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The $10+1 sngs on party should be beatable with really just a formulaic approach. I myself was kind of a party $10+1 expert as I have played about 500 of them in the past 3 months. Perhaps there is more subtlety to it than I really give credit for, but I really think that you should be able to follow a straightforward plan and succeed at this level.

So, I'll try to summarize some key things.

First, make sure you follow the kinds of advice I'm about to give almost to the letter. Many players really want to follow advice, but when the time comes, they see AJo in early position and can't bring themselves to muck it. You really need to.

So, in the 1-3 rounds, play only the following in positions 1-7:

22-JJ (limp in, cold call min raises only and maybe not with small pairs 22-66)
QQ-AA (raise 3xBB, raise 4-5xBB if there are already limpers in the hand. Reraise any raisers. Get all-in if you can)
AKs,AK (same as high pairs but be carefull about calling huge raises. Any PP is a favorite against you . AK is a good hand to raise all-in with, but you don't want to be calling all-ins)
AQ,AQs (dangerous hands but probably playable. Still, I'd be inclined to limp. If you are not raised you can be reasonably sure you have the strongest ace. If you are raised, you really need more than just a pair of aces because there is too great a chance that a AK might be dominating you. I might muck unsuited AQ in early position to be safe)

In positions 7-10
Play AJs ATs KQs KJs QJs JTs also

Because you are in late position you want to raise if you are the first in the pot (3xBB). In fact, you want to raise with pairs 77+ also. If there are already limpers then limp. If there is a raiser then these hands are probably dominated and you should muck them

Levels 1-3 should therefore be played very tight. You aren't looking to make a huge chip increase unless you hit a big hand.

Levels 4-6ish

Open up a bit with high cards and maybe drop the smaller pairs

I'd open-raise the following from all positions

AK AKs AQ AQs AJs ATs KQs KJs KTs QJs QTs JTs 77 88 99 TT JJ QQ KK AA

I'd limp with a few other hands, especially if there are already limpers in the hand. Don't be limping with many hands if you are shortstacked. Maybe to be safe, just don't limp at all

A couple things to keep in mind.

If an open raise of 3xBB is 40% or more of your stack, then you should be pushing in. This is actually a rule you should always be following. Any time you are putting 40% or more of your stack in the middle, put it all in. This will get you a lot more folds when you need to pick up pots.

Also, be very wary of raises at all times. The only hands which should not fear raises are AK, AA, KK, and QQ to some extent.

Preflop, AK and AKs like to be all-in. By this I mean that it is much more valuable when it can see all five board cards, so in these later stages if someone raises but only a small amount, you want to be pushing in. If raised all-in I still might call in the later stages but you must be more cautious.

Once there are four left, you want to tighten up a lot

Never enter a raised pot without AA KK QQ or AK. The only exception to this is when the player raising has a very small stack and you can eliminate them without taking too big a knock if it goes awry.

Sometimes you will be shortstacked on the bubble and other player will pretty much be waiting for you to bust out. At these times, if you enter the pot, you want to be the first in and you should always come in with a raise. In fact, if you are shortstacked, you will probably be always coming in all-in. You are not looking to win showdowns. You are always looking to steal.

This is all pretty good advice preflop
On the flop:

In the early rounds there is a reason why you are playing all those pairs. They should all be played for set value (or overpair value in the case of the high pairs)

a great trap in the early stages is to limp in with small pairs, spike a set and then bust someone with it. Always bet the pot on the flop and a pretty standard rule is - if you are willing to call a pot sized bet, be the one who bets)

Only continue on the flop with:
Top pair (good or top kicker)
Two pair, sets, full houses
4 flush with some extra possibilities (overcards usually)
open ended straight with tons of extra possibilities (two overcards w/3flush etc..)

Beware draws. These are the kinds of things that will kill you in tourneys so they should be better draws than you are used to playing

Also, if you are going to play a draw it is wise to learn to be agressive with it. Semi bluffs are very valuable with draws in late position.

A good rule might be - Only play a draw when last to act on the flop, and then BET IT. Bet the pot and try to win the hand right there

Another rule might be - if the flop is bet really small (1/2 pot or less) then raise to the size of the pot. You will either be reraised in which case you are gone. Or, you will be called and can probably get a free card after everybody checks on the turn.

The turn and river should be easy to play. The flop is where you should decide to stay with a hand or get out

In the later stages, if the flop comes rags and the pot was not raised ahead of you preflop - Bet the pot. Players who miss will get out. If all cards are ten or less but there are two suited cards on the board and you get a call, maybe fire another shot on the turn. You will be surprised the number of hands you can pick up this way.

What else...

Basically just keep in mind that in NL almost all your bets should be the size of the pot. If that means putting in half your stack, then put it all in.

For a lot of my tourneys (maybe half), level 5 is usually what I refer to as 'All-in or fold' time

Basically, if you haven't managed to catch a fish in the first three rounds, you will be down to around 700 chips and with Blinds at 50/100 on level 4, that means a raise to 300 in order to get in the hand. That's a lot of your stack and even there I might just start playing all-in or fold.

When you are playing all-in or fold, you must be concentrating on playing aces and pocket pairs. I'd still be willing to push with KQs but hands like JTs are not hands I want to go all in with if I don't have to.

When you are the button, you should be stealing with almost 25-30 hands in the later stages

And again, when there are only four left, become very tight. On the bubble you should be really paying attention to stack sizes and you should fear anyone who can bust you on one hand.

Once you are in the money - well, I'll leave that to you, but suffice it to say, I loosen up quite a bit and start gambling a lot. I almost always finish 3rd or first and it's because I try to double up with three left.

Notice, if your money finishes are (say) 10 3rd, 10 2nd, 10 1st, you make a lot less than if they are 15 3rd and 15 1st

I hope all this helps somewhat. NL is a difficult game to play well. I'd suggest looking through some of the posts in the NL/PL forum.

Never ever do what Doyle Brunson calls 'Post oak bluffing'. This is when you bet a small amount into a pot on the flop. Even worse is when you reduce the amount you bet on the flop when the turn comes. Your bets should always increase as the hand progresses and if it's worth playing, you should be pretty sure you are the best hand and are willing to get as much in the middle as you can.

Your flops seen should be around 15-20% (maybe higher by the very end if you get heads up)

Sorry for kind rambling there at the end

don't become focused on recouping losses. That will only make you lose more. Be tight and accept that at best you will slowly turn things around.

If you do follow this advice, print it off and force youself to do it every tournament. Do not stray and keep at it. Play ten this way at least and see what happens.

Good luck
Brad S

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So, in the 1-3 rounds, play only the following in positions 1-7: 22-JJ (limp in, cold call min raises only and maybe not with small pairs 22-66)

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Only continue on the flop with: ... Two pair....

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Since I know you play both Stars and Party...

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I don't play at Party, and never have. Sorry.

Will that advice work equally well in a Stars $11 SNG? I suspect it would, and certainly it'd be great advice for a novice. But I would probably add medium suited connectors (76s-JTs), played for two pair or better, to the list of playable LP hands. I say that because -- from what I've read about Party -- the play at Stars is such that you're slightly less likely to double up by catching a monster and getting paid off. So those 16 hands give the player a few more opportunities to pick up a pot.

Cris

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I don't play at Party, and never have. Sorry.

Will that advice work equally well in a Stars $11 SNG? I suspect it would, and certainly it'd be great advice for a novice. But I would probably add medium suited connectors (76s-JTs), played for two pair or better, to the list of playable LP hands. I say that because -- from what I've read about Party -- the play at Stars is such that you're slightly less likely to double up by catching a monster and getting paid off. So those 16 hands give the player a few more opportunities to pick up a pot.

Cris

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