My thoughts on the $3.40s.

[Rage2100]

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have just returned to Poker Stars after playing the $11 SnGs at a couple of other sites. Because my bankroll at Stars is only around $100, I have been playing a few $3.40s to build it back up a bit. I’m no expert at SnGs by any means, so if any of the better players disagree with anything below, or want to add to it, please feel free. Most of this has probably been said before, but this is what I have noticed after going back and playing the $3.40 turbos.

Either the players are much worse since the last time I played there, or I have just forgotten how bad they really were. They are truly atrocious.

Their play makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, and it is difficult putting anyone on a hand. It’s ok if you can narrow the field down to one opponent, but this is easier said than done. However, you must try to narrow the field by betting your big hands strongly, as any flop against more than one opponent can be dangerous. Against three or four opponents, even if the flop came down with Mr Bun the Baker and Mr Pots the Painter on it, you still wouldn’t know if someone was sat there with two pair or not.

In a lot of these SnGs, you will pick up a few good hands early, raise pre-flop, get called by three players, miss the flop, and have to throw the hand away. Before you know it, you are in push/fold mode.

This part of the SnG can be really frustrating, with people limping at the high blind levels, almost every hand. If it does get folded to you on the Button or in the SB, and you have to push with any two, you will often get called with any two. It sometimes feels like you’re pissing in the wind! This is especially frustrating when you push with a good hand and lose to a worse hand. If you push with AQ and somebody calls with JT and hits their cards, don’t worry, you made the correct play.

I’m not saying these cannot be beaten for a decent win rate, they can. I just think you need a solid ABC strategy in order to beat them. Most of the players are big losers, and individually, they would be easy to beat. As a group, it can seem they turn into piranhas, each taking a little bite out of your stack.

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another[/url] post]The problem is, When your playing the low limits you have to throw away hands like this or you will not profit at the low levels. Wait for a hand to hit and walk it through them....you have to be patient.

I agree you should be patient, but you can't wait for the immortal nuts everytime, most games they don't show up.

I think both of the above are true, and some sort of balance needs to be found. Anyone struggling at the turbos should give the regular speed SnGs a bash. You have slightly longer to wait for that good hand, and you don’t need to gamble quite so often.

I recommend all new players print off and read the stickies, and also watch bjsaust's $3.40 Turbo Video. If things are going badly, keep reading point 17 in the "Low Buyin SNG Do's and Dont's" post:

"Remember that poker is a long term game
Long term means thousands, not hundreds of SNGs. Do realise that even the best players suffer streaks of 10+ SNGs out of the money and 20+ buyin downswings. Stick to your game and you will win money in the end."

[Kijjo]

I would agree with pretty much everything said here. As you said, one at a time you could take most of these guys apart, but often the buggers just gang bluff, pile in and one sucks out or whatever.
I've found lately that I play very few hands before the 100 big blind level. For instance the one I'm playing atm, I've played 1 hand in the first 14 (AK).
Anyways, once they knock the crap out of each other, a couple bounce out and a couple are crippled, it's much easier to get heads up in a hand.
Keep grinding

[mieczkowusc]

Too many times I have shot myself in the foot early in the game by trying to get tricky with the low buy-ins. I watched the 3.40 Turbo video and it was very helpful in reminding me how patience will pay off.

All of the points you made were very applicable. I'm going to be in the heat of battle at the low buy-ins for a while until I can get my roll up to a healthy level, so its good to see I'm not the only one who is frustrated with the small stakes.

Thanks for your thoughts and for pointing me towards the video!