Multitable SnG Tactics

[JeffreyGB]

I've been pwning single table SnGs lately (mostly at UB). I moved to stars recently and was doing well there too. So I decided to give a shot at the multitable versions, since greater profits can come from the same level buyin. So far, I've bubbled out every time. Can anyone give me any tips on the differences between single table play and playing w/ 2 or 3 tables?

Specifically, when do you get your aggro on vs. playing uber tight? The way the blinds rise, it seems impossible to just play tight all the way to the end - by the final table they are a huge chunk of your stack.

Hey Jeff, I've played around 20 three table SnGs at Stars. I'll do a write-up in an hour or so, I just have to head out.

Sorry be back later.

OK, so here's my brief write-up.

First thing's first, look at the payouts of the 3 table SnGs. 5 pay, but the only the top 2 will really make you highly profitable. So you are playing to win these, not just limp ITM, that means you will have to get your aggro on at some stage.

Blinds rise every 10 minutes in these, so you do have ample time to build your stack, but like you say, towards the end the blinds really do start eating into your stack.

For the first few blind levels (10-20 through to 25-50) I am playing very tight in these, the blinds do not affect your stack much at all, I am just playing my big hands and isolating with them, raising around 5xBB preflop with them. During these blind levels, around 9 players will bust, leaving you on the last 2 tables, with what should be about an average to big stack, assuming you picked up a couple of pots (maybe one double up).

When it gets to 50-100 I like to start stealing blinds. On most of these tourneys I have played, players tend to tighten up when they reach the last two tables, and there are probably no complete idiots left. So this is the ideal time to start raising more bordeline hands in position (maybe even rags once or twice), to build your stack up. By the time you reach the final table blinds could be nearing 200/400, so you need to build a stack to be able to cope with these blinds.

Once you reach the final table, people get super scared, they will fold like crazy trying to limp ITM. This is where you take advantage. Raise raise raise in position, 3xBB every time. Hopefully you will have a big stack by now, so you need to tell the other people that you are the big stack and you run the show, use leverage to the max. Note I am saying raise raise raise in position. I don't like raising out of position with bordeline hands in these tourneys, because if you get called and the flop misses you, you really have lost a big chunk of your stack with the huge blinds you get late on.

Once you get ITM, tone it down a notch, the short stacks who limped ITM will go out within a few orbits, which should leave you down to 3 players, all with around 10 BB stacks.

This is where you do the work. You have to analyze how the other two players are playing, and act accordingly. Most of the time I just carry on stealing blinds, because most players I have run into are pretty weak. But you will occasionally get a couple of maniacs in this position, in which case just sit back for a while, stop trying to steal blinds as much as you were, just steal the occasional blinds to top up your stack, and let the other 2 raise each other out of the game.

The same goes for when you get HU, most of the time I just like to push my opponent out of the game, I like to drive fear into his heart so he will probably muck most of his Sb hands to me, and he will only play good hands, leaving me to an easy fold when he reraises. Howver if he is manical, just pick a spot and push it hard.

Hope this helped.

[dodgerfan29]

nice post dwarfy

[vqc]

Great post dwarf, one day, when i get around to playing a MTSNG I will reread this post and study it.

[Jade Priest]

sOUNDS GOOD i WILL TRY THIS TONIGHT THANX MAN

[ihategnomes]

Also its very important to switch gears in these tournaments, on your first table, you gotta change from playing tight, to playing a bit looser when it goes shorthanded, to playing tight once your at the FT. A lot of people cant make the gear change and they bust from the FT pretty quickly.

[ZenOffsuit]

I have been in the exact same boat as JeffreyGB. It seems that in these MTSnG's you will find yourself in purgatory(a middle stack), which is a result of either getting caught stealing, or getting sucked out on or misplaying a hand when the blinds are expensive. It is a tough place to be because now you have to pick that moment of truth that will either help right you ship or sink you.

I choose to be aggressive with any hands that have potential (connectors, semi-connectors, PPs) from anywhere against anyone. Because as Dwarfman has pointed out in his great post....limping into the money is a waste of time, you want 1st or 2nd. You may be able to steal more easily then you think(if you have some respect) or at the very least have two live cards if you push all in or see a flop. I rather be pot commited with j/10 then A/4.