DONKFEST!!!

[Im_new]

I just placed fifth at the worst table I have ever sat at on FTP. Five of my 8 opponents were extremely loose and aggressive. Two were loose-passive, and the other was a solid tight-aggressive player. I wasn't getting any cards. I mean absolutely nothing to play from any position. It was the worst run I've had since... yesterday. Seriously, no cards. My strategy was pretty generic once I saw chips flying around: SHUT DOWN and wait for them to wipe each other out. Patience pays off, right? They wouldn't take each other out (they tried a bunch of times) and the blinds were growing and sucking me dry. Still no cards. I'm down to 6.45xBB, we're 5five handed, on the button with one UTG limper (extremely loose-aggro). I finally see the best hand all game ATs. I squeal just a tad... I push.

Is this a correct push considering the table conditions? Or should I wait longer? Is there another way to squeeze my way from this position. I had PLENTY of reads...( "Donk! Take his chips" mostly)... but no cards to get into the pot. What are other effective ways of taking advantage of this table?

Thanks.

[marmot]

I'd definitely push that too

[Ghaleon]

You needed chips. Even if they weren't all donks. ATs isn't arent' bad cards to make a stand with once you're down to 6BB.

[taipan168]

Without looking at the chip stacks, it seems fine. At a table of donks you'll get called by a bunch of hands you're ahead of, and with 6.5x BB you can't really wait much longer.

[Im_new]

Hey taipan168,

I think I remember you posting that it is usually +EV to push from the SB into the BB, if no one else is in the pot, when either you or the BB doesn't have 10xBB, right? I'm fascinated by this idea/fact because it seems "loose." Yet, I've adopted it and it works. My question is does this remain the same on the bubble? What about with one other player in the pot?

[taipan168]

Correct strategy for SNGs is generally to play super tight/aggressive early on and loosen up to loose/aggressive (depending on the table situation) as blinds increase.

I say "usually +EV" because as in most things in poker, it depends. For example, if it's the bubble, you have 9.5x BB, the BB has 30x BB and is a very loose player and the short stack has 3x BB then I wouldn't push any two cards. However, if both you and the BB have 8x BB, the BB is super tight and there's no short stack around then I'd push any two cards, even 32 offsuit.

With one player already in the pot it becomes a bit more complicated because you need to worry about what they will do too. Do they limp monster hands? Do they limp (rather than raise) hands like Ax then call raises? Or do they limp/fold to a raise? What are the stack sizes? How much would they have to call if you shove after them? All these are relevant considerations.

You need to get SNG Wiz or SNGPT and play with it, they are expensive if you're on a small bankroll but they'll tell you all the answers to these sorts of questions. In the meantime, feel free to post the hands and we'll run them through Wiz or PT.

[Im_new]

Yeah, my bankroll is still too small to invest in something like that. In the meantime, I think I like learning this kind of stuff through trial and error, and I'll post and learn as I go. And I'm sure learning this kind of play without internet tools will help should I ever transfer to brick and mortar play.

Thanks .

[taipan168]

If your BR is too small, then if you have money, use your own money to buy SNG Wiz or SNGPT. Seriously, it is really really valuable tool that you need to have to maximise your ROI at SNGs.

Plus, you don't use these tools whilst playing (although SNG EGT can be used real time), you use them to review hands after you've played so you could also use them for brick and mortar play.

Why not download the free trials and see for yourself?

[CoccoBill]

The SNGPT demo is fairly useless, basically it only has a tutorial. I haven't tried the SNGWiz trial but I think it's fully functional for 30 days, get it asap: http://www.sngwiz.com/