Sit & Go Poker Tips

Single-Table Tournament or STT, currently better known as Sit-and-Go, is one of the online poker types that truly gained an impressive following in recent years. All worthwhile poker sites have Sit & Go games running on a continuous basis, with new games starting as soon as enough players register, which ensures there is never any action shortage. However, Sit & Go style games require an entirely different approach when compared to that of a cash-game. It’s playing style base greater similarity to multi-table tournaments, since the chip quantities available remains finite. These games offer no re-buys meaning once a player’s chips are finished he is done, which makes protecting your starting chips of paramount importance.

• Only Play Good Hands during the game’s early stages, while the blinds remain small, early low value pots are not worth the risk and you only need your opponents to start taking notice during the later stages when you bet aggressively. Stick to playing your big hands aggressively and keep folding all other hands.

 

• Remain Alert for hands offering up unexpected strong surprises, such as small pairs, suited connectors, as well as Aces with suited kickers, i.e. tiebreaker cards from the same suit, all of these could quickly turn into a powerful hand. Always be prepared to play these hands, carefully though since if the flop doesn’t deliver any more useful cards or an opponent raises, you must fold.

 

• Bet Strongly on Major Pairs such as Queens, Kings, and Aces remain powerful friends, and if a few of your opponents limped in ahead by calling on the big blind, immediately double the pot amount when your raise. Your opponents will either fold, leaving you to collect the pot, or make of trying to raise you with weaker hands. However, if they have Aces and you have Kings it’s just tough luck, the minute statistical odds of this occurring makes it worth the risk.

 

• Seize Momentary Opportunities, act on big hands whenever the flop delivers it to you. Many opponents will call you while holding a major pair despite possessing a kicker of no major consequence. Whenever you hold a two pair with a high kicker, immediately bet reasonably big. If you then check, and any of your opponents bet, again raise big or go all in. They will probably fold handing you a good pot, or more characteristically make a call, despite the statistics predicting them to have a one in three winning odds.

 

• Remain Calm, don’t begin panicking if you come up short stacked there will probably be an opportunity to return from the edge. Remain patient while waiting for some really good cards to start coming your way, continue making it as difficult as possible for your opponents to take away your chips.

 

• Frighten off Weaker Bettors, on a regular basis you will have the experience where weaker opponents bet the minimum just prior to the flop in an attempt to steal the pot with a low value bet. If you have a decent hand go ahead and raise; however, if your cards does not constitute anything decent and only make up an average or drawing hand, call. On average, it is unlikely your opponents hold anything of real value that means you will walk away with the pot.

 

• Match Pace with Confidence, cash in on the fast moving turbocharged nature of Sit & Go games, synchronise your own playing speed by continually playing quickly and not too patiently. Top kicker/top pair, flush draws, as well as over-pairs or represent a variety of opportunities where you should go all in or at the very least bet with aggression.

 

• Continually Apply Betting Pressure, persistent betting remains one of the essential tactics in any Sit & Go tournament, if practised consistently it will when you the pot contents on a regular basis. However, refrained from being foolish if one of your opponents re-raise and you don’t have the hand for it, fold. As a rule, post-flop bets varying between approximately 50% and 66% of the pot value represent profitable moves.

 

• Recognise When It’s Time for Cover, Sit & Go matches at times demand you make risky plays on hands you would not consider touching in tournaments. However, if one of your opponent’s raises and you are stuck with just a top pair and a worthless kicker, instantly cut your losses and run for the hills there is always the next hand.

 

• Be a Bully, when you have the benefit of a large chip-stack keep placing continuous pressure on short-stacked opponents. Force them to move all in, raise on your opponents’ blinds, there are certain to make a mistake at some stage.

 

• Keep Control of Your Chip Stack, once blinds starts increasing the size of your chip-stack can fluctuate significantly. It is of utmost importance to be aware of the effects of movement on your chip stack at all times, it is similarly essential to avoid dead heats with any chip leaders, and it is quite desirable to target players with small chip-stacks.