5 + 1 No Limit Sit and Go (SNG) strategy guide for beginners

[whileone]

This isn’t intended to be “how to win the WSOP.” This is supposed to be some guidelines for someone just starting out. You should be trying to read hands, detect bluffs, avoiding slowplays and all of that other stuff as well. When I was starting I had basic questions about what’s good enough to play, and how much to bet. This should give you a reasonable foundation for playing the cards. This is how you play boring poker, the stuff they don’t show on ESPN. I believe this is all second nature to most folks here so no one has written it down. I wanted to get it out before I forget.

5 + 1 No Limit Sit and Go (SNG) strategy guide for beginners.

Fold the first 20 hands. When you’re in the blinds a little dialog box will come up that says “It’s free to check, Are you sure?” You’re sure. Just fold. There are quite a few playable hands at this point, but leave them alone. There are a bunch of maniacs at the table trying to double up. For your first few tournaments, early caution won’t hurt you. Doubling up is nice, but not vital to win. The experience you get from playing is more valuable than the chip stack at this point. If you can explain why it’s worth going all in with AA on your first hand, go for it. If you can’t, fold.

After the first 20 hands, the field will be thinned down a bit. There are probably only 8 players left. Look at your stack, third place isn’t bad is it? Blinds are getting to be a significant portion of everybody’s stack at this point. Start looking for some hands to play. if you get anything, in any position from group 1-3, go ahead and bet 4 times the big blind. If you’re on the button and nobody called or raised before you, go ahead and bet 4xBB a group 4 hand. You’ve probably got the blinds beat.

Betting this big should strike some fear into the hearts of your opponents. You have a hand, you’re going to win. Make them pay to show you otherwise. Hopefully only one or two will call you down to see the flop. If someone re-raises you, you need to seriously consider whether or not you can beat a pair of queens. It’s true that people bluff, but it’s rare. You can loose lots of money by calling people down. When you get better judgment, go for it but for right now just let the hand go.

Ok, now you’ve made it to the flop. The pot should be pretty good sized at this point 10 big blinds at least. Now what? If you can beat high card ace, bet the pot, from any position. You ought to take it down right now, but you can be called or raised.

If you’re raised, just let it go. They may have nothing, but it’s tough to bet big like that with nothing. Most of the people who would bluff like that are probably gone by now anyway.

If you’re called, they probably have a flush or a straight. You’re probably beat. But they paid to see the next card. Don’t bet the turn or the river, just check all the way to showdown. One of two things can happen. First, your hand can improve, if you get a flush, or full house, bet the pot again. Or, they can raise, you’re probably better off just letting it go. Just fold.

As the competition thins out, lower your card requirements. Vary your requirements with the number of opponents, not the size of your stack. Sometimes the cards won’t come, but you can last a long time at a table by not calling in with garbage every hand, like some players you’ll see. When it’s down to six people, you probably want to play group 4 from under the gun, group 5 from middle and group 6 from the button. That may be a bit too sophisticated for your first tourney. You’ll learn to see how position matters as you play, if you play 5 from anywhere, you’ll be ok, but keep in mind, the earlier you are, the riskier it is to play a hand. You want something good early, but you can play pretty lousy hands late, if nobody is calling in.

I think heads up is the toughest. When it’s down to the final two pre flop, always bet the minimum bet. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty good. They’ll fold a lot. Eventually they’ll get sick of you always raising. On the flop, if you have *anything* even high card ace, bet the pot. The only thing that’s risky is the all in. When they offer the all in, you should call only if you have something. It doesn’t have to be great, but a pair of eights is about as low as I would go. If you get pocket kings, or pocket aces, go for it. Just push all in. The key here is, you are dodging all of there bullets. Every time they get a hand you fold. Every time they don’t get a hand, you’re taking all of the blinds.

Where do you go from here? Play more hands. Bluff. Catch bluffs. You have to have the fundamentals first. I think this is pretty solid start. This is written by a beginner for beginners, any suggestions and improvements are welcome.

[Humphrind]

{Moved from Beginner's Circle}

Good post. There are a few points that I don't totally agree with. But for someone just starting, this is good information.

[TylerK]

{Moved from Beginner's Circle}

Good post. There are a few points that I don't totally agree with. But for someone just starting, this is good information.

I was thinking the same, but I definitely think that as a very general, non-situational-specific guide to "what do I do here," it works well.

[|~|ypermegachi]

i'd like to hear rippy's opinion on this

anywho, this strategy seems to yield a lot of 3rd or bubble placements. for the beginner, this is fine, but anyone observant of your playing tendencies will walk all over you when it comes down to the bubble.

this strategy would seem to work a lot better at ring games. people will not bluff often in that. but in sngs, if your opponent smells ANY weakness, he'll just come over the top and take your raise.

if you are a beginner, then go ahead and use this strategy. once you get experience you need to start branching out and start to play position and playing the players if you want to maximize profits.

[zenbitz]

I am an inexpereinced (bad) NL tourney player... my best finish was a 2nd in a 3-table. I have won a few 10 tables, but usually place in the middle.

What is missing from this guide is blind stealing... unless you are extremely lucky, this is what you need to go from the bubble to in the money.

I would say more, but I'm not very good at it! I generally blind steal wihen I am not short stacked, and I get anything reasonably playable from the button or 1-off with no limpers (Ax, J7+ suited, QTos).

I tend to NOT blind steal from a substantially larger stack, unless the guy is super passive.

I played a bizzaro 6-player $1+0.10 tourney on superior today. I came in 2nd, winning 2.20 or something. What was super funny was that as soon as I started, my wife asked me to take the baby! So, I'm like - it's only a buck, and start playing like a maniac. All-in pre-flop with J+ - I did this 4 or 5 times IN A ROW with no callers. So, them I'm like... well, I guess I have to see a flop to bust out of this bad boy! So I start blind stealing (I think there are now 4 people left)... very sucessfully. So successfully, that I figure I may as well just play it out (wife reclucantly agreed). I ended up top stack for a while, then letting a guy double up, then down to last 2, where I finally busted out pocket 10s against a straight.

Anyway, I should have won, because the players were so passive, Anyone is really interested I will dig up the history and posted, but really - it's a $1 SnG..

[whileone]

I'd like to hear Ripptyde's opinion as well. I stole the whole preflop raise and repping the flop right from his guide. It works great!

I've seen quite a few posts that use the phrase ABC poker, but nobody says what ABC poker is. I hope i came close to defining ABC porker.

Right now, this is pretty close to how i play... i get loose with card requirements as my stack gets large or small, but my early rock image seems to let me steal quite a few pots, with pot sized bets.

What don't you all agree with? Those must be problems with my current game, any specifics would be appreciated.

this strategy would seem to work a lot better at ring games. people will not bluff often in that. but in sngs, if your opponent smells ANY weakness, he'll just come over the top and take your raise.

Oh yes they do. But, pot sized bets seem to deter most unjustified aggression. Working on the theory that they flopped the straight or flush, i'm better off folding.

Someday i'll write about classifying opponents, and how to alter strategy accordingly. of course if a chaser calls you down, keep raising, make em pay. Lately that kind of player seems exceptional rather than the rule. Also, when i get a better handle on position, i'll write about that as well.

[Humphrind]

I've seen quite a few posts that use the phrase ABC poker, but nobody says what ABC poker is. I hope i came close to defining ABC poker.

ABC Poker = Always Be Chasing

Nah, it is a general term used to describe playing poker strictly by the book. When you follow the odds down to a T, that is ABC poker. There is no skill, no thought, just regurgitate what someone has told you to do.

What you described in your original post is the opposite of ABC poker. But you are right on.

Holdem limit ring game --> Play ABC poker. Rarely think outside the box.
Holdem NL tournament --> Screw the box. There is no box.

[|~|ypermegachi]

IMO, ABC poker is basically tight passive. you don't play a lot of cards. and when you do, you play aggressive, but if someone else plays back at you, you give them respect and fold, unless of course you have the nuts.

folding in the blinds i think is stupid. you can have 72o in the big blind, and the flop can come 777, etc...you never know. having a big stack early is very helpful, because you can literally watch the other ppl kill each other.

i think the biggest mistake in this guide is you folding to a raise on the flop. you've raised a lot preflop. you've bet the size of the pot again. and now they come over the top. early on this is an easy fold. but if you're gonna sit out for 20 hands, the blinds are starting to approach 10% of your stack. if you get played back at, you'll be very shortstacked and you'll need a miracle to come back.

but that's me, i've played enough sngs that i'd rather go out earlier with no money, then to try and fight it out and bubble like a pro when the big stack wins the coin flip.

[elanto]

yeah, why the hell would you fold the BB, just check and see what the flop brings you may be lucky enough to win the nuts and be paid of in a very big way. However, i dot hink that the rest of the strategy is very good and itll help out a lot of begginers


-anto

[Corey]

Good post but honestly I like to use Soupies MTT tactic on SNGs as well.

3 Tournaments at Pokerstars (only 3 I have ever entered)

1 NL Tourney got 2nd

2 PL Tourneys got 1st in both.

I kept a keen eye on my position and what hands I had and would raise if I had something. folded the rest.

I play tight but agreesive if I hit something...

[Fnord]

Step 1: 5+1 is a scam. Move up to 10+1 for the lower rake.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit

[Corey]

Step 1: 5+1 is a scam. Move up to 10+1 for the lower rake.

True but thats why I did $5 + .50 hehe

[Humphrind]

yeah, why the hell would you fold the BB, just check and see what the flop brings you may be lucky enough to win the nuts and be paid of in a very big way. However, i do think that the rest of the strategy is very good and itll help out a lot of begginers

I can see a reason. When you are talking to brand new pwoplw to tournaments and poker. And you are trying to get them off to a good start in Party Poker SnGs, a lotta people will play hard without the nuts. By folding the BB you can avoid getting into any betting battles with draws, middle or low pair, top pair with a horrible kicker, medium hands.

To someone with a few hands under your belt this is not a trap you easily fall into. But as a complete newb, you want to avoid this.

[|~|ypermegachi]

I can see a reason. When you are talking to brand new pwoplw to tournaments and poker. And you are trying to get them off to a good start in Party Poker SnGs, a lotta people will play hard without the nuts. By folding the BB you can avoid getting into any betting battles with draws, middle or low pair, top pair with a horrible kicker, medium hands.

To someone with a few hands under your belt this is not a trap you easily fall into. But as a complete newb, you want to avoid this.

if you avoid the BB, the newb won't be learning pot odds. he will always be the aggressor, and you need to be good at both skills. if you get 45s in the BB, and the flop comes 239 with two of your suit. you have a open ended straight, and a flush draw. they bet the pot. i would be tempted to reraise all in with a draw like that, but it's still worth calling to see the turn. even so, with only 800 chips, calling a pot sized bet will leave you with nothing, so might as well push.

there's so so much to learn in poker you can spend years and years, and still not know it.

[TylerK]

if you avoid the BB, the newb won't be learning pot odds. he will always be the aggressor, and you need to be good at both skills. if you get 45s in the BB, and the flop comes 239 with two of your suit. you have a open ended straight, and a flush draw. they bet the pot. i would be tempted to reraise all in with a draw like that, but it's still worth calling to see the turn.

In a tournament you would consider a call? I don't like it. Keep in mind that you might be drawing dead for the flush. In a tournament situation I would be extremely unlikely to flat call this bet. All-in maybe, depending upon stack sizes and blinds.

[Radashack]

The chances you are drawing dead on a flush is fairly slim it happens though, you have a good probably 14 outs (17 max) in this position the best a guy could have is top pair or trips (which your straigh or flush beats) Essentially you are looking to make a hand about 45% of the time, so nearly once every two times this happens, which is not bad odds. I would Raise this situation. Then you also add another way to win the pot. Calling is not that great of an idea here.

Take away the flush draw and this hand drops to maybe 8 outs. which drops your chance at the open ender to a max of 25% which then makes this draw not worth it in terms of the bet.

Take away the open ended straight drawn and you are left with a max of 9 out, putting you in the same boat as above, again this is a no call situation for that kind of bet.

The above is where a lot of new people lose a lot of money, or SNG finishes, They chase the hands that souldn't be chased.

[|~|ypermegachi]

In a tournament you would consider a call? I don't like it. Keep in mind that you might be drawing dead for the flush. In a tournament situation I would be extremely unlikely to flat call this bet. All-in maybe, depending upon stack sizes and blinds.

nah i wouldn't call. i'd push for sure. but for a beginner who's not ready to take some risks, calling might be better. i remember when i first started, i'd be dealt AKs, and my friend who's been playing for a while tells me to push...and i'm like WHY i don't even have a pair!! 22 can beat me right now! and he laughs and tells me to push anyway. back to the example, even if it was only the single straight or flush draw, i'd push if i think they were trying to buy the pot. you have a good chance to win it right there when they fold, and if they call you have some outs to beat them.

in my playbook, the only time i call is a slowplay, or the call is cheap enough and i'm getting good odds.

[Les_Worm]

I actually disagree with alot of this post but thats just my opinion.

[TylerK]

The chances you are drawing dead on a flush is fairly slim it happens though, you have a good probably 14 outs (17 max) in this position the best a guy could have is top pair or trips (which your straigh or flush beats) Essentially you are looking to make a hand about 45% of the time, so nearly once every two times this happens, which is not bad odds. I would Raise this situation. Then you also add another way to win the pot. Calling is not that great of an idea here.

With the straight draw and flush draw, you have exactly 15 outs, and just over a 50% chance to make your hand on the turn or the river.

If you are going to play this (in a tournament), it's a must raise situation.

I would consider calling in a cash game, but it would definitely be unlikely and would depend upon the situation.

[|~|ypermegachi]

With the straight draw and flush draw, you have exactly 15 outs, and just over a 50% chance to make your hand on the turn or the river.

If you are going to play this (in a tournament), it's a must raise situation.

I would consider calling in a cash game, but it would definitely be unlikely and would depend upon the situation.

i wouldn't count this as the full 15 outs, probably around 13.5 would be more accurate as you have a very low flush draw. half the deck has bigger flush cards then you.

[Humphrind]

I actually disagree with alot of this post but thats just my opinion.

It's not a post for us regulars. But as a brand new person who knows only the basics of poker and I want to get into the Party Poker SnGs, I think this is a great step toward becoming consistently profitable. Then tweak it once you get the experience.

[DBL0SVN]

Great post whileone! Some solid strategy for beginners that they can then work with as they get experience. My SnG game isn't far off this and I'm up a fair bit over the last month. Keep up the good work.