Learn Texas Holdem

You've decided to play a Sit N Go for the first time. Perhaps you are used to playing cash games and see Sit N Gos as an interesting entry into the tournament world, or maybe larger tournaments have always been your thing and you want to see what the Sit N Go fuss is all about. Maybe you've never played online poker at all and this is where you've decided to start. Whatever the reasons, there are a few things you can expect from your first Sit N Go.

Sit N Go as Your First Online Poker Experience

The Sit-and-Go is actually a great first online poker experience. You are only risking the cost of the buy-in, so your losses are minimized, which is ideal for someone who is inexperienced. In addition, you have the opportunity to see many hands if you play carefully, so you can gain experience quickly. A good rule of thumb in Sit N Gos and really in any tournament is to play tight early and loosen up as the blinds get bigger.

Moving From Cash Games to Sit N Gos

If you are typically a cash game player and you are trying your hand at Sit N Go tournaments, you will have to make some adjustments. For one, some cash no-limit hold'em players like to play a very wide range of hands, since the potential rewards are great. In a Sit N Go, employing this strategy may mean an early exit. Remember your goal is to survive to the end, not to win one or two big pots. When you have a good-sized chip stack, you'll want to avoid confrontations where you think you have a small edge and wait for a big edge, unlike in a cash game where it often makes sense to take any edge you can get.

Moving From Big Tournaments to Sit N Gos

If you are used to playing larger tournaments, the biggest adjustment you'll need to make here is being aware that the blinds will represent a high percentage of the average stack very quickly and you will need to speed up your game accordingly. You'll also only be playing with a full table for a short time, unlike a larger tournament where a high percentage of the game is played with a full ring of players. If you've played some final table poker, it may help to think of a Sit N Go as if you were starting the tournament at the final table.

Playing According to the Blinds

In a Sit N Go, your play is largely determined by the level of the blinds. In a large multi-table tournament, it is possible to have a stack that is many times the blinds or a stack that only has a few blinds left in it. In a single table Sit N Go, the amount of chips, and hence the amount of chips one is likely to have relative to the blinds, is finite. Once the blinds reach the 300-600 level in a nine-handed Sit N Go with 1,500 starting chips, no one can have even 15 times the blinds in their stack. This makes it vitally important to tailor your play to the blinds in a Sit N Go.

Low Blind Play in a Sit N Go

In the beginning of a Sit N Go, when the blinds are low, it is time to hang back, play premium hands and assess your opponents. Protect your chips, as losing chips in this stage has a much more detrimental effect than winning chips would be an advantage. This does not mean you should fold every hand until the blinds rise, but it does mean you should avoid speculative hands.

Middle Blind Play in a Sit N Go

At this point, there should be some separation in chip stacks between the players, and you should have a better idea where you stand. If you've got around the average chip stack, this is a good time to play your typical cash game style, playing position, some unusual hands occasionally and pushing your strong hands to some extent. This is still not a time you will usually want to commit all your chips without a very strong hand.

Late Blind Play in a Sit N Go

By this point, there should be only a few players left before the money. If you're one of the middle stacks, you may want to wait to see if the short stack goes bust and launches you into one of the cashing spots. If you are close to being one of the short stacks yourself, you should look for a spot to double up even if you are not the shortest stack, since if they double up you will be under the gun. If you are the big stack this is a good time to try to pick off blinds, since no one will want to get knocked out just short of the money.

Bubble Play

The most crucial time in a Sit N Go poker tournament is the bubble, when there are four players left. When the next player is eliminated, everyone else will be in the money. No one wants to go out fourth. It makes people feel like they played as well as everyone who won, but they don't get any money. Most players would rather be the first player eliminated than to be eliminated in fourth place. This creates some interesting strategic issues.

Sit N Go Bubble Play: Big Stack

If you're the big stack on the bubble, this is your time to shine. You should be stealing blinds left and right. As long as there is a stack short enough that it may soon be eaten up by the blinds, no one will want to risk getting involved with you and letting that short stack take his or her place in the money. Raise pre-flop frequently and continuation bet frequently if you are called. Try to avoid getting into big confrontations with a stack that is close to yours in size, but remember that people are unlikely to put pressure on you without a very strong hand.

Sit N Go Bubble Play: Second Largest Stack

Play for the second largest stack will be similar to play by the big stack. You'll basically try to pick up all the blinds that the big stack doesn't try to get. Try not to get involved with the big stack unless you have a really big hand; if you do, don't be afraid to go for it. You are risking 20 percent of the prize pool by taking a chance at elimination, but by doubling up, you give yourself a great opportunity to finish first rather than second, which is a gain of 20 percent.

Sit N Go Bubble Play: Second Shortest Stack

As the second shortest stack, you will be tempted to wait around until the short stack goes bust. The first thing you must do is make sure the other player really is the short stack. If you have more chips, but the blinds are going to reach you before they reach him, you may be the one who is eliminated first. If the blinds will knock out the other player in the next round or two, you may want to hang back. If he is still going to get a couple orbits in, he could very easily double up or even pick up the blinds, putting you under the gun. If you let yourself get very short when this happens, it could be a real problem. For this reason, you should still be looking for good opportunities to double up even if you are not the shortest stack.

Sit N Go Bubble Play: Short Stack

Everyone is waiting for you to go bust. You need to make a move fast. Consider moving with any two cards if it is folded or even limped to you in the small blind and the big blind is another smaller stack. Also, consider moving with any two big cards, pair or ace, especially if no one has come in before you. Make your move while a double up will still put you ahead of the next smallest stack.