SnG Strategy

Sit n Go poker is amongst the game’s more popular formats. There are a number of different versions, with each having their own rules, advantages and nuisances. In order to be a successful Sit n Go player, having a good strategy is paramount. Playing by the seat of ones pants will likely result in avoidable losses. The strategy that works for one person may not work for another. It will thus, be important that an individual find an approach or strategy that is a good fit for them. It may require taking different elements from a number of approaches in order to find the “perfect” one.

The standard Sit n Go game has between 9 and 10 players. The top three finishers take home the pot. Another version is known as Shorthanded Sit n Go. Five to six players participate with only the top two players finishing in the money. Satellite, Sit n Go’s have recently become more popular. Nine to ten players participate with each battling it out for entry into a more prestigious tournament. In Step tournament players compete to finish in the top two so that they can proceed to the next step. Each step requires a higher buy-in. There are typically 4 to 5 steps with the top players sharing the cash prize. As one can see, Sit n Go games can be quite varied.

In Sit n Go play, the person who finishes in first place receives approximately half of the prize pool, the person in second place, 30% and the third place finisher 20%. These are not always the break down, but many times they are.

SnG Poker strategy

Play Loose Early On - It is not a good idea to play really tight early on. Players that do typically won’t get very far. Instead, this is the time to play a good number of hands. Call marginal hands, suited connectors, pocket pairs and high cards. The goal is to build ones chip stack. In order to do this, it is important to take advantage of low blinds and inexpensive flops.

Play Tighter as Play Progresses - The blinds will eventually get more expensive. When they do, it is important to play a bit tighter. This translates into playing less hands and when deciding to play a hand, a strong one. When a person has a good hand, adding to pot before the flop is a good idea. Marginal raises and bluffing when it is relatively safe before the flop, is a decent strategy as well. Unless a person has a huge chip count that is much bigger then their competitors, they should consider stealing blinds as they get bigger. If an individual does not, their tournament stay may become a short one.

Fewer Players, Looser Play - As the number of players dwindles, games tend to get looser. Individuals in the lead can however, afford to stay under the radar and not do too much. The only exception to this is if they have a really good hand. Those on the bubble, will conversely, need to be more aggressive. Raising the blinds is one way to accomplish this.

Final three? Free for all - Once a player has reached the final three, they are guaranteed a cash prize. This takes some of the pressure off. At this point a player can use whatever strategy they see fit based upon the competition. Some people will want to take chances, other people will not. It will come down to a matter of personal style and ones opponent. However, one option is to make all-in bets and big raises. This would of course, involve being very aggressive.

Sit n Go strategy will be different based on a number of things, including the stage of the game, ones competitors and their natural style. Early on, it is best to play loose, tighten up midway and then looser toward the end. Playing off of ones opponent is important as well. The style of play being used by ones opponent will affect how an individual approaches the game. Sometimes being aggressive when everyone else is being tight can be advantageous, but not always. Whatever Sit n Go strategy you choose, stick with it and be confident in your poker game.