Single table poker tournaments – commonly known as Sit and Gos – are an exceptionally popular format of poker tournament, as they replicate the final table environment of a multi table poker tournament without having to play for the many hours it would usually take to reach such lofty heights.
Furthermore, the most popular Sit and Go tournaments pay the top three places when nine players are involved, which equates to 33% of the field – double that offered by the multi table poker tournament standard of 15% – and like multi table poker tournaments, your strategy for winning should be broken down into the three stages of play – Early, Middle and Late.
Early Stages
The early stage of a Sit ‘n’ Go tournament should be played exceptionally tight. There may be a maniac or two on the table who wants to try to get a commanding chip advantage early on – well, let them do it. At this stage of the game, the blinds are low and you can afford to play just your strongest hands whilst noting the playing styles of those you will be battling against in the middle and late stages.
Let the maniacs and any loose passive players eliminate each other and avoid going all-in unless you have the nuts. As tempting as it may be to double your chip stack in the early stages of a Sit ´n´ Go tournament, being the chip leader at this stage counts for very little, and the only thing that is guaranteed when you go all-in is that if you come second – you are out!
Middle Stages
Once there are only 5 players remaining, it is time to turn up your aggression and reduce your opening hand criteria. The blinds will be starting to eat away at the stacks, so you may no longer be able to play the role of observer and occasional participant. Most of the fish will have been eliminated, so it should be safer to bluff the table using the ultra-tight image you have constructed during the early stages of the game.
Attack any short-stacked players who have tightened up and who are trying to creep into the money and remember that the table is now short-handed, so premium opening hands will not be so prevalent. Your aim during the middle stages of a Sit and Go tournament is to build your chip stage up to the point where, even if you are not chip leader going into the Final Stage, you are in a good position to turn the aggression up even more.
Late Stages
The late stage of a Sit and Go tournament should be the place where you vary your style of play with every hand. As you are down to just three players, it will be easy for both of the other two players to get a fix on you, and read how you are playing your cards if you are too consistent.
You will need to raise the aggression once again and get involved with the most marginal hands pre-flop and hope to connect with the board cards as economically as possible. With a little good fortune, you should be able to catch one or two good hands and give the impression that you are not trying to steal the blinds with any hand. This, in turn, will make your opponents more cautious of your pre-flop raises and allow you to steal the ever increasing blinds more frequently.
The benefit of playing almost recklessly during the later stage of a Sit and Go poker tournament is that it will make you unreadable to your opponents and enable you to finish in the top position more often than if you were playing your tight aggressive poker of the early and middle stages.
Many hands in three way tables and in the Heads Up are no more than a coin flip. If your opponents sees you raising the pot in almost every hand (it is best not to do it with every hand), they will fold all but their very best cards, allowing you to know when to fold yourself.