Sit 'N Go strategy-reviews?

[Gelford]

[ QUOTE ]
Darn, i just ordered the book and i'm a beginning player. i only play the 3:40's and the rake is killing me.. i was hoping this book would help me... but i'll read it and see. anyo9ne else concerned about the content?

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Don't sweat it mate, II haven't read it, so we need BenF to comfirm, but if you just stop playing the fancy poker early levels and focus most of your effort on late sng strategy and ICM, you will be just fine and learn lots [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[JackCase]

[ QUOTE ]

If this is true, this is critical in whether I buy this book or not.

I am so tired of hearing SnG strategy, and then learning that it wouldn't work well at my buy in. Then, being told I'm stupid because I should have known to adjust. Adjust? Really? Don't you think I'd like to learn HOW to adjust?


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I have read about 100 pages. As the author states above, he relies heavily on hand analysis in presenting strategy.

There are 23 hands in Part one, and I have read about 30-35 hands in Part 2, with virtual no discussion of buy-in levels. To confirm my own impressions, I just skimmed back through those hands. I saw a buy-in mentioned once, and that was for an equity calculation example, not directly relevant to the strategy discussion.

I am disappointed by what I consider to be a glaring omission in this book. Discussing a SnG hand without knowing the buy-in seems to me to make no more sense than discussing a NL cash hand without knowing the stack sizes. This is so important that mods in the STT forum will lock any thread that does not have the buy-in level stated in the subject line.

I am not a SnG expert, having played only at levels from around $5 up to anything under $30. But even in that range, I have noticed differences in opponent play and what I consider to be correct strategy. I have already seen a couple of hands in this book that I would play differently at different levels even within my range.

[Crazy Porto]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

If this is true, this is critical in whether I buy this book or not.

I am so tired of hearing SnG strategy, and then learning that it wouldn't work well at my buy in. Then, being told I'm stupid because I should have known to adjust. Adjust? Really? Don't you think I'd like to learn HOW to adjust?


[/ QUOTE ]

I have read about 100 pages. As the author states above, he relies heavily on hand analysis in presenting strategy.

There are 23 hands in Part one, and I have read about 30-35 hands in Part 2, with virtual no discussion of buy-in levels. To confirm my own impressions, I just skimmed back through those hands. I saw a buy-in mentioned once, and that was for an equity calculation example, not directly relevant to the strategy discussion.

I am disappointed by what I consider to be a glaring omission in this book. Discussing a SnG hand without knowing the buy-in seems to me to make no more sense than discussing a NL cash hand without knowing the stack sizes. This is so important that mods in the STT forum will lock any thread that does not have the buy-in level stated in the subject line.

I am not a SnG expert, having played only at levels from around $5 up to anything under $30. But even in that range, I have noticed differences in opponent play and what I consider to be correct strategy. I have already seen a couple of hands in this book that I would play differently at different levels even within my range.

[/ QUOTE ]

well i think at the level this book is supposed to help players (20/30/40/50-2000$) it's more about playing and knowing your oppenents insteed of making standard moves against overall bad players (1-11$)

maybe i'm wrong and there is a big difference in gameplay at the high stakes level..
But i think it's more like knowing your opponents sharkscoping them, taking notes and making your call/push ranges on this info.

[Collin Moshman]

Hi Guys,

I would really like to reply, and it looks like I just may have the chance soon [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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July 26, 2007 07:29:00 AM LAUREL MD US Out for delivery
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[CasinoR7]

Does the author have to pay for his own book?

[*TT*]

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Does the author have to pay for his own book?

[/ QUOTE ]

2+2's audience is so loyal and demanding that they send the books out to pre-orders first the very same day the books come in from the printer. You have to understand how rare this is in the book industry, for example my advanced copy of Read'em & Reep was given to me to review 4-5 months before the book came out. Mason should be praised for this strategy, its a minor inconvenience for the author but a major convenience for the book's fans.

[bustedromo]

SnG's (on FTP at least) are not what they used to be. There's lots of tricky players hanging out even at some of the low levels. Maybe not the $1,$2, but quite often in the tokens games $4,$6,$8,$11. And in the $20+ cash and $24 token typically you find at least one good player. The $69 token games should be taken very seriously.

I think on FTP there's quite a few good tourney players who use the low-limit token SnG's to satellite in.

I'm not sure how much benefit there would to have a beginner SnG book, at least for FTP. These days you have to know a lot of poker just to have a chance at SnGs at all.

I'd even say that even the STT forum hasn't really figured this out yet, not completely. It's just not like it used to be (once again, I'm talking FTP only, since I only play there).

[scorer]

fwiw, i know someone who hired collin for 3 hrs of coaching for sng's and he told me that collin was very helpfull and definately worthwhile as a coach. He already has increased his roi and made some key points to his play that has helped him alot. I'm not a sng player myself but i think this speaks volumes for collin and his knmowledge.

[suzzer99]

scorer, what buyin was that person playing?

[Collin Moshman]

Hi Guys,

I have the book now.

While I will be receiving some author's copies, I went ahead and had the book overnighted. I appreciate *TT*'s point that 2+2 really looks out for their readers, and I strongly agree with the decision to prioritize distribution so that the loyal readers have to wait as little time as possible before receiving. If that means I have to wait a little longer before receiving my own copy, so be it.

Anyway, there seems to be some issue with buyin strategy specifications. To quote JackCase:

[ QUOTE ]
There are 23 hands in Part one, and I have read about 30-35 hands in Part 2, with virtual no discussion of buy-in levels...

I am disappointed by what I consider to be a glaring omission in this book. Discussing a SnG hand without knowing the buy-in seems to me to make no more sense than discussing a NL cash hand without knowing the stack sizes.

[/ QUOTE ]

However, it is not buyin per se that requires strategy modifications -- rather it is the type of players one is encountering. The reason lower buyins often require a different approach is not because you're only paying $5 or $10 to enter, but because you tend to face more players with a weak, loose-passive style, or maniacs willing to open-shove T T during low blinds, etc.

At the same time, this type of opposition is not guaranteed, and as bustedromo points out, you can certainly find tight-aggressive or trickier players at the lower stakes.

Flip all this around for the higher stakes, where there are more rocks, solid aggressive regulars ... but there can also be plenty of weak players as well.

So rather than cite a particular buy-in, I usually cite the player category or game conditions instead. That way, regardless of the players showing up at your particular buyin, you can adjust.

Let me give a couple of examples.

In Hand 1-1, you might argue that calling with your queens is correct in a $5 buyin. OK, possibly -- but how often do you know by Level I that the player one to your left is tight-aggressive in a $5? Pretty rarely, and if you did, then the advice for that hand would still apply. Similarly with the Hand 3-20 Villain -- the perceptive player will usually be found in higher stakes, and the weak player, lower stakes. But not necessarily, and you still need to be able to adjust if you find these opponents at unexpected stakes.

Similarly, on p. 35, you might say conditions 2 and 3 for Late Position low-blind Value hands are rare in low buyins. But they certainly can apply, so rather than write: "In higher stakes ($100+), you can play this category of hands," I write the more general statement: If the following conditions apply, then you can play Late Position Value Hands. Sure there will be more opportunities in the higher buyins when everyone's folded to you in late position during low blinds and you think your remaining opponents are likely to fold. But this can happen in lower buyins too, (or fail to apply in higher buyins), so I give the general conditions rather than throw out approximations as to what stakes these situations are most likely to arise in.

That said, there are certainly general strategy modifications based on buyin knowledge alone. In Part I, for instance, look at Hand 1-7, Hand 1-14, the section on playable hands during low blinds, etc.

In summary, it is your opponents' styles that require strategy modifications, regardless of whether these players are buying in for $5 or $500 -- and the strategy and hand examples in the book are designed to give you the flexibility to adjust your strategy to succeed, so that you'll be prepared even if you encounter unexpected opposition at a particular buyin.

Best Regards,
Collin