Online Poker Sit and Go Tournament Strategy:
Overview:
Sit and go poker tournaments are a fun and quick way to enjoy the final table feeling of a big multi table tournament without having to beat hundreds of opponents. There are a number of adjustements that need to be made as you play a sit and go vs. a Multi Table Tournament, as it will quickly become short handed as players are eliminated. Blinds also tend to go up quicker in sit and go's, requiring additional adjustment in your play.
Early Stages
In sit and go's, the blinds start off very small compared to your stack. This means two things. First, stealing the blinds is of very little significance, as it will only increase your stack by 2-3%. Second, post flop play is much more important, as there will be less all in's preflop with deep stacks. What I like to do early on in a sit and go is play relatively loose passive, limping in a lot of speculative hands and trying to flop a monster. This includes small pocket pairs, suited connectors and 1 gapers, and suited Aces. Depending on the skill level of your opponents, this may or may not be successful. The lower the stakes sit and go, the more likely you can get a way with seeing a lot of flops. In higher stakes sit and go's good players will 'punish' limpers by making large raises Preflop in an attempt to isolate against the probable weak opponent. It is okay to limp/fold marginal hands, but you should almost NEVER be limp/calling marginal hands, even early on in a sit and go. Calling a raise will still commit 10-15% of your stack preflop, which is a bad idea with many speculative hands. Early stages are only the first two blind levels, when the big blind is LESS then 5% of your starting stack.
Once I flop a monster, I try to find a way to get my opponents stack. This may include leading, under betting, check/raising, and a whole host of other plays to keep my opponent in the hand. You want to keep your opponent in the hand, and usually betting is the best way to do this. Make him feel committed to the pot by making bets and/or plays that will get his money in the pot. When I miss in a limped pot, I almost never make a move early on in a tournament.
Playing in the middle stages:
Once a few players are eliminated, three things happen simultaneously. 1) The game gets short handed. 2) The blinds get higher. 3) Everyone still around is closer to the money, and closer to the bubble. Serious adjustments need to be made once a few players are eliminated. Never open limp. Always come in for a raise. Never cold call raises, always 3 bet or fold. Keep applying pressure to your opponents to build your stack and gain an advantage. Don't feel obligated to call a short stack with a marginal hand ever, even with a big chip lead. Wait for a good spot to eliminate the short stacks.
Playing the bubble
The winner of a sit and go is often determined by bubble play, with 4 players remaining at a ring SNG, and 3 players at a 6 max SNG. More money can be made on the bubble then anywhere else, as players will generally be extra tight, but the blinds are high, and coming fast. Really open up your raising range, as just a few blind steals can give you the chip lead. I probably raise 40% of my hands on or near the bubble. If your opponent is waiting for a big hand, make him pay as he waits.
In the money:
Once you are in the money, often the game becomes looser again, and more agressive. The remaining players know they are in the money, and at worst will double up their buy in. If you are short stacked, shove a lot of hands, as one double up usually means gaining the chip lead, and the blinds are very high at this point. If you have a decent chip stack, you can play a little more selectively, but always adjust to your opponents. If they are playing tight, steal their blinds. If they are pushing every hand, wait for a decent spot to get your money in.
Heads Up:
Aggression, Aggression, Aggression. If you are short stacked, you need to gamble, and if you are a 3-1 or more chip dog, will need to win 2 all ins to win. Usually, the blinds will be very high, so chip leads can swing a lot heads up. I tend to go ballistic heads up, often open shoving as much as 75% of my hands if the blinds are high enough. If your opponent is waiting for a decent hand (as most will) your aggression will whittle his stack, and build yours. Even when he finally calls (and eventually they will get stubborn and make a loose call) you will usually be in a 60-40 situation taking just a bit of the worst of it, but with your agressive play previously, should have built up a chip stack that can handle it.
By Howie