Trying out NL SNG after a long hiatus

[Cookie Monster]

After a 3 year break from poker (small stakes limit) in which I was fairly successful thanks to this forum I am trying out NL SNG tourneys. Only play money right now while I get the hang of it. I find it pretty easy to make it into the money almost every time but have not yet figured out the short handed, high blind end phase yet. Case and point with the following hand.

Both my opponents were calling down what seemed like every hand. I meant to go all in after the flop but misentered my bet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Poker Stars, 10 NL Hold'em Tournament, 100/200 Blinds, 3 Players
LegoPoker Hand History Converter

SB: 6,493
BB: 3,783
Hero (BTN): 4,724

Pre-Flop: (375) 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] dealt to Hero (BTN)
<font color="red">Hero raises to 400</font>, SB calls 300, BB calls 200

Flop: (1,275) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (3 Players)
SB checks, BB checks, <font color="red">Hero bets 3,000</font>, SB folds, <font color="red">BB raises to 3,358 and is All-In</font>, Hero calls 358

[Ruy Lopez]

First, I would recommend Sit 'n Go Strategy by Collin Moshman available here from 2+2. He outlines a tight early strategy followed by blind stealing aggression and correct ICM shove/calling in the late stages. Next, just keep playing, studying, and posting hands and your game will improve.

In the hand above I would raise to 600 pre and bet ~pot on the flop (make the flush draw pay, etc.). You still have &gt;20 BB so you're not quite to high blind push/fold yet. Play some poker. I think a shove here only gets called by better hands, whilst slowing down can get some value out of your hand. Don't worry if you lost this one hand, over time you'll be ahead here. Just fire up another...

[Nairb]

In addition to Collins book I would recommend reading Harringtons second book. It deals primarily with making moves, short table decisions, and heads up play with sample hands and street by street explanations.

As for the hand I would have pushed pre-flop on the button. It appears like you are stealing and if called you will be ahead unless a bigger pair calls, very very unlikely 3 handed. Not sure I would try a stop and go 3 handed as much as at a fuller table. I have found once you are ITM in lower level SNG's people will call a push post flop with any piece of it where they may fold to the pF push.

[Nsight7]

Also, play money doesn't at all emulate real money, even at the lowest level. Thus I suggest you not spend too much time trying to re-learn playing play money NL Hold 'Em SnGs because doing so would be effectively useless.

[PVR]

They have very low stakes SNGs on Ipoker and Microgaming which are much better for practice than play money.(If you're not in U.S)