Single Table Online Tournaments

[dj_jazzyjeff]

I play a lot of single-table tourneys on Partypoker. I play tight (EXTREMELY tight) early and wait out the morons to see themselves out. I make top 4 consistently, but am usually blinded out soon after because I didn't gamble early.

I think I can beat any of these chumps if the blind levels didn't raise so fast. Does anyone have any winning strategy, or know of any other sites w/ tournaments that have blind structures that don't raise so fast??

[SoCalPat]

Are you talking limit or no-limit?

I've pretty much ditched NL sit-and-gos for many of the reasons you stated -- NL requires tightness (not a bad thing), and the blind levels will eat you alive (definitely a bad thing) if you're not giving yourself a chance to build your stack with, say, KJs from early position.

Limit, however, is a whole 'nother ballgame with sit-n-gos. I find it essential that you loosen up early (emphasis on early -- first three levels) and play hands with great potential (any suited A or K, any suited, one-or-two gap Q or J, any pair from any position; middle suited and unsuited connectors from LP) and jam it when you're ahead or have a big draw. That's not all of it, but it's the most striking disparity between ring and NL games/tournaments.

I play almost exclusively single-table tourneys, because A) that's all Paradise has, and B) I generally don't have the time to play a tourney with a large field. I really think NL SNGs are a losing proposition, with lots of luck factored in. I think playing limit SNGs is the way to go, if you're to play SNGs, although I wouldn't ditch NL SNGs entirely -- I'll play in one for every 10-15 limit SNGs.

[Justaloser]

I ran into this problem for a while, playing too tight.

Although you don't specify, I'm gonna guess that you're playing NL. Limit has a very different strategy. You can't play extremely tight and hope to win.

What I suggest is to loosen up a bit. Play some suited connectors and Ax suited, even out of position. The key is that you must muck unless you hit the flop GOOD!!

Hoping for the runner, runner is not the way to play. You want to flop the flush/straight or at minimum get four to it, and then stay in only if you're getting the right odds to continue.

Something else to consider is whether you continue to play extremely tight after the morons are gone. If so, that's why you're blinding out. You can't just wait for AA or KK, because later on if you over play those hands, most good players will give you the blinds and you're no better off.

[dj_jazzyjeff]

Good replies to my question so far. I play NL and Limit single-table tourneys ($10+1 mainly), and like you said, have found limit games less reliant on luck.

[img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] But what I'd really like to know is: what are the blind structures for other sites. Partypoker raises them every round (10 hands) in all tournaments (multi-,single-tables).

I'm consistently getting 4th place (SO CLOSE to the money!!) and I think that if I can find a limit game where the blind structures raised only every 15 hands I'd have a new job [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

p.s.- I agree w/ your Limit strategy to limp in early w/ anything potentially monsterous to build up the early chip lead. However, so many fish swimming along to the river end up cracking me and I end up on tilt the rest of the game.

[guppy]

I can prove that there is much more luck involved in NL tourneys: I have done much better playing them.

[XlgJoe]

You may want to try out Pokerstars. They have single and two table sit-n-go's. There structures are also much better than paradise and party.

On the down side it can take longer to fill the table before beginning. Also the players are considered to better than the other sites.

[Rickfish]

Just try an experiment - instead of trying to get the last three just think about winning it and not worry about other places. Try to be the person doing the most raising when there are 4 left.

[Justaloser]

Please let me know how you can prove there is more luck.

I feel that NL is more skillful. Being able to sidestep traps and mucking KK when flop comes AKT is not an easy thing to do.

Limit is IMO a bit more luck dependant because you've got to get more good hands to win.

They are two totally different animals and should be considered that way. It seems that a lot of people who complain about NL try to play it the same way that they would play a limit tourney (or a ring game). You need to have a different style for each, and what might be a good play in one, would be a horrible play in the other.

If you feel that your style is more suited to limit, then just play in limit tourneys. But you will find that the more skilled players will win in both (although the definition of skilled may differ in each).

[Deelah]

Pokerstars got the best players but also a great SNG-structure. Blinds raises every tenth minute. Try it!

[FeliciaLee]

I think Guppy was being sarcastic.