Some thoughts on 11 vs 22 (a little long)

[hummusx]

DISCLAIMER: The entire contents of this post are based on a statistically insignificant number of games and is IMHO and YMMV.

I recently started playing again after a bit of a break. I was previously playing mostly 11s and sort of moving into 22s, kinds of bumping back and forth depending on bankroll. When I started up again, I started off at 11s. I had a short good run, then a longer bad run to the point where I started thinking the game got harder or I got worse, and finally evened things back out to positive where they should be. Then I started dabbling in the 22s again and that brings us to now.

Firstly, about the 11s. It seems to me the games have changed. Fewer people are busting out early on than before. I don't recall being at 50/100 with 8 people almost every single tournament when I was playing 4-6 months+ ago. In my small sample of 11s (70 this month), it is the extreme exception to have fewer than 8 left when we move to 50/100. The secondary effect of this (I think), is that it seems like I have almost no FE when it's time to start stealing. I find myself being called with junk MUCH more often than I would expect, which leads to busting out more frequently in races than I would expect. My sense is that some of the 'wildness' that maybe used to occur in the first couple rounds has been pushed a little later in the tournament.

For a couple days I've been playing 22s instead of 11s. Again, a tiny sample size, but I noticed immediately that I had MUCH more FE in almost every one of these games. This includes PF as well as on the flop/turn. While the number of people remaining at various levels was fairly comparable, it seemed to be easier to build my stack in the 50/100 and 100/200 range because I was actually getting some respect for my raises.

Bottom line is, I'm staying at the 20's because the game just feels better.

[1C5]

I agree with that 100%.

I like the 22s more for this reason also.

[Blarg]

I only started playing SNG's somewhat seriously this last week, but played a couple dozen at widely scattered intervals over the last year. When I did, I came in 2nd more than any other place just by following the simple guideline of letting people destroy themselves until you get into the money, and then if possible let them destroy themselves a little more. I never got a first, but got tons of seconds without knowing anything about how to play.

Months later, and I'm playing SNG's and seeing how much they've changed over the last year. I used to notice people racing to bust themselves out; that's how I got so many 2nd places before. Now, I see stage four and beyond with more than half a dozen people very, very frequently. And I'm just playing the 5+1's! Folding equity has dropped way down too.

The competition definitely has gotten notably stiffer. Cheap SNG's used to have a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit on weekends, and an I.Q. well under the norm the rest of the time. Now they seem to be catching on with more serious poker players.

My guess is that the more serious poker players are still not particularly into SNG's, but it's probably only a matter of time until more and more of them are.

[hummusx]

Just wanted to note that my post wasn't a 'doom and gloom' type of thing, just observations of the difference in texture between the games.

[callmedonnie]

I played 11's and now play 22's exclusively. I haven't gone back to 11's since, but I found those games to be looser than what you described. I think there is a certain amount of chance to that. When I moved to 20's I had to adjust because the table played a bit tighter. but sometimes 6 guys are out in the first three rounds. I think it really all depends.

As far as FE, I am not completely familiar with the concept and if you could explain I would appreciate it.

I find in the 20's those six to eight handed situations w/ 50/100 blinds occur to often and I hate it. It forces the crap shoot which I am much more comfortable with at four handed and less.

[hummusx]

[ QUOTE ]

As far as FE, I am not completely familiar with the concept and if you could explain I would appreciate it.


[/ QUOTE ]

FE = Folding Equity. If you do a search you will find many, many posts by people that are much more qualified than I am to properly explain the concept.