Stars SNG results - time to think about moving up?

[RD Olivaw]

I've been playing at Stars $5 SNGs almost exclusively for the last month or two. I think I finally worked out some of the big flaws in my game to where I am fairly comfortable with it.

Can anyone comment on the difference between the $5 and $10 SNGs at Stars? I'm wondering if it would make more sense for me to be playing the $10 if it's not much tougher.

Below are the results for my last 10 tourneys - The sample size isn't very large, but I'm 70% ITM, with that last 5 all being ITM.

1st - 2
2nd- 3
3rd - 2
5th - 2
9th - 1 (busted with AA )

[|~|ypermegachi]

move up if your bankroll is at least 110. the $10 are a bit less manical but not by much.

[davfagan]

Yea, make sure you have the bankroll. 10 SNGs is also a very small sample size. I've had runs of not in the money 7 out of 12, then in the money for 9 out of 12 after that. I've played a lot of $5 and $10 SNGs at Stars and it seems to me like you never know what you're going to get (like a box of chocolates?). I've had $5 games that were way too tight, I've had $10 games that were way too loose, and everything in between. For example I once played a $5 that 8 were left after an hour, just ridiculous. I also recently played a $10 where there were 3 of us left in 20 minutes. I've also had everything in between. My suggestion is to take notes on every player at the table. I don't often run into the same people, but when I do, it's helps me to peg a type of game on them very quickly.

[LugNutz]

I would watch some $10 SnG's from the sidelines to get a read. I wouldn't imagine there would be much of a difference between the two. Are they both +$1 ($5+$1 and $10+$1)?

[RD Olivaw]

I have the BR, so that's not an issue.

The SNGs at stars are .50 for the $5 - not sure about the $10, but I think it's +1. So no rake advantage.

[mike4066]

The $5 sng's on party poker have a $1 rake, so its a good idea to stay away from those.

If bankroll isn't a problem then get away from the $5 SnG's. There isn't a big difference between the $5 and the $10's on stars. You'll find tough action in both, and some that are just stupid. You'll find less "stupid" ones in the $10, but its nothing a Tight Aggressive game won't beat consistantly.

Everyone says 10x buy-ins.. But if I'm playing SnGs exclusively then I like to have about 20x. I tend to play 2 at a time, and 10x can go bust on a bad streak.

[Les_Worm]

I actually feel that the higher you go the better the sng's are. The 10s still have some pretty eratic players. I tend to play the 20s and 30s. I would suggest moving up as long as your game and bankroll support it.

[RD Olivaw]

Everyone says 10x buy-ins.. But if I'm playing SnGs exclusively then I like to have about 20x. I tend to play 2 at a time, and 10x can go bust on a bad streak.

I've never tried playing more than one SnG at a time. I feel like I'm missing too much information if I'm not watching the whole tourney. There are always times where I will make a call or bluff based on a trend I recognize over the course of the game.

Rings are a different story though.

[mike4066]

True.. True..
I can have 4 tables up on my screen without over lapping. Being able to see the entire play area at one time makes it easy to play multiple tables/SnG's. You can follow the action whenever its happening.

The majority of the plays you see are typical. When there is a showdown I make sure I re-play the hand in my head and see if I pickup any patterns I can exploit. The biggest thing I watch for is erratic betting. Did someone limp raise? Or a big bet into a small pot.

After a few hundres of these it gets easier to pick up on the keythings you adjust your play on.

I usualy play a ring and SnG at the same time. If your going to play multiple SnG's do one thing STAGGER the start times. Start your first one at 1pm, then your second one at 1:30-1:45. It gets difficult to play 2 tables when your down to 2-4 people on both tables.

[gutshot]

I tried to play 2 SNGs last nite and crazy is an understatement. I staggered the start times by about 25 minutes, but the 2nd game I started was a turbo, so about 15 minutes in, the blinds were the same and I ended up busting out of the 2nd game in 7th place. Pushed my stack with flopped two pair and open ended straight draw, got a caller with a flush draw. He hit, I went back to table 1 and took first place.

[stevedonel]

but the 2nd game I started was a turbo

The purpose of the staggar, is to prevent getting both tables short handed at the same time.

Even with the staggar, you can get into these situations from time to time. Once I started table 2 about 20 minutes after table 1; I took 1st on table 2 and got down to ~4 handed on table 3 before taking 2nd on table 1. If you can understand that. Just wait until you have two tables heads up at the same time, that's a tough game to play.

[mike4066]

Just wait until you have two tables heads up at the same time, that's a tough game to play.

Been there done that.
All I can say was I'm glad I was already in the money because by the time I lost the first one, I didn't care about the second. I was just glad to be done.

[HeavyP]

I tried to play 2 SNGs last nite and crazy is an understatement. I staggered the start times by about 25 minutes, but the 2nd game I started was a turbo, so about 15 minutes in, the blinds were the same and I ended up busting out of the 2nd game in 7th place. Pushed my stack with flopped two pair and open ended straight draw, got a caller with a flush draw. He hit, I went back to table 1 and took first place.

That's weird, I typicially play two or three SNGs (18 person at stars) at the same time, preferably joining them all at the same time so they're all at the same blind structure. I don't see a lot of flops (roughly 20-25%) so it's very possible to do this. But once I make it in the money (which is apprx 65.52% of the time according to Poker Tracker) it becomes quite hectic.