Importance of early level play in an SNG

[ QUOTE ]
in the smaller buyin games, 55s and below, you get the MOST ev out of playing a perfect large sized blinds and bubble game. basically, perfect push botting. the 'raptor' way, if you want to call it that, is to maximize the value of each individual click of the mouse. this means, that for me to obtain the HIGHEST $/hr, i need to be playing as MANY pushbot tables as i can. we all have our own way. i dont care about playing the early stages. i CAN play the early stages if i get bored and want to 4-8 table, but i choose not to the way i play. for me, its easier, and more +ev to keep adding tables till i go crazy, and folding AJo on the button with one limper. but thats just me. i duno what everyone else said but yes, ev is given up a LOT in the early stages by most 2+2ers. it becomes VERY noticeable in the 109s. holla

[/ QUOTE ]
this is impressive...how is your ROI with this 8 table "push bot" strat? And by push bot I am assuming that you mean playing the bubble and high blinds effectively by pushing and gathering pots when all else are tight? Also, what site do you play at? Party? Wondering if the speed of Party has anything to do with the success of this strategy, if that is indeed the site you play at. (Anyone else notice that Party seems faster than others?)

I kind of play the way you do as a rule but will expand to play position and will limp with drawing hands with other limpers (suited and even higher unsuited connectors) that can pay off big. I try to extract big value for very little risk. If I play 10 hands in level 1 and 2 at worst I am down 200 chips or so (unless I get something like AA or KK cracked) before pushapalooza but often I am one of the bigger stacks. You need to take advantage of what people will call you with...people at 55 and below will go all-in with top pair (and even middle pair) or a straight draw. Sometimes you get stuck...yesterday my BB A9 caught an A 9 7 flop eneded up all-in with an AT...you can guess what happened. But crap...I would take those odds any time.

Also, I am a bruin too [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] You can probably figure out my username on BZ (if you ever go there).

Don't you think you gain a lot of late level equity by not showing down weak hands (even winners) and showing a 12-15% flop %. I use this to steal later rounds when the blinds are higher and the play is much tighter. Those marginal hands become big payoffs in late rounds as well so even a preflop semi bluff can turn into an instant double up.

[Sabrazack]

Im pretty sure you say "an SNG". "a SNG" sounds wierd. "a Sit n Go" is correct however.

[fnord_too]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't you think you gain a lot of late level equity by not showing down weak hands (even winners) and showing a 12-15% flop %. I use this to steal later rounds when the blinds are higher and the play is much tighter. Those marginal hands become big payoffs in late rounds as well so even a preflop semi bluff can turn into an instant double up.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think my play hurts my steals later on, but stacking someone early may result in me surviving a hand later on, and that is huge. Also, I am not seeing that many flops, a lot less than I would in a ring game, but I definitely look for spots to pick up chips early on and welcome post flop play. I need to consult pokertracker to see how successful I am in the early rounds, I know I am in the green but I don't know how much.

[A_PLUS]

The key to this at the lower buy-ins, is the risk/reward oh playing early.

Leaving 150 chips on the table in L1-L3 is always bad. Leaving 150 on the table when the bubble play is very poor and you have higher equity than your smallish bubble stack suggests isnt that bad. This late game edge deteriorates as you move up in limits, so your actual equity is pretty close to what your ICM equity would suggest. So, leaving 150 chips on the table is much worse.

Given the higher risk associated with more post flop early level play (it is tougher to put your opponents on a hand, they fold less), coupled with the higher than normal $EV you have when it gets down to 5 players, means you need to be pretty damn good early on for this to be worthwhile.

As you move up, your CEV from early play isnt as high, but the risk is less, as well as the fact that optimal push-fold poker doesnt gain much $EV against other players players playing similar strategies.

[KingMedicine]

[ QUOTE ]
I need to consult pokertracker to see how successful I am in the early rounds, I know I am in the green but I don't know how much.

[/ QUOTE ]

i would be very interested if you did this and reported back your findings.

[ QUOTE ]
I kind of play the way you do as a rule but will expand to play position and will limp with drawing hands with other limpers (suited and even higher unsuited connectors) that can pay off big. I try to extract big value for very little risk. If I play 10 hands in level 1 and 2 at worst I am down 200 chips or so (unless I get something like AA or KK cracked) before pushapalooza but often I am one of the bigger stacks. You need to take advantage of what people will call you with...people at 55 and below will go all-in with top pair (and even middle pair) or a straight draw. Sometimes you get stuck...yesterday my BB A9 caught an A 9 7 flop eneded up all-in with an AT...you can guess what happened. But crap...I would take those odds any time.

Also, I am a bruin too [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] You can probably figure out my username on BZ (if you ever go there).

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't been to BZ in a LONG time. I'm a BRO myself. Going to the SDSU game on Saturday. Ah, another football season. 9-2?

I think I'm going to stick with super tight play for awhile and keep working on mastering Level 4 and beyond (bubble) play. That's certainly more important for me at this point. Once I feel I am playing really strong late, then I'll look to expand my game in earlier levels, particularly if I move up to $33s and beyond.

Yeah I can't go to the SDSU game...I live in Seattle and my dad and I go to 1 game a year and it ain't gonna be sdsu.

I was hoping for 9-2 until Kevin Brown went out and Ben Olson broke his hand.

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah I can't go to the SDSU game...I live in Seattle and my dad and I go to 1 game a year and it ain't gonna be sdsu.

I was hoping for 9-2 until Kevin Brown went out and Ben Olson broke his hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which game are you going to attend?