4 replies to this topic

[maniman]

I play S&G's on pokerstars for a while now. I play tight but lately I get less AK's, KK's, AA'aka monster hands. My winning hands seem to fall on the nuts alot. I cant win any tourny's like this, not even fall into the prices. I limp as much as I can but the blinds eat my stack and before the prizes im out. My 86's suited etc are also winning hands alot lately but I dont feel like risking these hands all-in when my enemy does before the flop. I need some tips. I think this is a downswing, but I should be able to fall into the prices to atleast get my buy-in back. I never tilt, I addapt my playing style when I have to, etc. I used to get alot of final tables but now, none, and I did not change my playstyle except for the fact I play more loose because of bad starting hands.

Any avg poker player here who can help me?

[muumi]

variance prolly. but yeah im not a sng expert, but stop limping atleast. and respect ppls 3bets. just play abc poker.

[maniman]

variance prolly. but yeah im not a sng expert, but stop limping atleast. and respect ppls 3bets. just play abc poker.

Limping is the only way for me to atleast get my stack up lately. My best hand over 2 tourny's today were 1010 Q10, not exactly strong hands. Downswings suck but playing extremely tight also doesnt get me into the prices.

[Activee]

I play S&G's on pokerstars for a while now. I play tight but lately I get less AK's, KK's, AA'aka monster hands. My winning hands seem to fall on the nuts alot. I cant win any tourny's like this, not even fall into the prices. I limp as much as I can but the blinds eat my stack and before the prizes im out. My 86's suited etc are also winning hands alot lately but I dont feel like risking these hands all-in when my enemy does before the flop. I need some tips. I think this is a downswing, but I should be able to fall into the prices to atleast get my buy-in back. I never tilt, I addapt my playing style when I have to, etc. I used to get alot of final tables but now, none, and I did not change my playstyle except for the fact I play more loose because of bad starting hands.

Any avg poker player here who can help me?

I guess it depends what is the buy in you play on. But for the most part sng's are like this (keep in my it's a big picture to give you an idea) :

First of all and I guess you know that already : The earlier you are preflop the more your cards have to be good. AT is bad UTG but is decent on the button for example in sng you should fold AJ aswell at the beggining if you are UTG.

Assuming you play turbo's: Be tight at the beggining. Once the blinds go up open your range. Raise don't call, except Pocket pairs. You can call small pocket pair when the blinds are at the start (20). I wouldn't do it but it's an option.

What you think that is not good enough to raise but too good to fold are pretty much border line cards. You should fold those except if the players before you just limped and do it often then you can raise for value. A good example is KJ. If someone raised before you you shouldn't call because you will be often dominated and when you are not most of the time you will win a small pot. This apply certainly in sng low buy ins.

At the beggining assuming you raised and someone called you cbet the flop against 1 opponent maximum wether you have something or not. Fold if you don't have anything to keep on going. Wait for the donks to get eliminated and then it's pretty much gonna be a push or fold mode. I guess the money in sng comes a lot from the 2-3 donks that get eliminated the first all the time.

Try to look who limps a lot. It means you will be able to open shove wider against them. But also keep in mind that those often also call an all in with pretty much anything.

So yeah my way to go would be supertight at the beggining. Wait for premium hands. Once it's not coming and the blinds are less than 10 times your stack you really gotta be more aggressive and Go all in because then you can make people fold easier. If you have been tight at the beggining people will be afraid to call you except if they have a good hand. Also keep in mind you stack has to be relatively great compared to them to have this fold equity. You shoudln't call an all-in with 86 as you said (except if the odds dictate you to do so but it's gonna be pretty rare actually so you can forget about that). You can GO all in to make people fold and pick up the blinds but you cannot call with 86. Your calling range should be appropriate considering your opponent aggressiveness, your stack size and his stack size.

If you raise preflop you have to have enough for a continuation bet. If you don't you should go all in (assuming your cards are good to do so).

That's pretty much all I can say. This is not the only way to go, you have to find what works for you but what works doesn't differ much from what I said above. There are just slight lil differences.

One thing I wanted to add is that you should never be afraid of raising preflop when you have a good hand. You have to build the pot with worst hand that will follow you. You won't win always but it's the winning strategy.

If I didn't make myself clear anywhere just ask.

Oh yeah last but not least : don't bluff.

Edited by Activee, 10 February 2013 - 04:31 AM.

[maniman]

I guess it depends what is the buy in you play on. But for the most part sng's are like this (keep in my it's a big picture to give you an idea) :

First of all and I guess you know that already : The earlier you are preflop the more your cards have to be good. AT is bad UTG but is decent on the button for example in sng you should fold AJ aswell at the beggining if you are UTG.

Assuming you play turbo's: Be tight at the beggining. Once the blinds go up open your range. Raise don't call, except Pocket pairs. You can call small pocket pair when the blinds are at the start (20). I wouldn't do it but it's an option.

What you think that is not good enough to raise but too good to fold are pretty much border line cards. You should fold those except if the players before you just limped and do it often then you can raise for value. A good example is KJ. If someone raised before you you shouldn't call because you will be often dominated and when you are not most of the time you will win a small pot. This apply certainly in sng low buy ins.

At the beggining assuming you raised and someone called you cbet the flop against 1 opponent maximum wether you have something or not. Fold if you don't have anything to keep on going. Wait for the donks to get eliminated and then it's pretty much gonna be a push or fold mode. I guess the money in sng comes a lot from the 2-3 donks that get eliminated the first all the time.

Try to look who limps a lot. It means you will be able to open shove wider against them. But also keep in mind that those often also call an all in with pretty much anything.

So yeah my way to go would be supertight at the beggining. Wait for premium hands. Once it's not coming and the blinds are less than 10 times your stack you really gotta be more aggressive and Go all in because then you can make people fold easier. If you have been tight at the beggining people will be afraid to call you except if they have a good hand. Also keep in mind you stack has to be relatively great compared to them to have this fold equity. You shoudln't call an all-in with 86 as you said (except if the odds dictate you to do so but it's gonna be pretty rare actually so you can forget about that). You can GO all in to make people fold and pick up the blinds but you cannot call with 86. Your calling range should be appropriate considering your opponent aggressiveness, your stack size and his stack size.

If you raise preflop you have to have enough for a continuation bet. If you don't you should go all in (assuming your cards are good to do so).

That's pretty much all I can say. This is not the only way to go, you have to find what works for you but what works doesn't differ much from what I said above. There are just slight lil differences.

One thing I wanted to add is that you should never be afraid of raising preflop when you have a good hand. You have to build the pot with worst hand that will follow you. You won't win always but it's the winning strategy.

If I didn't make myself clear anywhere just ask.

Oh yeah last but not least : don't bluff.

Thanks for the tips, seems like my downswing is over though. Just annoyed because it took like 15 tourny's. Thx Active, alot of usefull S&G tips. Got any more?