Sit ‘n’ Go Strategy for Novices
It is very important to have a strategy in place before going to the poker table, even if you are a professional. It helps you keep your mind away from all distractions and lets you focus on the game. You must be fully prepared both mentally and physically. You might have to sit through the whole session of the game which may sometimes stretch for more than two days.
When it comes to making a strategy for Sit n Go which is a varaint of Texas Hold’em, even a master poker player will have a tough time teaching a novice all the tricks and trades involved in the game. Since the skills required are different from most of the other formats, it is very hard to cover all the facets of the game.
Playing pre-flops with sufficient blinds
The main goal in Sit n Go is to gain the maximum number of chips from the opponents and the player who loses all his chips will be eliminated. In a Sit n Go strategy, the crucial factor is the number of chips and not the size of the blinds. This is the main reason why there has to be a comparison between the size of the blind and the chip stack.
Once you have at least 12 big blinds, you can start playing your cards and attack your opponents to eliminate them. If you have have a much bigger chip stack when compared to the big blind, it becomes more important to protect your chips than winning more chips.
The first step is to check the type of card you are holding. Once this is done, you will have to decide on your position by finding out the number of players who will be playing after you. The positioning can vary depending on the number of players playing the game at any particular point of time. The last and the most important step is the implementation of your strategy. If no player has raised his or her cards before you, it is time for you to raise. You can fold your cards when any player raises his or her cards after you do. Try to get all your chips in before the flop is dealt by raising as many times as possible. You must fold carefully, keeping the chart in mind while playing. Try to raise at least three times around the big blind and each time a player calls before you.
Playing after the flops with enough blinds
If the play continues after the first betting round, it is quite likely that there will be a few more betting rounds. There is a chart for this purpose as well which is likely to help you with your decisions. If you have more than sufficient big blinds, there is a good chance that your opponents may have less than 12 big blinds. In such a situation, use the chart with the largest amount of blinds if no one has entered the game before you did. In case someone has entered before you, and they have less than 12 big blinds, you must use the Re-All-in table.
Find out your poker hand with the best possible combination of the community cards as well as the twin cards which lie open on the table. Determine the current betting round by looking at the columns of the table. By carefully studying the chart, determine your plan of action within the right row and column.
Do not invest any money if you are folding or checking. If no one is willing to bet, you should try your luck with two-thirds of the pot. Raise your bet by at least three times if your opponent bets before you. Put in all your chips if there was a raise and bet before or after you. In case you have a strong draw and you are at the river, it is better to give up and check if you have failed to complete the draw.
Playing short-stacked
It is better to become very aggressive and get of the play safe mode as soon as you are short stacked. The fun facor is raised as there would be only a few players left at the table and each player will hardly be having 12 big blinds.
Amateur players will have to be very careful at this stage, as they are likely to make more mistakes. If you play out this stage without any big damage, it will boost your confidence. Here you will hardly see any flops being raised and you are left with only two choices – push or fold. Make victory your goal instead of earning a little money. Your opponents with a killer instinct will more often than not destroy you if you choose to limp.
Being scared as a poker player is not an ideal virtue to possess, as you will be exploited if your opponents find out about your vulnerability. The best thing to do at this stage is to focus on the long-term goal of winning the contest instead of thinking about the short-term gain. If you keep this in mind, you are likely to succeed.
Be more aggressive as once you break in to the top three, you are surely going to get paid. Avoid getting blinded out as the action turns frenetic. In the end, just keep in mind that hand value is not as important as fold equity.