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  #1  
Old 12-19-2005, 12:56 PM
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Default Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

Quoted from the FAQ:
[ QUOTE ]
Why play SNGs?

Different people have different reasons. Some people like the “it’s a science”-ishness of them. Some people like the fact that they take a pretty standard amount of time. Some people like the variety of going from full table all the way to heads up. Some people just got burned out on whatever their last game was and think SNGs are fun. Others like the fact that the variance is lower in SNGs than other forms of poker. It’s all good.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why is it the case that SNG's have less variance than ring games? I find this to be true too, and I'm not sure how to explain the reasoning for this. What are your experiences/explanations as to why this may be true?
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  #2  
Old 12-19-2005, 12:58 PM
splashpot splashpot is offline
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

This is why
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  #3  
Old 12-19-2005, 01:10 PM
microbet microbet is offline
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

I don't see anything in there about the variance in cash games.
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Old 12-19-2005, 01:41 PM
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

That's what I was thinking. The first post was a good read, but it doesn't give a comparative look. Does anyone have any comparative info to help explain why this statement can/should be considered true?
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Old 12-19-2005, 01:46 PM
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

[ QUOTE ]
That's what I was thinking. The first post was a good read, but it doesn't give a comparative look. Does anyone have any comparative info to help explain why this statement can/should be considered true?

[/ QUOTE ]

El Diablo started a post in High Stakes NL/PL a week or so ago entitled "Variance" that was mostly full of crap, but a few players posted their standard deviations and profits over a few hands. Profit/standard deviation was like 50x higher in NL cash games than in SnGs.
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Old 12-19-2005, 02:02 PM
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

[ QUOTE ]
El Diablo started a post in High Stakes NL/PL a week or so ago entitled "Variance" that was mostly full of crap, but a few players posted their standard deviations and profits over a few hands. Profit/standard deviation was like 50x higher in NL cash games than in SnGs.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks for that. Anyone else interested in the link mentioned can find it here.
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  #7  
Old 12-19-2005, 02:25 PM
maddog2030 maddog2030 is offline
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

[ QUOTE ]
Profit/standard deviation was like 50x higher in NL cash games than in SnGs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Umm... those were in SD of BB/100, not buyins.
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  #8  
Old 12-19-2005, 02:28 PM
Insty Insty is offline
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone else interested in the link mentioned can find it here.

[/ QUOTE ]

There are so many offtopic trashtalk posts in that thread that it makes even a skipperbob post look on topic! [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]
Is it always like that over there?
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  #9  
Old 12-19-2005, 02:50 PM
tjh tjh is offline
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

[ QUOTE ]
I don't see anything in there about the variance in cash games.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I am not a statistician but I can give this a shot.

If I miss the mark on this post then the flames from the experts will clear things up. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

SNG's are sort of like a reasonable option in the stock market. You risk one buyin to win up to 4. Low risk medium return.

A MTT is like a high risk option. You risk one buyin to win up to one hundred buyins. High risk, high return.

A NL cash game your whole stack is at risk. It is possible to triple or quadruple your stack in one hand but not likely. The risk to reward ratio is different. Higher risk, higher reward. A good NL player is one who has in my opinion limited his risk of loss while retaining his chance of gain. I would assume that the average gain is less. I put my whole stack at risk and villain folds I win less than I risked. Hence higher variance.

In Limit games it is similar but you are not gambling with your whole stack. Still your opponents are typically getting correct odds to chase draws and a in my mind you are more or less on one side or the other of a 4 to one or 5 to one bet on the turn and river in Limit. Coming out on the wrong side of that equation can lead to serious swings.

Just a few thoughts...Flame away.

--
tjh
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  #10  
Old 12-19-2005, 03:22 PM
Daliman Daliman is offline
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Default Re: Why do SNG\'s have less variance?

SNG's have a set amount you can lose and win based on how much you play. Also, SNG's are easier to put a stop time on than cash games. If you play 10 $215's, you can't lose more than 2150, nor win more than 8850,(which is relatively impossible, but still). A reasonable upper end win goal for 10 $215's is 3000 or so. If you were to play a comparative cash game, say maybe 5-10 NL, your win/loss amount is essentially only limited by your bankroll, willingness to gamble, and time played.


SNG's vs MTT's variance is more a function of the fact that only 8-12% get paid in MTT's, and the single event upside can be huge, whereas a vast majority of the time most people would get $0. MTT profitability is MUCH higher for top players per event, however.

Either way, Irie's post is teh pwn.
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