydoggie]

not to mention in the WSOP you wont be coldcalled allin preflop with 7 high, or any hand simply because it's suited. or in some cases simply because its offsuited so, "i have more chances to hit the flush." /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[William]

I tried the system twice at the 2 tables SNGs at Stars. Was both times busted in the first 20 minutes. I concluded it just was a waste of money.

[CrisBrown]

Hi William,

I agree. A "System" player will get called far too often in SNGs, and sooner or later you're going to lose, even if you are ahead each time when the money goes in.

Cris

[Fraubump]

Players bust on hands 7, 13, and 2 bust on hand 20.
Hand 21: AQ on button. I limper ahead. I fold.
Hand 23: AQ--no one in yet; I fold
Hand 24: KTs UTG: fold
Hand 25: 95s in BB. One limper. flop 246. Fold to bet.
Hand 26: AK in sb. One limp. I go in. All fold. 735 chips
Hand 30: QQ UTG: Go in, called by K9: 1330 Chips. 1st showdown won in the trials!
Hand 31: A5 in BB. SB makes min raise. Fold.
Hand 32: AQ in SB. Go in. BB calls. Has AQ also. Tie
Hand 36: QJ in BB. Fold to min raise
Hand 37: KTs in SB. One limper. Fold.
Hand 41: 79s in BB. One limp flop 668. checks. Turn Q. Fold to a bet.
Hand 48: down to 4 players. 480 chips. others: 1.5K, 2K, 4K
Hand 49: 82 on Button: fold
Hand 50: 69s UTG: fold
Blinds 150/300
Hand 51: Q8s in BB. One limper. I push in remaining 130 chips. vs A9. Win with flush. 1110 Chips
Hand 52: K8 in SB. BB has 1200. I move in. Called by TT. Pay the price for abandoning system: 4th place.

[curtains]

My goodness, enough of "The System" already. It's completely absurd and it's only use was to give someone who didn't know the rules of poker, a chance to play reasonably well in a big event.
The system helps you understand a certain mindset of "if you are playing against much better players, they don't want to gamble with you allin preflop", thus go allin a lot in certain situations. For anyone with any aspirations or skill at poker to take "the system" so literally...it makes no sense

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
Players bust on hands 7, 13, and 2 bust on hand 20.
Hand 21: AQ on button. I limper ahead. I fold.


[/ QUOTE ]

What kind of system is this that you're folding AQ on the button to a limper?

Bob

[Cosimo]

I don't see wherefor Frau gets stress, here. It seems like a fun little game to me. Is $110 so valuable that it can not be spent here? If Frau gets lucky, some of that is coming back. I see the point of this exercise to see how well the system works, in "the real world." Yeah, it sucks in theory, but so what? Life is for living! /images/graemlins/grin.gif