‘Sit and go’ is a specific type of poker game. SNG poker games are special because they don’t have any scheduled starting times, nor do they require pre-registration.
These games have a set number of seats and begin as soon as all of the seats are full. SNG games/tournaments have become quite popular and are available online through many online poker sites all of the time at various poker sites but, if you players keep their eyes open, they can be found in some live casinos as well.
1- Overview of the Sit & Go Tournament
Sit and go poker tournaments are a great way to get experience with tournament-style poker play for a small buy-in. The typical buy-in for sit and go tournaments is usually pretty cheap (as low as a dollar) and then there is a fee, generally equal to 10% of the buy-in. Each player will start with the same number of chips and, unlike cash games, everyone plays until they are beaten. There is no walking away from a SNG table until you either have all of the chips, or none of them.
Typically, in a 9-10 player game, the top 3 players get paid out in the end. The first player usually gets 50% of the prize pool, second place gets 30%, and the remaining 20% goes to the third place player (although the percents can vary). Shorthanded sit and go games only start with 5-6 players and in turn, only the top two players win the prize pool.
2- Basic Sit and Go Strategy
SNG tournament strategies reflect general tournament play. The basic idea is to play tight early in the game to avoid getting knocked out while the pots are small. As the game progresses and the blinds increase, you should get progressively more aggressive to make sure you can cash in on the richer pots. Playing tight early doesn’t mean you should sit every hand out though. In the early stages of the game you should play strong hands to win chips where you can, all the while making the impression of a conservative player. By playing smart to start, you can easily steal the big pots later in the game and ensure one of the top (paid) spots.
As sit and go games progress, not only will the blinds go up, but also seats will become empty one by one. This narrowing down process allows SNG poker games to offer great practice for the final table of a normal poker tournament, but for a much smaller price.
3- Typical Opponents
Most of the SNG players you will encounter are either recreational players, or low-level pro’s trying to put together a bankroll. If you find yourself in a cheap SNG game, most players will probably be very inexperienced. Compared to the other tournament structures, SNG is probably the least competitive. If you play well, you should be able to clear a high return on investment (ROI), and gain valuable experience that will carry over to some higher stakes tournaments.
4- Step Tournaments
A step tournament gives small-game SNG poker players a chance to aim for larger payouts. Each player starts off at ‘step 1’ in a SNG poker game with a small buy-in. The top two players from this game will move on to a ‘step 2’ SNG game with other players who have moved on from step 1 game. The top players continue up the steps until the final game (4th or 5th step) where the winners receive cash prizes from the entire prize pool, which was created from the entire step 1 buy-ins.
Just like judi bola, Sit and go poker is one of the fasted growing segments of online poker, and is a great way to experience the excitement of a tournament’s final table. Whether you are new to the game, or trying to build a bankroll for professional play, you owe it to yourself to give sit and go poker a shot.
Jennifer is a cat lover. You will always find her enjoying poker games while her cat sits on her lap. She is also a tech wizard and wishes to move into a completely AI controlled home.
