Single Table (9-Handed) Sit and Go Strategy

Nine-handed sit and gos are somewhat of a dying art, but they still run non-stop. While you won’t find 20 games filling up in a split second, you still need to know what you are doing if you want to be able to win. One of the reasons that single table SNGs have been dying out is because too many players realized that they are easy to beat.

With that in mind, you still can achieve profitability in full table sit and gos. The general strategy in these games is very simple to learn and apply. The most basic ABC play can often earn you a net gain, especially if you are playing in small or micro stakes games. The primary flaw with playing full ring sit and gos is that you will not be able to get volume in. Heads up games exchange high ROI for low volume, while full ring sit and gos have both low volume and low ROI.

You are going to be forced to play a ton of tables at once if you want to earn a respectable amount of money in the full ring games. Even if you get a lot of tables running, though, you are going to be facing a lot of other challenges. These are all warnings that should be adhered to if you want to play full ring sit and gos. Is there money to be made? Yes, absolutely, but it is going to be earned a little bit at a time. Don’t expect a windfall of cash or even super steady earnings in the full ring arena, whether you are playing cash games or sit and gos.

With all of the downfalls that accompany full ring sit and gos, you might think they aren’t worth your time and effort at all. The truth is, though, that many of the biggest winners in the world first started off with these very games. You can learn an awful lot about the basic dynamics of the game through a full ring setting.

There isn’t going to be a lot of fancy play, but there is no need for fancy play if you are working on developing a sound skill set. Full ring sit and gos are the perfect match for players who are either new to the game or for players who want to round out and perfect their skills. Full ring play is very passive by nature, so you won’t exactly be prepping for high stakes heads up cash games, but these tables can be a gateway to short handed games. When it comes to building a foundation for your poker career, full ring SNGs will be very useful.

Basic Strategy

The most basic strategies in full ring sit and gos will involve a few primary factors. First, be very selective with your pre flop hands. Don’t try to play any speculative hands that will need to hit the flop hard in order to win a big pot.

The problem with playing random suited connectors and similar hands is that you will be left in the dark whenever you brick. The value in suited hands largely comes from opportunities to make plays post flop. You just won’t have too many chances to c-bet or float your opponents in full ring games because the other players will be sitting around waiting for big hands. Focus on the hands that most easily improve themselves and you have won half the battle.

Extract Value

If you are playing stronger hands, and more importantly, making hands, you are on your way to profitability. The next step is to actually make money from the hands that you are hitting. There is no use in a full house if you are only able to earn a few big blinds. In single table sit and gos, extracting value is the key to success. Make big bets when you have strong hands, give up when you have weak hands, and practice c-betting and stealing pots in moderation.

Unless your SNG has already dwindled down to a few players, you will be able to make plenty of money with your big made hands. Fancy plays might pay off every once in awhile, but they will do a lot more harm than good in SNGs. If you had to sum up single table SNG strategy in a nutshell; don’t make anything more complicated than it needs to be.