More Sit and Go Strategy

More Sit and Go Strategy is a follow on from the previous SitNGo lesson at Gambling Teachers and offers additional playing tips for this poker variant.
We begin this lesson with the origins of the game that stemmed from the popularity of No Limit Texas Holdem Poker in Tournament format.

These Texas Holdem tournaments rose to fame for two reasons; the first being low entry fees thus affordable to all and secondly, televising the events that in turn appealed to both sexes, newbies and veterans alike.
Always on the watch for something new, it was an easy decision to also present
Sit and Go Tournaments, a mini version of their bigger counterparts.
Sit and Go or SitNGo tournaments are unique in that play begins after the designated number of players (for example 10) have all signed on and paid the entry fee.
The structure of Sit and Go games is much like regular tournaments. Blinds go up about every 6 to 15 minutes and the starting stacks are generally between 1500 to 3500 chips.
The majority of online poker sites and land-based poker rooms will offer Sit and Go tournaments and usually the top 3 players are paid out from a 10-player table.

Sit and go strategy tips for tournament play:
Your mission is to locate a game that has a decent chip stack and slow moving blinds. An example of this would be 1500 in chips and 8-minute blinds for the more minutes and the more chips will favor skill versus luck. The sit and go strategy here is that if you are not in a hurry to play, you can play a tight aggressive game that is ideal for most tournaments.
Go with a medium buy-in of 10-20 dollars as you don’t want to go too low and enter a super wild game. Upping the buy-in allows for an improved opportunity to increase your bank roll to move forward to higher stakes games without a bunch of forced crazy bets along the way.

The ideal sit and go strategy for these games is to play a tight aggressive game until the blinds get high enough to warrant a change in strategy. Generally, patiently folding all marginal hands at the start then reaching the second or third blind levels, you will soon discover several players have been knocked out.
Therefore, hand selection is an important sit and go strategy. Early in the tournament play with hands like pairs of Aces, King, Queen, Jacks and Tens, AK, AQ and AJ; you will aggressively raise for value and play the hand.
If you meet much resistance with some of the lower pairs or you don't catch a pair, fold and don't invest too much. Limp in with any pocket pair nines--perhaps five pair or six pair and just maybe spike a set if you do not get out. If someone raises pre-flop, you are outta there.
The strategy for this situation is don’t be caught up in hands that will break you early. The 3 players at the conclusion of the game are the only ones to split up the pot, so your strategy is to let your challengers knock themselves out with wild and crazy bets.

At the point of 5 tournament players remaining and increased blinds, you want to loosen up some of your hand selection by running a few positional raises. If you have established an image of tight play, then test your chances of winning some steals.
You do not want to overplay your hand, but do raise in late position with hands varying from A8 to A3 if no one has entered the pot before you.

At 4 players remaining, there is an increase of tightened play as the money finish is very close. When this occurs, you will utilize the sit and go strategy of stealing some bets while at the same time, backing off if your encounter resistance unless you have a hand that is a winner.
This strategy is likely the reverse of what opposing players will do. Generally, they play many hands early and lose early. Later, these same players will tighten up when the blinds get higher. In contrast, you will use the opposite sit and go strategy by playing tight early and then loosening up later in the game attempting to increase your chip stack to place you in the top 3 and thus, in the money.

At 3 remaining players, you are definitely in the money and can take the tactic of real  aggressive play for the top prize or stay patient while the other two players do battle, thus ensuring you a second place prize. This decision should be based on your chip stack.
Do you have 4–5 times the blinds and in the position to be the third make a move?
Then, if you can steal some blinds or win a showdown, you are likely to be guaranteed second prize.

Sit and Go Strategy: Final Tips
These 2 lessons at the How to Play Poker program should benefit poker players who are up to the challenge of SitNGo tournaments online or off.
Below are a couple of key tips from the previous lesson to remember when playing.
Many of the poker players in these tournaments are generally loose with their game and they will play too many hands. Try not to play too many hands in the early minutes of the tournament. If you do, you are more likely to lose.
A Word of Caution: If the other players’ stacks are very short, they will commit themselves to the pot and call out of simple desperation. Make sure that you do not double them up with a garbage hand.
The most important tip to remember when playing SitNGo poker is to be Patient!

More Sit and Go Strategy is followed by Live Poker Games vs. Online Poker
OR
How to Play Poker 1 Program
OR
Learn Poker Games 2 with 7 Game Types

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