Editorial

Tuesday, 27 April 2010 00:37 Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 April 2010 00:39

Online poker tournaments with no limit Hold'em are condensed into single table games with sit-n-go, so here we show you the strategies you need to help you win.

There's nothing quite as exciting as a full blown no limit Hold'em online tournament, but they can be lengthy and attract a huge number of players that you will have to go up against. So if you don't want to wait around for a chance at the big prize pots, there is a great alternative in sit-n-go poker tournaments where you only need to concern yourself about what is happening on a single table. There are of course many aspects to the big tournament strategies that will be similar to those at the sit-n-go version, but there are also many subtle differences that can work well in one and not the other.

The popularity of sit-n-go poker tournaments in their own right is growing, so if you fancy your chances at one of these tournaments, then here are some really useful strategy tips that can help you to get the better of your opponents.

The Need for Speed

A great piece of advice for sit-n-go players is that they should remember that the single table tournaments can go a great deal faster than a comparable full blown online tournament. In a sit-n-go tournament, blind levels will typically run at half the length of those played in regular tournament. This means you may lack the luxury of sitting back to wait for those strong starting hands. As players are eliminated, you'll find your table gets shorter increasing the speed and with it the pressure on every hand. You'll do well to be on top of all the poker strategies so you'll be ready to make your move at the right time.

Hand Selection

One thing you'll notice as the blinds start getting higher as the table shortens is that players with a really solid knowledge of sit-n-go will tend to loosen their starting hand needs. During the longer, multi-table events, it may not be right to call a bet on a hand with two off suit face cards, but in sit-n-go it could be sufficient for a raise. There is a strategy known as the Gap Concept that can be successfully brought into play at sit-n-go as well as a larger tournament. With this strategy, you should have a stronger hand in order to call an opponent's raise than you do to open up for a raise.

Early Rounds

In early rounds, the strategies for sit-n-go are not much different from those used in multi-table tournaments. You should make use of the "tight-aggressive" strategy by folding weak hands and long shot draws, while making big bets when you have what is probably the top hand or a very strong draw. This strategy ensures that you have the odds on your side when the pot starts filling up with cash.

Middle Rounds

On a 9 or 10 hand table, when the size of the field has shrunk to 5 or 6 players, the higher blinds are going to come round faster. The strategy here includes tight-aggressive, but loosening your standards for a raise on opening the pot. With fewer players sitting at the table it means fewer players that can better your hand, so the soundest poker strategy will dictate that you try to open more often. This will force your opponents into defining their hand.

Money Bubble

It is well worth knowing how to handle yourself when there are only four players remaining. As only the last three see any of the money, you need to be careful at this stage. All of the other three will only be playing strong hands out of fear of elimination one place short of the payoff. Aggressive players are likely to try a small raise and steal the blinds / antes prior to the flop, but will be equally likely to fold quickly when staring a re-raise in the face.

Head to Head

Many experts believe the purest poker form is heads-up no limit Texas Hold'em. However, that experience is mostly passed up by the thousands of players who enter multi-table events. On the other hand, for skilled players, a sit-n-go tournament provides a better chance to go head to head with an opponent. The big difference between the winner and loser in a heads-up is that second-place typically makes only half of the winner's payoff.

Reading Your Opponents

Many of the most useful strategies for sit-n-go don't involve cards or chips. Success in short-handed or in a heads-up situation often hinges on your ability to predict your opponent's moves. In one-table tournaments, players do not change tables so this provides you with a good opportunity to study your opponent's betting patterns, giving you the best online poker tell you can get.

Sit-n-go strategy, as with most things, is best learned with practice. These tournaments are relatively short so many players will play several one-table events in a day with some pros playing several tables at once. Shorter games help to reduce the learning curve needed to acquire the skills needed to take down tough adversaries on an online table.