SNG Strategy - 10 Early Game Tells

De CidesaWiki

1-table tournaments are hugely popular online, and incorporate some significant strategy adjustments when compared to a standard poker money game. With the later stages, and particularly the 'bubble' (when only 1 more player must bust prior to the paying places) so important, it is key that you predict how different players will react during this stage of the overall game.

Below is a list of 10 vital things to look out for during the early stages, when chips are plentiful and the pressure low - along with what these signs can tell you about a particular players late game capsa susun and bubble strategy.

- Early Game: Take note of any hands which players call raises with, this is a huge clue as to the kind of hand they will arrive with afterwards at the bubble.

- Check-Raises: Look for check-raisers, some players use this almost always when out of position and others check and then fold. Exploiting a serial check-raiser is very easy, you get to take free cards in some situations and these players will frequently help you create a big pot too! Check-raisers are used to playing backwards, so expect more late game bluffs too.

- Unusual Bet Sizes Early / Mid Game: Note players who make 4x or bigger open raises, this is the mark of an inexperienced on line player or can be a hint that they have a hand they don't really want to visit a flop with, such as a mid-pair. Inexperienced opponents tend to call 'light' at the bubble.

- Open Limpers: Again, inexperience often leads to a lot of limping in to the pot. These players are unlikely to be adhering to a tight-early / push late strategy and can make classic bubble errors. Watch for players who often raise then suddenly limp-in, this is often a big hand.

- Super-Tight Players: Make a note of people who play extremely little hands for the first few levels, they can easily be good players using a 'Pushbot' type of strategy.

- Shows: Each time a player gets a walk in the big blind and shows his trash hand, bets and then shows a bluff or shows a strong hand after everybody folds the turn - you should absolutely make a note. Again there exists a high likelihood that this player is inexperienced, especially showing rags in the blind and revealing bluffs. Experienced grinders realize that SNGs are too short for such non-sense and have seen enough of pokers variations that they do not need to show you their cards.

- Bluffing Dry Side Pots: Most players in SNGs will check a hand down whenever a player is all-in. Those that bet when there is no second pot to win (only the one that the all-in player can win) and then show a weak holding are usually inexperienced... provisionally assign them the 'Push too tight, call too light' bubble ranges.

- Bubble Calls, Hopefully this one is obvious, when you see a call at the bubble which looks 'light' immediately have a note that can help you put this player on a better selection of hands the next occasion around.

- Bubble Raise / Folds: When you see a player with 12 blinds or less raise 3x after which fold to a re-raise you can be pretty certain they cannot understand the facts of prize-pool equity (based on the very fact that they don't really understand pot-odds! ).

- Push-Bots: This term refers to players who are pushing all-in at nearly every opportunity, frequently good players! You can assign these types a massive range, however, you know you still cannot call with out a premium hand, right!