5K post: SNG book fragment.

[ChrisV]

So my first post on 2+2, well over three years ago, was in STTF and that was where I hung out for a long time. I figure my 5K post should be some kind of gift to STTF. But first some advice:

STOP PLAYING SNGs.

Fair enough if you enjoy them more, I guess, but it honestly pains me to see medium to large stakes players, or players who are trying to improve as a player, still trying to eke out an existence in the desert of the over-raked and basically solved game of SNGs, while those of us who made the jump are lazing around in the fertile fields of cash NL. Having played cash NL for a year now, I returned to SNGs to play the PCA steps on PokerStars and hated it. There is little to no opportunity to outplay your opponents and zero opportunity for creativity. When I played SNGs I used to say that I enjoyed the different strategy that was required during different phases of the tournament. At cash that is replaced by different strategies for different opponents, something much diminished in SNGs which often play out as a complicated form of solitaire.

So I was going to write a guide to moving to cash, but a little way into it I discovered it was too much like hard work. Then I remembered that I had started writing a book on SNGs some months ago. I wrote 7,500 words towards it, but there's no point finishing it now since Moshman's book was published by 2+2.

So for all you SNGers who can't bear to give it up for cash, I've put the text online. It's here. There are some concepts in there that I think are new, or perhaps haven't been expressed in that way before. Topics covered include ICM, early game play, late game play and the stop and go. Questions/comments should go in this thread - I won't be reading comments on the blog. Hopefully someone learns something so I won't have completely wasted the time I spent spewing out 7500 words [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Edit: For experienced SNGers who don't want to read through a rehash of basic ICM stuff, the main stuff that might be new and/or interesting is in the "Limitations of the ICM - Manipulating Blind Equity Loss" section. The "Stop and go" section might be worth a read, too, as it lays out the criteria for a successful stop and go pretty clearly.

[Niggel]

This is great! Thanks alot [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[IFoldPktOnes]

Congrats on 5k. Thanks for sharing what you wrote, I wish I had have read something like that 12 months ago. Very clearly written, I liked how you quantified and explained "blind equity loss" in such a simple way.

[ChrisV]

I just reread what I wrote for the first time in months and there's a big mistake in it. Gold star to the first person to spot it :P

Edit: Actually nm, the Chris of 6 months ago was correct. I have apparently become less smart in the meantime.

[TheActionKid]

Congrats on the 5k man. I still think sit n gos are pretty profitable and know several people who only play sngs for a living. They are definately not what they were in the golden age of poker back on party poker but you can still make a living playing them. The cash games are definately more lucrative tho.

-TheActionKid

[GoodFriend19]

SnG > Cash anyway *_*

[Jbrochu]

Don't anybdy listen to Chris. NL cash games suck, nothing to see there... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Seriously, congrats on 5,000 posts and thanks for your contributions over the years. Your posts have always been excellent and you have a way of explaining the maths so even an older dude like me can "get it."

[AMT]

Chris,

congrats on 5k. I've learned a lot from what posts I've read of yours on this forum.

I think a lot of the reason that people continue to play SNGs goes beyond simple profitability potential. As stated in many threads and situations, factors such as comfort zone, the interest in changing tournament situations, heavy multi tabling for consistent profit, are just some of the things that people still enjoy playing SNGs for. That and no one knows how to play them.

Personally, I continue to play SNGs because I thoroughly enjoy all forms of poker, just as I also work MTTs and cash games into my regiment as consistently as time/volume allow me to. I truly believe continuing to play and study all games makes me a more thorough and complete player. To each his own though I guess. Thanks for the book excerpt.

[BHokie1]

If everybody moves to cash I'm going back to SnGs, and reading your book excerpt.

Congrats on the 5k, and thanks for all the advice you've given in those 5k posts over the years.

[rakemeplz]

Wow, thanks and bump. This is a tremendous gift.