All,

Decided that sitandgoplanet is lacking a 1-table SNG starting hands guide.

Have written an article on the subject which turned out quite well, covering the critical factors which affect your selection of hands while at the table.

Actually writing out the hands is proving more difficult... while I have a chart of my own this is 'ultra-nitty' and suited to the pushbot game only... standard MTT or cash game charts are way too loose by comparison.

The balance I'd like to find is this:

- Any 'serious' SNG Multitabler would need a nitty, solid, tighter than tight early stage chart. But:

- This looks horrible to a new SNG player (for example they can not understand why fold AQ at level 1 to a single raise... while someone experienced would usually insta-muck here)

So - I've divided into 'Multi-tablers' early game chart and '1 or 2 tables (non-turbo)' early chart (a lot looser)

Comments, both from specialists in this field and those who are new to SNGs (<300 or 400 games) welcome. Be great to have a good debate and build a consensus on how to balance these opposing requirements!

I have not included a 'call raise' column in any of them... this is either an implied odds (set mining) move or situational (I do talk about why this is in the article in more depth)

Multi-Tablers Early Game Chart:

EP

- Raise First In: TT+. AQs+
- Limp / Limp Behind: 88-99
- Reraise: QQ-AA

MP

- Raise First In: 99+ AQ+
- Limp / Limp Behind: 77-99
- Reraise: QQ-AA

LP

- Raise First In: 66+ AJo+
- Limp / Limp Behind: 55-99, AQs+
- Reraise: QQ-AA


1-Table / Non-Turbo SNG Early Stage Chart

EP

- Raise First In: 88+, AJs+
- Limp / Limp Behind: 55+ AJo+
- Reraise: JJ-AA, AKo+

MP

- Raise First In: 66+ A10o+
- Limp / Limp Behind: 22+ J10s+ (suited Connectors), A9s+ A10o+
- Reraise: QQ-AA, AKo+

LP

- Raise First In: 22+ A8o+
- Limp / Limp Behind: 22+ 67s+ (suited Connectors), A2s+ (suited aces) A10o+
- Reraise: JJ-AA, AQs+

Also have a middle game (15 to 20BBs) chart to think about... will see what peoples thoughts are on this one first.

Thanks - happy to credit you all in the article if you'd like this (just ask!)

Mark

Just a question for the Math Boys...does reraising with AKo and/or AKs hold a negative expected value in either format, MTT or STT?

__________________
ertrauma


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
As my father always said, "Son, choose your sword wisely for some day you may find you must fall on it".

Like all things poker this would depend on many factors - not really a mathematical question... more of a situational one... a few things to consider:

- What is the raising range of your opponent(s)?
- What hands will they call a re-raise with?
- How many players left to act?
- What is your stack size? (do you have enough chips to make an opponent fold?)
- What is your opponents stack size?
- What is the ratio of blinds / antes to your stack size?
- What propoprtion of your stack are you re-raising (could your opponent believe you might fold to a 4-bet? what hands might they 4-bet with?)
- Did you re-raise lately? What happened? (perception of others on how you play could affect the likelihood of a call)
- What is the situation of the tournament? Bubble / final table / early?

So, the answer could be a clear yes or a clear no... for example re-raising with this at the bubble of a SNG with no fold equity with the 2nd biggest stack into the big stack would usually be spewing... at the bubble of an MTT with someone raising every hand I'd shove 100%....

Cheers, Mark

Really good stuff. Sit N Go Strategy is actually one spot I might learn something . There are a lot of very specific spots and positions where the typical action you would make in a cash game, isn't the most optimal play or could flat out be wrong depending on circumstances.

I'm looking forward to this threads development.

Jason

__________________
I'm Not Lucky, I Have Good Karma !

ertrauma:You will realize with the time , but at the beginning take this advice : If the villian is capable to call with a low pp 22-88 is -ev . If the guy will call with AT-AJ-AQ-KQ plus some pp is +EV. IM abit agro , so the raise would be a shove.

Mark: I think for the early stages is the same chart for turbo and non , raising 88 utg1 in a non turbo will be face you a lot of thought decision ( is decision well spelled ?)
I will make a sort of big limp early chart .
LIMP: 22-JJ ( yes JJ limp)
AQ/AK/QQ+ raise 4 blinds .
This is for EP and MP . Raise all of them IP with no one or 1 limp in the pot .

Medium stage will be very different , but that .... is another story.

Thanks Mr TK... you spelled 'decision' fine BTW (you English is far better than my Spanish for sure!!)

Limping all the pocket pairs might work for someone with some experience... but could potentially create problems for inexperienced SNG players - guess 'no set = no bet' could work... will have to think it through.

Cheers, Mark

I need to frequent SnGPlanet more - this is good stuff. Only really going to look at the multi-tablers Early game Chart... (my thoughts in italics)

EP

- Raise First In: TT+. AQs+ (QQ+, AQs+)
- Limp / Limp Behind: 88-99 (66-JJ)
- Reraise: QQ-AA

MP

- Raise First In: 99+ AQ+ (TT+, AQ+)
- Limp / Limp Behind: 77-99 (22-99)
- Reraise: QQ-AA

LP

- Raise First In: 66+ AJo+ (55+, ATo+)
- Limp / Limp Behind: 55-99, AQs+ (22+, AJs+)
- Reraise: QQ-AA (QQ-AA, AKs)

Always looking for help with my early game however.

table seems good to me.
not sure I would ever re raise with JJ in ep (1 table chart) in the early stage of sng though.