First 150 SnG's Analysis Wanted

[aesic]

I recently decided to give SNG's a try. I got tired of the ring game grind and was looking for something with a possible lower variance. In the last 2 weeks I have played 150 (10+1) Party SNG's (I have a lot time this summer). I have been trying to average 2 tables at a time, waiting till level 3 to start the next SNG. I would like to start playing (20+2)'s but I figured I should get a diagnosis of my results before moving up (I'll probably move up in a week or so if everything goes well). Below are my results. I have made a very basic sideways histogram for visual people like me. Each "-" represents 2 in that place, each "\" represents 1 in that place. I would like as many comments/suggestions/criticisms as possible.

1-13 |------\
2-22 |-----------
3-27 |-------------\
4-15 |-------\
5-14 |-------
6-20 |----------
7-16 |--------
8 - 9 |----\
9 - 2 |-
T-12 |------

ITM: 41%
Profit: 200
ROI: 12.1%

I have not read TPFAP because I never planned on being a tournement/SNG player, but if I continue to enjoy and "do well" in tournements, I will be buying the book shortly. Thanks for the responses.

-aesic

[AtlBrvs4Life]

Your ITM isn't bad, but your ROI is horrible. You definately need to work on your play when it gets down to 3 handed and heads-up. You need a lot more first place finishes. That's where the real money is. Check out some of the posts on playing heads-up. They should be fairly recent beacuse I remember reading one a couple of days ago. For now, you should probably stick with the $10 tournaments and try to get more first place finishes before moving up to the $20 tournaments. Good luck.

[Sheriff Fatman]

[ QUOTE ]
Your ITM isn't bad, but your ROI is horrible.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is a bit harsh - its positive and, as such, can't be described as horrible.

Room for improvement? Most definitely, but horrible is too harsh a criticism for me.

As for the rest of your advice, I couldn't agree more!

Sheriff

[TheDrone]

The most obvious comment I can make from your stats is that you need to improve your shorthanded play. When down to three, generally that means being more aggressive (stealing blinds, picking the right spots to push) as well as lowering your preflop calling standards a bit (e.g. if you are folding your blinds too much).

[Nemesis]

I have the same problem, however at this level and only 150 SNGs a few (3 or 4) bad beats that put you in 3rd instead of in posistion to win can really kill your ROI.

[aesic]

I was also wondering about why my ROI was so low given my ITM was 40% and now I seem to know the answer. Personally, I don't think I'm that bad shorthanded but I guess my results show otherwise. One thing that may contribute to this is that I feel that I am "good" at getting into the money by purely outlasting other players, but that often means that I'm the short stack when I get into the money. I guess it seems that I am more playing to get ITM rather than playing to win. Hopefully I'll try lowering my raising standards when it is shorthanded and see if that helps. Thanks for the responses. This is exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking for. Any other overall suggetions?

-aesic

[PrayingMantis]

[ QUOTE ]
One thing that may contribute to this is that I feel that I am "good" at getting into the money by purely outlasting other players, but that often means that I'm the short stack when I get into the money.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is very possible you're giving up some significant EV by trying merely to survive. And when you do get ITM, you don't have enough chips to stand against the other big stacks, so your chances for 1st (which is the biggest chunk of the money), are reduced. Even only few more 1st's in your stats, might improve your ROI dramatically.

So, you should basically look for good chances to accumulate chips, againt overly tight players (like yourself [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img], or rather: ex-yourself), and on specific bubble spots, where people worry too much about survival and getting ITM.

Also, during the earliest rounds, if you feel comfortable with your post-flop play, you might try and play some marginal hands for a small price, trying to hit big and take advantage of others' mistakes post flop. This is a bit tricky, though, and is dependent on your expirience and ability.

Only some suggestions, hope it helps.

[VeraN]

What does ROI stand for? And VP$IF?

[TJD]

PrayingMantis said

[ QUOTE ]
It is very possible you're giving up some significant EV by trying merely to survive.

[/ QUOTE ]

This also applies when you actually get INTO the money. The advice here is once you are ITM go for FIRST!

I forgot that yesterday when the final 3 players were something like 800; 2000; 5200. I was second; decided I had little chance of first and played passively hoping the small stack would be blinded out and THEN I would make my glorious thrust for first - WRONG!!

Big stack kept folding his SB to the small stack and when the small stack raised I folded to let the big stack deal with him, who then proceeded to fold!!

Result; I was 3rd and fully deserved it. I played like a plonker!

Advice from the heart [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Trevor

[PrayingMantis]

[ QUOTE ]
Big stack kept folding his SB to the small stack

[/ QUOTE ]

If big stack doesn't understand his "duty" as a big stack, i.e, pushing smaller stacks around, then you, as 2nd stack, must take his place. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Otherwise, as you said yourself, you're actually helping the smaller stack to survive more, and also - you don't take advantage of the obvious leak in big-stack's game: folding too much, without any reason (unless he's colluding with small-stack...).