Reasons I (or You) Enjoy SNGs

[ThorGoT]

Curious as to why other people on this forum enjoy -- or, at least, play -- SNGs (as opposed to other forms of poker, primarily).

Personally, I like two things. (1) Repeated, short term ratification. If I money, I am happy. I like short term projects that I can complete and know were successful more than long term ones where ratification does not come so quickly. (2) Not boring. I just cannot sit & fold & fold & fold in ring games, even if I know it is the correct strategy. SNGs, it is easy to fold a bunch of hands early if you have to, as you know you will get to play (indeed, have to play) late. (3) Oh, yeah, variance. Less of it. So I guess there are three things. Maybe I will think of more later.

Although this is mostly a self-indulgent post, I wonder whether there is a psychological difference between people who play SNGs and people who play ring games (limit or NL), such that some people are more suited to one than the other. Curious to know what others think.

[syka16]

the cream filling

[adanthar]

All of the above, but definitely the cream filling.

[syka16]

Have you seen that WPT comercial where they intercut a push with sky diving, bungie jumping, and boxing a gorilla?

[Awesemo]

Tournaments are a lot more fun than cash games.

[PhiGamTN]

ok here goes meaningful-post++

I have to agree with you completly. I'm the same way with sng's. In ring games even though i know proper straegy is to wait for the big hands its a lot tougher to do for some reason.

Another reason I like sng's better is I don't have people swapping in and out all the time. I can get real good reads on the players and be able to exploit them for the rest of the tournament. Now I know this problem will be alleviated once i can pump my bankroll enough to afford poker tracker. But for now the 2.50 5 handed nl sng's on pacific are just a gold mine. It's rare i don't place in the money... hell half the time i'm in the money after the 3rd hand (idiots go allin with their amazing holdings like 10J) I had a guy call my first hand all in push (i had AA of course but they weren't soooooooted) with 102 soooooted he busted and i said nice hand doyle and proceeded to win the tourney.

Ok so maybe this wasn't a "meaningful" post... but i agree with you nonetheless.


Now if only someone would write a book focused on sng's strategy... come on guys have ssh .. i know tpfap has some relevance buttttttt...

[Cry Me A River]

I think that of ring, MTT and SNG, SNG offers the biggest advantage to decent/good/great players over bad players. If you don't understand SNG strategy you're just going to have no chance, in the long run, against players who do. I don't know how many times I've seen a player double or tripple up with crazy early all-ins but then bubble out when they try to cruise ITM. In effect, they're playing the SNG backwards...

SNG strategy is somewhat counter-intuitive, but it is essential and without it you're just hoping to get lucky. Which just isn't going to happen often enough.

[El Maximo]

I also think SnG strategy is not widely known or studied. I think the majority of the lower buyins are populated with poker players taking shots at something different. They are either bored with ring games and need a break or they are killing time while playing or waiting for an MTT.

[KingOtter]

Maybe I'm a weirdo... I like both ring and SnG's. They do bring different things to the table, though.

I like the payout vs. investment of SnG's.

I like the fact that in ring games the money I win is mine, all mine!

I like the competitiveness of SnG's. I seem to play players more, rather than cards.

But I like the theories and numbers involved in ring games. Calculating pot equity, pot odds, chances of hitting, what does the other guy have.

I like the fact that no matter how bad I play in SnG's, I only lose my buy-in.

I like ring games because if I play a big hand and lose I can keep playing and with patience will get that money back.

I like SnG's advancing blinds/stakes so that loose players get penalized more heavily, generally.

I just really like poker.

KO

[Gramps]

Grinding away multitabling (limit) ring games, applying the same methodology over and over (in the context of fewer, and less changing variables) kind of reminds me of my days back in school - cramming for some test, going over some rule/principle for the 16th time so that I have it absolutely memorized, even though I understood it's logical components by the 2nd time.

Playing SNGs, with their constantly shifting variables (and unique variable combinations) means I get to solve a new problem every time I play an SNG. It's refreshing/more stimulating.

And if you play tons of hours like I do, less mouse clicks with SNGs = less carpal tunnel issues.

Downside of SNGs = I throw more things across the room in disgust (but nothing broken yet). The "suddennes of one's demise" certainly can make for heightened emotional responses.