Multi-table Sit&Gos

We’ve already talked about the expansion of sit&gos into the two-table format, but most poker sites now go way beyond that and offer games that bear more resemblance to traditional multi-table tournaments. The only difference between sit&go MTTs and normal MTTs is they start when the required number of players register and usually operate on a turbo structure meaning they still finish within a reasonable length of time. For this reason, and because there are only a limited number of good regulars online at any time, these games have taken off in popularity and can offer far higher ROIs than normal tournaments.

Typically they are offered in 45, 90 and 180-man formats and their popularity and frequency depends on the stakes and number of players. For example, at the high buy-in levels of $100 and above 45-player games are reasonably frequent but 90 and 180-man games are rare. They are therefore a good place to cut your teeth if you are learning the game or want to practise for MTTs. They also allow you to build up a bankroll pretty quickly from scratch if you have a few early results.

As payouts vary between sites and field sizes the first thing you want to do is check these details and estimate the average stack you will need to make the money. For example, in a 45-player game on PokerStars seven places are paid so you will need to build your starting stack of 1,500 to around 10,000 to be about average. In comparison, a 180-player game on Full Tilt pays 18 so you will need more like 15,000.

Because you will need to accumulate chips at some point and won’t have long to do so it’s worth trying to enter early pots with speculative hands. Your primary aim should be to try and get chips from the weaker players before they bust. Remember that ICM is much less of a consideration than in the traditional format as the payouts are further away and increase more smoothly. You can play draws more aggressively and develop a looser image in the early stages in a way you would be unwise to do in a single table sit&go.

Steal And Go

Typically, because of the fast structures, you are going to see that most players will come under great chip pressure fairly early on. Even if you have a big stack you will still be playing all-in or fold with lots of players with less than 10 big blinds. For this reason, stealing to remain above the all-in zone isn’t as important as in traditional MTTs. But you should still look for good steal spots. One particular spot is when the antes kick in and the stack sizes are such that opponents can’t resteal against you easily but you can still fold marginal hands if they do move all-in.

When the stacks get very short as the blinds increase, look to move all-in aggressively even in marginal situations as most players will fold too often in these formats. If you can build a good stack moving in aggressively it will help you as the bubble approaches as you will be able to dominate it. If you have a shorter stack keep an eye on the blind increases as they can start to jump significantly, but if you are comfortable don’t force the action unnecessarily and wait for some of the shorter stacks to consolidate.

As you approach the money, ICM and traditional MTT strategies become more prevalent and you should play based on your stack size and position in the field. You should already know the average stack for when the bubble bursts, but consulting the leaderboard is important as the big stacks with way over the average reduce the average for the rest. Even with a stack slightly below average you may still be comfortably in line to make the money and move up some positions without having to do much.

With a shorter stack you will need to win chips to make it so stay aggressive. Try to keep above five big blinds so you have good fold equity and pick on players who might fold too often in the big blind if they are tight or trying to survive with a medium stack.

Big Money Hunting

The main payouts in these formats are in the top positions. For example, in a PokerStars 90-player game the top three share 60% of the prizepool whereas sixth to twelfth get 5% or less each. Therefore, if you have a big stack around the bubble it’s important to play aggressively and try to steal from the players trying to squeeze into the money to maximise the chances of a big win.

This is very different from the strategy required for the 18-player games with a flat payout structure of 40%/30%/20%/10%. In fact, if you can take a commanding lead at this point you can often ride the wave to the top three by picking up all the dead money, and will have to lose a series of all-ins to be knocked out. When the bubble bursts there is going to be another period of fast consolidation with people being quickly knocked out, so be patient unless you pick up hands or have a short stack in which case you should be ready to gamble.

Typically the action will slow as you get short handed on the final table so pick up the pace and start stealing or moving in more liberally depending on the stack sizes. Remember, however, that unless players are immediately likely to bust and you have a medium stack you now want to focus on the top positions and you should be prepared to play aggressively to do so. You should, however, avoid taking very thin gambles because ICM still plays a part.

In the final three the play becomes similar to a traditional sit&go with the difference between first and second usually being twice that between second and third. As a consequence of this weighting it’s important to play for the win here most of the time as in a normal structure. You should not be too concerned about the actual payouts as you will already have a good score locked up for third place.

Similarly, heads-up is a simple fight for the remaining money, but if you are unfamiliar with the format be careful to know how many chips are in play and your stack size in big blinds. Comparing your situation to one in a format where you have lots of experience will help you make the right decisions at the last crucial phase.