• Sng Bubble Strategy Definition
• Sng Bubble Strategy Meaning
• Sng Bubble Strategy Games
• Sng Bubble Strategy Game

We start by giving an overview of the differences between SNG strategy and that for cash games. Next the 4 main stages of a SNG tournament are discussed separately, covering early game, mid-game, bubble play and finally in the money play. We wrap up by looking at some common opponent errors. Difference between tournament and cash game strategy. The best strategy for the bubble in a SNG is to take advantage of the players who are looking to just sneak in to the money. Many inexperienced players play SNGs in the hopes of just making it to 3rd place, with the thought that anything better than that is.

Last week we discussed beginner strategy for the middle levels of a standard single-table sit & go in which the top three spots pay. This week we find ourselves on the money bubble with four players left.

Since we're playing poker for real money, our main goal at this point is not to be the next player out and miss the cash. In order to survive, we have to know how to shove and call correctly so we do not get forced all in by the blinds and antes.

Shoving Correctly

As the shortest stack, shove slightly wider than Nash on the second-shortest stack

Sng Bubble Strategy Definition

The thing that makes shoving so profitable is fold equity. You can maximize your fold equity as the shortest stack by shoving slightly wider than suggested by the Nash equilibrium shoving strategy when the second-shortest stack is in the big blind. (See last week's article for more about using Nash as a guide for optimal shoving/calling.)

For example, if you have 10 BBs and shove from the small blind into a 50-BB stack in the big blind, he may call you close to correctly because losing does not hurt him very much. For this reason, you should just stick to the Nash shoving range in this spot.

On the other hand, if you shove from the cutoff, the big stack is less likely to call you from the button given that he does not have a blind invested and has to worry about the players left to act. If one of those other players has a 12- to 15-BB stack, he is less likely to call you correctly because losing would be devastating for him.

As a medium stack, shove moderately wider than Nash on all but the biggest stack

As a medium stack, you can put tons of pressure on everyone except the biggest stack. In fact, once the biggest stack folds, you can assume the role of the biggest stack even if you are tied for second as long as you are next to act. If you go all in, the other stacks will need a very good hand to call you.

As the biggest stack, shove extremely wider than Nash on everyone

On the money bubble of a SNG, the biggest stack is in the catbird seat. He has something I refer to as 'big stack insurance' — he can bust the other players, but they cannot bust him. This allows him to shove incredibly wide.

For example, say there is a short stack with around 5 BBs. When he folds and you are next to act as the biggest stack with 50 BBs, you have license to shove just about any two cards on any medium stacks left to act (e.g., with 20 BBs). They know that if they just fold a few more hands, the short stack will likely be out. For this reason, they will be hesitant to gamble with the big stack with anything less than a premium hand. They are almost assured at least 20 percent of the prize pool and will not want to take the risk of getting nothing. (Single-table SNGs on most online poker sites pay 50/30/20 percent to the top three spots.)

Even if one of the medium stacks does decide to call and is fortunate enough to win, you will still have 30 BBs and a great chance at locking up 20 percent of the prize pool, not to mention also still having enough chips to play for more. This is less true when shoving on a fellow big stack whom you only cover by 10 BBs or so. Use reads to ensure this player understands how tightly he should be calling before you get too far out of line in this situation.

Calling Correctly

As the shortest stack, call according to Nash as you begin to lose fold equity

Generally, everyone should be tighter when calling on the bubble. However, there is one exception. If you are the shortest stack and you don't have much preflop fold equity, your only option is to showdown the best hand. When this is the case, calling is almost as good as shoving.

For example, let's say you have 10 BBs and the next shortest stack has 15 BBs. If a big stack shoves on you blind-versus-blind, you can choose not to call with a hand like if you expect to have opportunities to shove on the 15-BB stack later.

Sng Bubble Strategy Meaning

However, this is not true when you only have 4 BBs. In this case, there is no reason to wait for a shove because your short stack has almost no fold equity. This means that you will likely get called, anyway, and often by multiple players at that. You may as well call the big stack's shove when you know you only have to beat one player who likely has a wide range.

Otherwise, call tighter

Unless you are the shortest stack with no fold equity, you should call tighter than Nash on the bubble regardless of your stack size.

If you are a short stack, but you still have decent fold equity, then you should prefer shoving over calling because this gives you two ways to win.

If you are a medium stack, then you certainly do not want to call off your stack in the presence of a short stack. You essentially have 20 percent of the prize pool all but locked up. This is not the time to gamble with a marginal hand.

If you are a big stack, it is almost criminal to call off with a marginal hand against a fellow big stack or medium stack for the majority of your chips. Furthermore, you may even want to call a wee bit tighter against the shortest stack in order to keep the bubble alive. If the other players are calling as tightly as they should, you can continue to win pots without showdown for as long as the bubble lasts.

Eventually, someone will pick up a good hand and call to bust the fourth player. Unless that fourth player happens to be you, congratulations — you've made it into the money! You've guaranteed yourself 20 percent of the prize pool. This is a nice consolation prize, but there is much more at stake.

Sng Bubble Strategy Games

We will discuss this next stage of the tournament — three-handed play — next week.

Sng Bubble Strategy Game

Also in this series...

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  tournament strategyno-limit hold’emstack sizesstarting hand selectionpreflop strategysit & go strategyonline pokershort-handed strategysatellite strategy

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Accurate Ranges For Opponents Is Key To Winning SNG Tournaments.
This Article Looks At How You Can Put Your Sit N Go Opponents On Accurate Ranges

A key component in becoming a winning SNG player is the ability to accurately estimate the ranges of hands which your opponents will either push all in with at the bubble or call your all in push with. This article looks at how to put individual players on ranges - you will also find charts in our follow up article on bubble play - SNG Bubble Strategy, How Often Will You Get Called?

Once you have a good estimate of these ranges you are in a powerful position. If you know the range your opponent will push you can accurately compare your holding to this range and make a call or fold decision based on equity gains / losses – see ICM articles for more on prize pool equity based decisions.

Conversely if you know what range of hands an opponent will call your all in with you can deduce the range of holdings that you can profitably push into them.

In order to put people on ranges we first have to ask some key questions:

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1) Does My Opponent Understand The (Mathematical) Nature Of The SNG Bubble?

An opponent who understands the distribution of prize pool equity has a tighter calling range and a looser pushing range than someone who does not. Someone who understands what is happening will take account of the presence of a micro-stack / big stack at the table and adjust their ranges accordingly... again if they do not understand they will play only their cards.

2) Are There 2 (or more) Players Who Do Not Understand The Nature Of The Bubble?

Have you ever seen the 2 biggest stacks go to war at the bubble? Distributing their $ equity to the small stacks not involved in the hand!! If you feel there are 2 or more players who do not understand correct bubble play then you can tighten your ranges a little, as there is an increased chance of folding into the money (only a little though – this is always a risky strategy!).

3) Do My Opponents Correctly Understand Pot Odds?

Inexperienced players with big stacks at the lower levels sometimes fold getting 3/1 or even 4/1 with chips when a short stack pushes. If this is the case then we can safely loosen our pushing range against this opponent - but tighten the calling range, this player is not capable of playing 'any 2 cards' when the math suggests it is positive expectation. Beware of the same play at the higher levels – thinking big-stacks sometimes keep the bubble alive deliberately so they can exploit their mid-stacked opponents.

So, having asked these questions we are now in a position to try and put some calling ranges on opponents from here; We will assume even stacks and not factor in any complex situations.

Mr Tight - Will give this guy pairs above 1010, AQs+

Mr Average - Pairs above 55, a8+ and KJs+

Mr Loose - Any Pair, any Ace, K7s+ K10o+

Mr Maniac - Any Pair, Ace, King, Q6s+ and suited connectors such as 910s.

Mr 'Any 2' - Well, any 2!

OK, so it is folded to you in the small blind - what can you profitably push into these guys as a one off event??? Will assume 200/400 blinds and even stacks of 3000 after posting.

Mr Tight and Mr Average - 100% (yep every single hand) even 72o here is profitable - if Mr Tight is only calling with top 7% you will pick up the blinds so often that the % of showdowns won becomes secondary... Mr Loose - Top 28%, that is still a lot of hands!! 22, Ax, K9s+ and connectors down to 87s. Here you are going to get called often enough to need a little something to show-down. Mr Maniac - Top 12%, 66+ a9o+ you need to risk your equity in a showdown often enough to need a solid hand for pushing here. Mr Any 2 - Top 6%, 77+ AQo+, you need to be tight now - an assured showdown is not something you should be welcoming at the bubble without a hand!

Well there are the basics - what I wanted to do here is to give some 'rules of thumb' to use at the table.

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SNG Bubble Push All-In And Calling Ranges - Some Rules Of Thumb Based On Opponent Types

- Opponent does not understand bubble dynamics. Assume Mr Average for the first push and Mr Loose for subsequent pushes.

- Opponent is a regular who understands push / fold play. If you are a known regular assume Mr Loose, if you are unknown to the regular assume Mr Average for first 2 pushes then Mr Loose from then on.

- You have pushed the last 2 hands when folded to in the SB and it is folded to you again for the 3rd time... if you are going to push here assume Mr Maniac calling range, if you give the guy the occasional walk then go back to Mr Loose.

SNG Bubble Push All-In And Calling Ranges - When You Face An All-In

Next we turn the tables - it is your Big Blind and the SB has pushed into you... what can you call with? again this depends on the range you give your opponent for pushing...

Mr Tight will only push 77+ A10s+ and maybe here - against this range you need top 1% to call with, that is Queens or better! (note: situational factors may make this tighter still!)

Mr Average will push 55+, A8o+ and KQ - you need JJ+ (top 2%)

Mr Loose will push any pair, A5o+ and KJo+ - you can now call with a huge 4%!! 99+ / Aqo+.

Mr Maniac will push any Pair, Ace, King or Queen and connectors down to 98s - feel free to call with 88+ AJo and A10s - fold everything else.

Mr 'Any 2' will push any 2! Now you can widen that range to 14%, that is 55+ a7o+ and K10s+

The important point here is that your calling ranges - all else being equal - are very tight. At the lower levels here is are the rules of thumb I use for calling....

- Assume Mr Loose in the absence of any other information.

- Assume Mr Maniac for known regulars (specific people I will call assuming the ' any 2' range) as I know that they know that they should be able to push any-2 into me!

We need to factor in many more things including; stack sizes (the presence of a micro (1 or 2* BB only)) stack or 1 very big and 3 equally small others, The position of those stacks relative to you, effect of blinds being higher or lower and the effect of the willingness of the other players to get in against each other… these areas and more will be covered here at SNG Planet – bookmark us today!

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