Sit and Go Certified Poker Blog

Is JCPenny Dumb or Dumber?

2011-02-14T20:09:00.001-08:00

So JCPenny is denying any knowledge of what was going on because their firm was supposedly responsible for the Black Hat SEO tactics. To me that either makes you Dumb for knowing about it and letting it happen, or even Dumber for denying knowing about it, while your search results were obviously skyrocketing during the Holidays.

You would think someone at JCPenny would say, hey, why the heck are we selling out of carpets nationwide?

I think I would rather be accused of a being a Black-hatter and then acknowledging the error, rather than being part of a management team that has no idea what is going on with their sales numbers and why.

in reference to: JCPenney Gets Caught Gaming Google | WebProNews (view on Google Sidewiki)

Stop and Go Poker Strategy

2011-01-26T12:34:00.001-08:00

I like Jon's point here about opponent calling preflop, but I am not so sue about good players calling as top and play if they completely miss. It is still a difficult decision.

here is my take on it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwIOWOM4ON0

in reference to: Online Poker at Full Tilt Poker - Poker Tips: Tips From the Pros: 24th January 2011 (view on Google Sidewiki)

Your MZone Poker Strategy Videos

2010-12-02T14:52:00.001-08:00

I particularly like your videos because they bring into focus so many things that I know are true. This video was no exception. Having experimented with a various strategies for early tournament play I have settled on a tight strategy. Your video not only supports my own thinking but it also clarifies the reasoning for me. For example, you list the reasons for your early flop play then you back them up with examples.

I also listen closely to your videos because you intersperse so many tidbits of information, some humorous, within the general narrative. In one of the early videos you quipped something like "okay, enough drama" when referring to a player that taking an extraordinarily long time to fold. In the this video, I noticed your KQo fold under the gun which is not a play that I had been making. However, it is a good play, and I will be making it more from now on.

Stephen

in reference to: MZoneReport.com | The Poker Tournament Strategy | Free Video Series (view on Google Sidewiki)

Video Testimonial

2010-09-17T07:06:00.001-07:00

Hello Marty,
I just wanted to let you know about my experience with your strategy videos and, the 3 pack .I got your 3 pack yesterday and today I played 4 9player sit & go's on Pokerstars. I won 2 of them and placed in another despite making a few mistakes, I just didnt give up and used some of the methods that you were using.You can look it up on pokerstars.

in reference to: Poker Sit and Go Report | Online Sit and Go Poker Strategies | Free Sit and Go Videos (view on Google Sidewiki)

Poker mistakes and the real cost of being dumb.

2010-09-10T21:17:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the site. I hope you enjoy watching these bizarre poker videos of hopelessly dumb poker players, seemingly out to spew their money online.

But seriously folks, you can learn form really bad players too, and that is what this website is about. Don't forget to download my free ebook "The Top Ten Mistakes in Online Poker".

in reference to: BlockheadPoker.com | Online Poker Video Tutorials (view on Google Sidewiki)

Poker Tournament Strategy Videos

2010-06-20T19:22:00.001-07:00

Marty,

Your videos are wonderful. I have read harrington on holdem, and it is great work you are doing to help elaborate on the Mzones. I admit i started out a huge loosing player, but I did hit 3rd place in the $5 rebuy for almost two thousand. Your videos have helped me improve that much. I just wish there was a faster way of recieving the videos. Thank you for all your help.

in reference to: MZoneReport.com | The Poker Tournament Strategy | Free Video Series (view on Google Sidewiki)

Marty, You are my new best friend!!

2010-02-04T09:33:00.001-08:00

I was in a situation with pocket queens big blind. The guy on my left who was very tight (as noted on my wonderful tournament indicator) pushed all in, and the fellow on my right called. The donkey in me wanted so much to push back, but thanks to you and your common sense approach to the game, and the wonderful tutorials you so generously offer... it was an easy fold. Turns out, that would have been the end of me for that game had I pushed all in. So I said "thank you Marty!"

I receive all sorts of video tutorials from you. I still don't know how many different sites your name is on. I think the one video about taking care of my bankroll really hit home the most for me and came at a very timely moment. I signed on to Titan poker to get TI (which I now own after 900 hands). Reloading was just part of learning the game I thought...That was pre Marty Smith. There are many times now when I think more about placing in the money and the importance of guarding my bankroll as my primary concern when making decisions. After nearly 1000 flops where I have vp$ip, Titan poker is the only site that I am still playing with my original deposit. That's a huge step for me. You have taught me so much about the game. I was lucky enough to catch you on Full Tilt the other night. You were short stacked with 700 chips. I thought what a great opportunity for me to watch how you work with a short stack. There were two fellows to the right of you that had some 6,000 plus and 4,000 plus chips. Anyways to make a short story long, I watched you grow to chip leader with over 13,000 chips at the final table. You managed a second place finish in a very long and volatile fight when it came down to the last four people.

Marty, I could go on and on. I am stunned at how much time you dedicate to helping me play a better game. And when I say "me" I mean all the "me's" out there. I sincerely thank you and eagerly look forward to watching more of you and from you in the future.

Iain.

P.S. After taking in all the fee videos you send out, I decided to put a few loonies in your pocket and bought your three pack of videos.. Thought it only right, and besides I was sure they would be packed with all sorts of common sense "Martyisims"

P.P.S. I live in the GTA and frequent Toronto. If a guy ever comes up to you and gives you a big non gay man hug... "not that there's anything wrong with that".... ... well that will be me,

in reference to: MZoneReport.com | The Poker Tournament Strategy | Free Video Series (view on Google Sidewiki)

Poker Tournament Results

2010-01-06T21:30:00.001-08:00

Marty,
Thanks so much for the videos thus far. They've been very helpful, and I'm already seeing improvement in my results. In the last 3 days I've grown my bankroll on one site from $35 to $170. Im looking forward to seeing the rest of the videos and your strategy behind hand selection and whatever other tidbits you have to offer. Thanks...

Mike

in reference to: MZoneReport.com | The Poker Tournament Strategy | Free Video Series (view on Google Sidewiki)

Is this a Bankroll Management mistake?

2009-12-22T15:38:00.001-08:00

Clearly, there are few if ANY players who have $100 million to bankroll their game, then these nosebleed limits are all being challenged by players who are playing way beyond their bankroll.

If you can put $4 million on the poker table in a few hours work, and then be crushed after losing it, well you were simply "going for it" then.

Even Phil Gordon cornered Brian Hastings in the ESPN interview asking why he was playing way over his bankroll. Hastings says he has enough edge, which is probably true about his game but is still a HUGE bankroll mistake.

If Isildur1 has a beef against Brian Hastings about how the losses occurred that's one thing, but to keep playing after taking such a pounding is clearly a rookie's mistake.

There is a valuable bankroll video included in my free poker strategy video series.

in reference to: PokerNews Exclusive: Isildur1 Speaks About his $4 Million Loss to Brian Hastings | PokerNews (view on Google Sidewiki)

Uncool Poker marketing.

2009-12-01T11:42:00.001-08:00

There is no way to see opponent's cards online. This video is intentionally misleading the viewer. If you have to mislead the viewer into getting them to buy your product, then your product is clearly worthless.

There is a way to win at online poke but it takes training, discipline, and bankroll management. If you want to know how to be good at these skills you can get my FREE poker training videos at http://www.mzonereport.com

in reference to: Cheat at Online Poker | Online Poker Cheat Software | Texas Holdem Cheats (view on Google Sidewiki)

Poker Strategy Videos

2009-11-28T12:58:00.001-08:00

Hey, Marty.

I'm just writing to let you know how much I enjoy watching your videos. The information you provide has changed the way I play online poker, which in turn has helped me improve my game. So thank you, and keep them coming. You're doing a bang-up job.

Regards
Charles.

in reference to: Marty Smith (Turtleknife) on Twitter (view on Google Sidewiki)

Poker Tournament Strategy Videos

2009-11-25T23:14:00.001-08:00

Marty,
Really liked the video, all the videos, it's all good food for thought! Loving the TI as well! Great product! Especially like the new 3Bet,
Steal and CBet percentages! Great job, keep up the good work!!
PkHrGd

in reference to: MZoneReport.com | The Poker Tournament Strategy | Free Video Series (view on Google Sidewiki)

Real poker writers in short supply.

2009-10-12T18:45:00.001-07:00

Randy I completely agree with this as I have seen the volumes of crap articles on ezinearticles claiming to be valuable poker content. Most of these writers are just hired by 3rd parties and must then do some quick research or rewriting to spin out some rather useless content.

http://www.PLRPoker.com is my site where I sell PLR poker content for this very reason. To fill the gap of lack of quality poker content for sale to other webmasters.

in reference to: Poker Writing Jobs (view on Google Sidewiki)

Free Poker Videos

2009-10-06T14:47:00.001-07:00

Hi Marty,

I'm enjoying your video series very much, thanks. I'm just a beginner and have been playing .01/.02 ring games on PokerStars and making all the mistakes beginners do (e.g., like not realizing when my Aces have been cracked).

I hadn't thought about playing tournaments before but your video series has got me very interested in the idea.

Thanks for the videos and keep up the good work!

Cheers,
Phillip Monk

Sign up for the free poker videos here:
http://www.MZoneReport.com

in reference to: PokerCalculatorReport.com | Poker Odds Calculators and Software Reviews (view on Google Sidewiki)

Poker Stars

2009-10-04T07:37:00.001-07:00

"G'day Marty,

I'm not sure if you actually monitor this email box, but I'd just like to thank you for the videos that you're sending out. I really have noticed an improvement in my game, and am starting to find myself finishing ITM a lot more often... anything is a lot more often than zero though, so there's always room for improvement!

Oh and I found the bankroll video really useful... I don't think enough emphasis can be put on self-discipline in this game!

I might even email you my Pokerstars name in a month to hopefully show some kind of steady improvement... not right now though because it's pretty terrible ;-)

Keep up the good work, and best of luck on the tables!"

Ryan

in reference to: Sit and Go Certified | Advanced SitnGo Strategies and Theories (view on Google Sidewiki)

Poker tournament strategy videos

2009-10-04T07:36:00.001-07:00

Hey Marty.

Thanks alot for sharing your videos. Im really learning alot and progressing in my tournament plays, but ofcourse, i mostly end up getting outlucked when dominating donkeys going all in. I guess you have had your share of that as well.
But hey, what i wanted to say was that it is really hard watching the movies you upload by using Google Video. The resolution is so low and "corny", its actually really hard to see what cards are on your hand and what's on the board. To be honost, im only listening to your voicetrack while watching the Google Videos.

But again, great movies! But if you could use some other Media player, like you've done in a couple of the MTT5 videos, it would be even better.

Im sorry if this is the wrong place to send you comments, but i didnt see any comment options at the website i was watching. If your going to make a forum or some kind of community, i would like to be a part of that. Im currently only playing on Full Tilt Poker.

Cheers!
-Jon M Sk----s

in reference to: MZoneReport.com | The Poker Tournament Strategy | Free Video Series (view on Google Sidewiki)

Thanks for the Poker eBook, Marty

2009-10-04T06:40:00.001-07:00

"Hello Marty. I just wanted you to know that my winning luck has really changed since you started corresponding with me. Moreover, tonight, I won the largest amount of money ever. I am still a novice with your system and still don't understand a lot. However, I won't enter play without following your guidance. Just wanted you to know."

Thanks, Brian

in reference to: Sit and Go Certified | Advanced SitnGo Strategies and Theories (view on Google Sidewiki)

Your strategy video is here

2009-10-03T10:57:00.001-07:00

Hi Marty,

I'm really enjoying your video series. Right now you're sending them out every other day - every day would be nice.

How to win at low buy in tournaments is exactly what I'm training for. I like to play as a hobby but it would also be nice to bring in some extra money each month. I don't intend to become a 'professional' but having a hobby that supports itself sure would be nice!

I've finished the book by Harrington, viewing your video series, and purchased Tournament Indicator. I'm really looking forward to seeing your games and how you approach the different parts of the tournaments.

Thanks so much for doing this and best of luck at the tables.
Michael

in reference to: Sit and Go Certified | Advanced SitnGo Strategies and Theories (view on Google Sidewiki)

Free Poker strategy videos

2009-10-03T10:56:00.001-07:00

"Hey Marty,
you requested some feedback and so I'm giving it.Im receiving your sitandgo report videos and also
your mzone report.They're definetly a help,thyanks alot for them.Im very much a newby having only
played my very first game of poker ever 3 weeks ago.I'm playing low buy in tournements Im winning very
few but I'm in the money for 40%,I get to the last 3 (out 0f 9 players usually) about 75% of the time.
Thanks to your videos I can see where I'm going wrong most of the time which I'm working on,
I'm looking forward to the rest of your videos and I'll keep you posted on my imrovments,
Keep up the good work,
Paul."

in reference to: Poker Sit and Go Report | Online Sit and Go Poker Strategies | Free Sit and Go Videos (view on Google Sidewiki)

Patience pays for MZone Video 4

2009-10-03T10:52:00.001-07:00

"i like your presentations in that they explain things in a rather mercurial
manner. one thing i would like to see, is a few more full s-n-g's done from
start to finsish. as a novice at the game though i find your lessons most
valuable, but the one lesson that goes from start to finsih was realy
helpful. as well a little advice on your opinion of why some of the pro's
succeed with oddball hands. it seems to me that anyone under the age of 40
thinks 8-9 suited is a big hand. am i missing something? and yes i saw your
bit on not trying to think or play like a pro.

in getting into online poker i made a deal not to use any money of my own.
however the chris ferguson 10,000 challenge is a lot easier if you
are....well... chris ferguson. to date i have amassed a fortune of $2.00 in
free rolls. and playing in free rolls is a lot like driving on the 401 at
about 5pm. everyone is going everywhere, and there is no predicability.
getting moved constantly means you do not get a real feel for whomever you
are playing,

i tried the indicator on the free trial, but i think i had two problems with
it. i tended to rely on it too much, and did not understand how to use it to
it's fullest capapbities, a bad combination.

and on another note, the video you put up on you tube about playing pocket
jacks is just about as funny as anything i have ever seen."

keep up the good work.

geoff.

in reference to: MZoneReport.com | The Poker Tournament Strategy | Free Video Series (view on Google Sidewiki)

What do you think of Colin Moshman’s book?

2009-06-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

I’ve recently re-read Colin Moshman’s book, Sit 'n Go Strategy (I got me the Paperback edition) and I was reminded how much this little thing helped up my SnG game. Although maybe not the definitive book on Sit N Go, HoH credibly has a case for that, but remains a tossup maybe, Colin’s book covers everything one needs to know when going through basic through intermediate-level SNG play.

I like how Sit 'n Go Strategy is logically divided into progressively more advanced sections, from Low Blind Play, Medium Blind Play, and High Blind Play, and then there’s the chapter on Sit `N Go Career Play. It’s like it’s sucking you in teasing with concepts for each level that makes you want to go and play the level to try out the theories and the examples.

Once I got the book from the store, I tried out the playing using the things Colin illustrated on Low blind play on the micros, and I found I was winning about 3 out of every 6 games – 50% is not bad, not bad at all. That was on small $.50, $1.00 & $2.00 games SnG's. Half a day into reading it and playing with it, it already covered for itself on the price, petrol, and the burger I bought on the way home.

My take is that if anyone is serious about playing SnGs, then this book should be on your bed stand, under your pillow, on your coffee table, in your bag – basically just keep it with your until you are able to master the concepts it has outlined.

Of course, there are other great SnG and other poker books available, like Phil Hellmuth's Texas Holdem and Idiots Guide to Texas Holdem which you should read, but for SnG, if you are already into poker, it’s a great read. It’s a very good book for beginners and has some great content for advanced players too. If you plan on moving to SnGs, then read this first, you won’t be disappointed.

I was already quite deep into SnGs when I first read it and some of the things there I was already doing, but as I read on. Things got more and more interesting and dare I say, valuable. The middle blind play and high blinds play sections were to me the most compelling and where I got the most out of the book.

It’s true that experience is the best teacher in poker, and some would argue that using the price of buying the book could be spent for a buy-in already, to get hands on experience. But it’s been the experience of a lot of playing that reading this book pays off more that what you shell out.

The setmining dilemma in Sit and Go Tournaments

2009-06-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

I read that set mining can be really profitable for sngs, but right now, I really don’t think that it is feasible beyond a certain point, or beyond a certain level, or for certain situations. I think that set mining is a good thing to add to the arsenal but might be really a limited weapon you should or can use.

I don’t have any hard and fast rules about when to do set mining, but I do follow some personal guidelines when playing sit and go tournaments. If I get to see the flop free, I sometimes check behind other players. I won’t do set mining if I don’t have at least 40 to 50BB. If I’m under 40BB’s I tend to not do set mining unless it’s the best move. I also choose to set mine more in the micros or in the lower stakes as the potential for losing BR is lower – more psychological as I feel micros are not that big a deal to lose, at least not for a very long downswing, which can add up.

I think that it is horrible to call a raise just to set mine, that’s where I usually draw the line. It might not be horrible during the first 2 levels. Also, if I’m short stacked and I get pocket pairs, I’m shoving. No point in set mining if you have only a handful of BBs left. You’d essentially just be slowly pissing it away.

I don’t know the actual poker math and odds behind it but I know that the odds of hitting a set is somewhere between 7 and 8 percent. Since we hit it one in every seven or eight only, it’s not profitable to put more than maybe 10% of your stack just to set mine. Better to play than set mine.

I think I would be willing to set mine if I think my opponent has a high pocket pair, but makes min bet to entice other players. It’s a good chance people would push their unimproved AK, Ax very hard even if they don’t improve their hand post flop. If I hit my set here at the flop, even low sets can bet a PP A kicker.

Basically, you just have to temper it. Of course, if you get pocket pairs, even low ones, there’s enough of a chance there that set mining for a fair amount of small pairs can be a profitable enterprise. If you fold all of your small pocket pairs 100% of the time, then you’re losing out on potential earnings. The key is knowing the instances when to set-mine.

Sit and Go ICM Analysis.

2009-03-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

http://www.feltpoker.com/hand-history-replayer/Replayer/1533

Yeah, hand 28 I mentioned I must have been tilting a little after the KQs hand. Should have shoved there for sure.

Hand 35 is a little funky. With my stack and the blinds, my M was orange (8 ). The fold was kinda weird with 7:1 pot odds. My decision to fold was based on three factors other than pot odds (which were huge)

The first was read. I raised UTG and yet I am being min raised by the button. He is practically begging for a call, so mostly that is going to be a very big hand.

The second is playability. The button has taken the lead and unless I feel like going all in with A6, then he will have the lead and position. I am never going to know where I stand with A6 unless I flop ridiculously huge. I am getting close to correct odds to try for a huge flop, but I do have to consider the next issue....

The third reason is equity. If I fold now, I have 18882 chips which can do some pretty serious damage to every stack at the table. If I call and then fold a flop (by far the most likely event) I will have 1200 chips. That leaves me as one of the short stacks. and it leaves me in a position where I can be bullied a lot more. The overriding factor here is the limited number of total chips in play, compared to an MTT. Losing 400 chips means a lot in a SNG because it represents a much higher proportion of total chips in play.

This is reflected in sit and go ICM analysis. ICM really doesn't apply much in MTTs, however in SNGs, the chips you currently have are worth more than the chips you hope to win. So I don't know what the ICM adjusted post odds would be, but they are way less than 7:1

I again go back to Harrington that poker is about finding the best balance between all factors. Pot odds was a compelling factor to call that raise. However on balance with all other factors, I decided it was not enough.

Hand 40 is probably just my weird way of appraising hand strength. Ace rag UTG at a 5 handed table is a pretty crap hand. I have to get through 4 players. The more players I have to get through the more chance one of them has an Ace, in which case I am dominated. I would much rather be shoving 56s UTG or A5o from the button. As mentioned above, I also wanted to give UTG+1 a chance to shove into one of the big stacks and hang himself with a hand he would not have called a shove with

A7s was a similar situation, although this is much more questionable in my mind. Primarily it was stack sizes and position which prompted me to fold.

One of the things I try to keep in mind on the bubble is "don't bubble and don't do anything to prevent someone else from bubbling".

Here I would have been shoving into the big stack's blind which is not that much fun. Secondly, if I fold, then perhaps the short stack will shove his button into the big stack BB. If I shove then alot of his marginal hands that he would himself shove, he now folds. So rather than be guided too much by card strength (which was pretty good) I decided to ensure that I avoided bubbling and gave the button every chance to bubble himself. As Raziel points out however, it was a bad fold. I accept his opinion on all things SNG.

Problem is, given the same situation a second time round, I think I would still talk myself into folding. And that is a problem and probably a big part of the reason why I really do suck at SNGs.

Hand 64 - same again. I would be shoving 67s, but I fold A5o. I'm a strange puppy.

You are right though, that I do play loose in MTTs and probably overly tight in SNGs, especially near the bubble. My loose play in MTTs is intuitively easy for me to rationalize. They payouts stupendously favour a win and you can afford to bust out of hundreds of them pursuing that win. That means you can be pretty crazy and still make very big money. In fact I argue, you cannot make very big money in MTTs unless you are prepared to gamble (at the appropriate time). In SNGs, you need to be making the money at least 40% of the time. To me that means you can't afford to gamble as much. Especially on the bubble.

I have not played enough Poker Stars SNGs to really know.

In fact Even if I had played loads of poker stars SNGs, I still wouldn't know. I built my poker bankroll initially playing SNGs up to $50 buy-ins. I then started concentrating on MTTs and ever since then I have not been able to play sit and goes properly. My risk tolerances are all mucked up and I am folding when I should be shoving too much.

I've literally been struggling with this problem for about a year. I am not bursting at the seems to fix it tomorrow, but I do find it curious

How to play pocket JJ

2009-02-23T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a video about playing JJ. It is often claimed to be one of the toughest hands in poker to play and I made this video to dispel those thoughts.

Sit and Go Strategy Question

2008-12-18T14:28:00.000-08:00

Sit and Go Strategy Question: Man I have been playing plenty of SNG's where I playing very very very tight. I have realized I am finishing close to the money, but not in the money enough. Also, if I do make the money by playing TAG, then its usually 3rd.

I am not sure how to incorporate some LAG in to my game and at what stage I should do it. Should I be stealing blinds more, or shoving it in from a good position?

Sit an Go Strategy Answer:There are many ways to look at it and just as many ways to address it. The common "mistake" I see amongst tight players is they have ONE GEAR and that is TIGHT!

You can sit and wait for cards AND you should play a solid tight game. But not so much to the exclusion of all other "gears" and poker plays. The "Tight" player almost always plays his cards and that is it. Some include a few positional plays.

Overall I believe tight to be a good BASE strategy and to add on to it so you can pull different weapons out of your arsenal during the war to win some battles you might have lost usually. In other words a well placed bet on the turn or firing a 3rd bullet might yield a pot you would have lost if you just checked. Raising from the SB with crap weak draw when it's folded to the button who limps in and you end up stealing the bb and the button raise. Calling a button raise with suited K or Q or better from the SB and then 3/4 pot betting the flop to take it via a stop and go play.

Watch for them in orange M and use a move to steal from opponents. At least the ones you have watched and know that THEY know how to fold.

Be willing to lose the game in 5th slot going all in to take a big pot trying to force a fold if you think you are ahead even if it's nothing but Ace high or 2nd pair. If you have been watching your opponent, you should know when they have or don't have a hand and if they do, what their range is based on how they are playing this one hand. If he calls and your read is right, he was on the draw and he don't MAKE the draw, you will double up, bust him out maybe and be on the bubble with a nice stack. THEN rock up but be ready to attack if you sense weakness.

Watch for the min raise from tight player. I keep seeing AA when they play me and they are hoping my aggression will pay them. Sometimes it does but for the most part, my aggression is selective and unless I have AQ+ I seldom get in there to a min raise against these players.

On the bubble you want to be VERY tight and fold things you usually play. As in with 5 players I may make an aggressive play with AJo, but will fold it to aggression on the bubble.

Once ITM, screw being tight if you are short, it's all in or fold. No sense in trying to be safe to "play for second". When you are the aggressor open your range, when calling, tighten the range, shove more as a reraise steal.

These are just a few ideas and it is geared for STT only and the BR builder. If you already have the BR and don't need to be "safe" some players begin the ITM style on the bubble and the bubble for 5 left and the 5 left strat for 6 players.

Develop gears and change up to play the player. Choose your hands for your position AND the player AND the situation in the game and make your move accordingly. For examply you should have a way you play AJo early, AJo late, (seats) AJo early in game, AJo prebbubble and AJo ITM. Be able to change what you do.

Hope this helps get the thought processes going on things you can try.

Disclaimer: None of these "moves" are to be used as an excuse to play bad. Be smart, be selective and choose the right spots and hands for the right players and situations.

ADD: There aren`t any hard and fast poker rules, but these are excellent strategy suggestions that can be implemented in your game with time and experience.

Sit and Go profiling: Fear the Duck?

2008-11-29T14:14:00.000-08:00

A forum member disagress with some poker ebook content in regards to player profiling in tournament indicator.
_________________________

In the e-book he makes a passing comment that "No particular style of player is better than the other" and uses the win at showdown statistic to clarify. He needs to go into more detail, however, because it is quite clear that a player who never bets is at a severe and utter disadvantage. Same goes for a player who all-ins every flop. Nevertheless, both could have 100% win at showdown in 100 hands. Albeit an extreme example, but the point is an obvious one.

Now, he points out that pros like DN can play the gambler style to perfection, and whilst this is true, the same holds for the duck.

First, I'm not sure if Marty states anywhere in the e-book that we are solely discussing 9 seated sngs. Because if we're talking 6-handed, then it is an imperative to play at least 30% of the hands, which would be about average. In this case I guess you would change the parameters of the program and make perhaps >40% vpip loose instead of the default settings. Nevertheless, this was a key point missed, because ducks can dominate the short handed sngs imo.

And I don't mind to be a duck at a full table either (perhaps not quite >30 vpip, but high 20's) . I'd even go as far and say that they are the most dangerous and feared opponents at the table, mostly because of their unpredictability. The neutral AF is something we agree on, as you seem to be in love with Eagles. I agree, because you do not want to be someone who bets too much, and on the other side, of course, not enough.

Yet, who is more feared: a tight smart eagle mostly playing conspicuous hands, or a loose-ish highly unpredictable smart duck (granted both can be unpredictable)? Gamblers/maniacs may be more feared in the short term, but generally their over-betting might be their downfall or seen as a leak. And they tend to not call enough, so betting into them knowing they will mostly raise or fold can make it pretty easy to play a hand against them.

Marty goes on to say:

"The EAGLE and the DUCK are equally measured as neutral, however, the eagle knows why he is neutral and the duck really hasn't a clue and will probably end up as a calling station or a gambler soon enough."

I guess this is to be taken at face value because it's a general remark. But earlier he said that no style is better than the other and that just because a player is loose it does not mean they are bad. So this is an unfair and unfounded bash at my precious duck!! Razz

He said that it's hard to stay at neutral af, but this is actually simply incorrect due to simple mathematics. It is actually quite easy and I have stayed there many times end-to-end in very long tournaments.

Another general and useless comment was that the duck is unbluffable. I can see the general comment towards gamblers to be a valid one, but again, you said there can be smart gamblers...why not give the same courtesy to ducks?

In short: quit bashing daffy, he's the one taking your money without you having a CLUE what he has and what he's going to do.. if he's clever enough Very Happy

Otherwise, interesting read and well done.

______________________________

This may be the case but being a duck in low level poker surely means what Marty says 'they dont know'.

I suppose in higher level tournament a duck can be good too counter TAG players that maybe cant play wel post flop, just speculating

I have never seen a duck be good player in any SNG ive played

_______________________________

It's fine to be general and deal with just low-limits, but he then goes on to discuss Daniel Negreanu like I said in the op.

I've seen quite a few very good ducks in mtts, possibly sngs iirc, and they scare the shite outta me.

_______________________________

doubt you have seen "good ducks". You may have seen lucky ducks.

Lag opposed to Tag neither is "better" as far as being able to win. It is the skill of the individual player that will determine if they win or lose long term.

Now it may be a 'duck' is only a duck as there are not enough hands measured to get a true "read" on the player and his icon will go through changes over time.

The real difference is that TAG is easier to learn and play a good TAG game. While LAG requires more skill and a LOT more post flop skills especially.

_______________________________

I'm talking about long-term ducks.

And ducks aren't lags, no where near as aggressive. I even said my vpip might not even be >30, so I will be neutral/neutral, but close enough to be a duck, so that would be my label.

_______________________________

Loose Neutral I believe is the duck. I know Marty references both LAG/TAG and Loose/Tight when saying neither is better than the other.

What is your concept of long term?

_______________________________

Exactly, Marty says that neither is necessarily better. So if loose isn't bad, and neutral AF is good (Marty loves Eagles) ... then ducks are potentially deadly.

Long term? Maybe 50+ consecutive hands as a duck.

________________________________

50 hands is just over 5 revolutions

i dont think that it is very accurate

_________________________________

Ok interesting discussion here, and I maybe I could review that stuff myself, but I think the responses to the original post are rather accurate and in agreement that a Duck is not a profitable player, short or long term.

Further to that end, I don't think you are going to find many (ANY?) long term Ducks in poker. The premise for any particular game may back-up my claim that one style is no better than the other, if executed well, but most games will not allow you to play like a Duck and win consistently. That player's profile, for that game or series of games will surely shift to Gambler, Calling Station, possibly even Eagle.

A "good player" may have a Duck icon (temporarily) because of deploying a strategy against another, single opponent whereby it is profitable to do so.

If readers of this thread are not familiar with the Sit and Go Strategy ebook it can be downloaded for free at www.SitandGoCertified.com

Double or Nothing Sit and Go Tournaments at Poker Stars

2008-10-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

I noticed a new format today that is essentially Double or Nothing Sit and Go Tournaments at Poker Stars. Meaning, of 10 players that sit at the table, 5 will double their buy-in, while the other 5 are eliminated. The tournament ends when the last 5 player are determined.

I tried and cashed in 2 bucker trying to figure the right strategy to employ and also what these could mean for bankroll building strategies. They surely lack the excitement of 1-2-3 payout structure, but does anyone see how these could be useful?

_________

I played these for a while at Pacific. For a good player at low stakes they are pretty easy. However once you get up to the $50 buy-in (even at Pacific) they are still pretty tough and I basically concluded that the ROI was not there as compared to other game types.

That said, I think they could be a great learning / experience gaining tool, provided appropriate adjustments are made.

A few things I have observed:

1. Rake nips at your heels in these. You need to be cashing about 60% of the time just to show slow BR growth.

2. They play exactly the same as muti-prize satellites (eg 1 in 4 seats wins etc). That means you absolutely must know or get (even if not fully understand why) that chip values are non-linear and your current stack is way more valuable to you than the chips you hope to win by a big all-in clash. All of that basically means play rock solid tight (and somewhat passive) poker where you are just completely averse to coin flip situations.

3. The ICM structure theoretically means you have to be very tight and risk averse (see above). But most players (even at $50 buy-in) don't make this adjustment and play them exactly like a regular SNG. That means they are playing way too loose, which conversely means you need to be playing EVEN tighter than the already tightened adjustment game.

4. You would think that with this kind of ICM extreme bubble play dynamics, most people would intuitively get the fact that they need a huge hand to call a shove if it means their life is on the line. That should mean that big stack bully power is more effective. However that has not been my experience and "tight is right" continues to be the most effective strategy even on the bubble.

5. For all of those reasons which demand ridiculously tight play, it is a structure which I find too difficult to have good enough patience for.

6. If someone was learning SnGs playing these, and then made the transition to regular structures later, I worry that they would basically have to start re-learning from scratch because the ICM and bubble play is almost the complete opposite. That said, you get to play alot of hands for cheap and maybe they are a good BRB format for the experience element.

____

They are very similar to the 5400 FPP SNG qualifiers to the Sun Mil where 4 people qualify. I never failed to qualify with them and ALWAYS played very tight, watching the donks playing normal SNG strategy and wasting chips or busting out. I didn't care as my aim was to double up slowly to 3000 chips and only take an interest in the game when it was down to 6 players. By that stage I usually had between 1500 and 2500 and there were guys with big stacks and 2 very low stacks. Basic conflict avoidance. I then focused on helping to eliminate the remaining low stacks.

In the 5/10 SNG, the strategy is the same. Conflict avoidance until down to 7 and then keep the pressure on the weak 2. In reality you are only wanting double up at most and 5th is as valuable as 1st, so do not chase it. The chips will come to you. If you are fortunate to have premium cards and knock a guy out early on, coast to the finish line. Do not try and be 1st.

The aim is win 2 out of every 3 games as a minimum, but 3/4 or 4/5 is a more realistic target.

I agree with phaedrus, it is harder higher up because the guys at the higher levels know how to adjust - but if you are BR building it is a good way to learn patience and discipline as you build a roll.

What sit and go course?

2008-09-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

A forum member gets an informed response from DaveDaDonk in the forum:

Well I went for Moronses' online poker school, which was a "special offer" of $47 and you get all his written material, and access to videos on his web site. ONe video doesn't work. The course material is ok I guess but I got a lot more from Moshmans book. I'm gonna get Marty's SNG 3 pak videos.

I would advise against Moronse's as I am disappointed with it. I've heard Rothmans book material is about the same but I was sorry I used my limited funds to get Moronse's material instead. I understand the best part of Rothmans stuff is all the videos you get were he explaines hand by hand his method. I don't know if its' worth 97 bucks though. Maybe, but it's all pretty much the same info. I think videos are great though, because just reading hand analysis and trying the moves on your own in a real game can at times be daunting, but seeing someone explain it in an actual game and seeing it work seemed to give me more confidence in my games.

It might be more economical just to get Moshmans book if you don't have it already, and Martys' free videos and his SNG 3 pak for 10.95 I'm not downing Rothman and I wish I had the cash to spend on his course just because all the videos. But for now I'll have to stick with what I have. But for $97, you could get Moshmans' book and Martys' sit and go strategy videos and still have $50 to deposit in a poker account and get some practical experience.

From my own experience, my game has greatly improved by watching Marty's videos and rereading and rereading and rereading again sections of Moshmans book daily.

DaveBaDonk

"Never let them see you coming"
Al Pacino - Devils Advocate

Does it all boil down to sit and go math now?

2008-09-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well with so many ranked pros playing sit and go tournaments for a living now, turbos no less, there has been a movement to purely mathematical decision modules near the money and in the money. Colin Moshman brought a lot of this strategy to light in his sit and go strategy book released from two plus two last year. Even he though, pinpoints some drawbacks of using the independent chip model exclusively to make decisions. Those drawbacks may include your opponents skill and relative positions at the table in a given hand.

I think a lot of Colin Moshman's success, and that of his readers, come from emanating his style during the high blind stages in sit and go tournaments. And yes there are equity decisions in this stage as well, but the pure aggression of it all, is what turns certain sit and go tournaments into relatively mathematical based games of chance. I mean, a lot of these guys just play turbo sit and go tournaments leading half the field orange and mzoned 20 minutes into the tournament. There just isn't a lot of play there for bluffing or re-stealing when I bet at the flop is going to pot commit you anyhow.

There is simply more luck involved in turbo sit and go tournaments. So you can expect some high variance swings in your bankroll if you play these in the upper limits. Check some of these big-time players out on shark scope and you will see a drop of $100,000 to $200,000 is not unusual. Unless you can handle fluctuations as big as that, I would recommend you stick to sit and go tournaments under $100, and avoid turbos. This way your bankroll will build more consistently but also allow your opponents sufficient time to make those inevitable mistakes found in the lower levels.

There is caution to be taken at the bankroll building stage that may actually preclude you from playing this style of poker, and that would be the correct math for you. Not everything can be boiled down to simple math when your bankroll is considered too.

Yes, it's good to know the numbers, it's even better with a firm grasp of sit and go ICM. But you still have to take care of your bankroll while building that upward graph, not only an ROI percentage, but your education as well.

Is it possible to build a bankroll from nothing playing sit and go tournaments?

2008-09-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

If it is and someone had done it, please tell me how?

I usually play (free games) at Full Tilt Poker, but would was wondering if anyone has used another site that makes it easier to start from nothing.

I myself have built a bankroll from playing freerolls before (on FTP actually). I won like $15 in a freeroll and played way outside my bankroll (not recommended). I played a few $5 SNG's and then moved up to $10 sit and go`s building my bankroll to like $250. Back then, I had no discipline and played the .5/1 NL games and donked it all away.

You could try building your bankroll this way, but it is near impossible to do on FTP. I think the lowest limit they have is like .10/.25 limit or something like that. This will be way outside your BR and you most likely will lose it all. Pokerstars is the best way to build a micro BR because they have .02/.04 limit and you only need about $12 to play these games. So if somehow you can win a freeroll on PSTARS great, but I think you would be better off depositing a small amount of money into PSTARS.

Shop around for freerolls. As an American, your choices are limited but you should be chasing freerolls across several sites. Just don't forget to sign up with an affiliate for rakeback.

I'm completely out of touch with the freeroll scene and it may take doing some of your own research as people often don't want to share juicy ones. Stars is terrible for freerolls unless you're a VIP. Usually you want smaller sites that are more aggressive in their marketing to n00bs.

Some affiliates used to offer small, no deposit bankrolls. However, I'm not sure if anyone is doing that anymore and the big downside is that you're usually giving up all future rakeback so you don't want to do that on a major site you're going to want to play a lot at later.

Keep in mind though that doing it this way is far from the most efficient. You can spend a lot of time just trying to get a viable bankroll together when you could just deposit $50 and start grinding $2NL right away.

I started on Stars with PPA freeroll, won a few bucks, then busted. Stars then threw $5 my way for never having made a deposit. Worked through $1.20 Sngs and 2,3,5 table SNGs. Switched to 2NL and worked up to 10NL looking to move up to 25NL in the next couple weeks.

Bodog runs a lot of free poker and unlike the stars freerolls they draw fewer people and have only one stage to cash. Look at the private freerolls on stars, many should be easy to qualify.

Mid and Low Pairs

2008-09-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

Its a good point you bring up here.

With low to mid pairs, there true value in NL Tourney play is hitting the set. So what you want to do with these hands in early stages of STT's MTT's is to see the flop cheap, try and hit a set, and double up with what is usually a strong lead.

You will hit a set with 2 paired hole cards on the flop about 1 in 8 times.

Here is a general rule of thumb. Call up to 10% of your stack to try and spike a set. There are some rules that go along with this.
- You must make sure one of your opponent has a bigger or equal stack
- Take position into consideration, are u likely to get reraised?
- your mzone, is it better to reshove /fold?

the reason it is 10% of your stack is maths.
you are 7.5-1 to hit the set.
if you double up, you will have invested 10% to win "90%" or getting 9-1.

hope this helps, ask questions if you need

sit and go mzone strategy

2008-08-30T02:37:00.000-07:00

One more tip I've picked up. Your best hands early on in a sit and go are the hidden gems. The suited connectors and small to medium PP's. There so much easier to lay down when your behind and when you hit you get paid off.

I hate large pocket pairs when the blinds are low. They rarely make you a lot of money and when you are beaten you find it almost impossible to fold them and lose big.

Raise big with big hands early in the game at least 5*BB Is my guide and a lot more if you have multiple limpers. Be prepared to lay them down to a bad flop and action. In the first 3 round i tend to call all low-medium pp and SC's up to 3-4 times BB raises. I work out the implied odds first. this includes how many other people are in the pot already and use TI to figure out if there will be any more callers. The more callers in the pot the better the odds. (but the more chance you'll get beaten obviously) As the game moves on the reverse becomes true. Large PP become better value and smaller ones and SC become worthless.

Finally when your M approaches 5 (close to red mzone)you should look to push all with your full range of hands.

The other thing you should do which a lot of tight player don't is call when your in the SB with ATC. The more limpers the better, but IMHO the odds state that calling is mandatory with a couple of limpers already in the pot.

With 2 limpers your getting 7 to 1 on you bet if you call. Your only a 5 to 1 dog against aces with ATC.

Hope this helps.
_________________
Play well. If not play lucky.

Sit and go emotions

2008-08-19T11:24:00.000-07:00

Some of the biggest challenges facing sit and go players while bankroll building and getting to learn the game has nothing to do about the game at all. It has everything to do with controlling your emotions at the table and not letting them inject into your decision-making. You know no limit hold them is one of the easiest games to learn, but as you have no doubt discovered it is one of the most difficult to make a profit long term.

I say that with a bit of apprehension because really with a bit of training and a lot of emotional control it's actually easy to make consistent profit playing sit and go tournaments online. The truth of the matter is though, that the large majority of online players lose money in sit and go tournaments. If you don't believe me, the next table you sit at queue up all of your opponents on sharks scope and see the red ink for yourself.

So if winning sit and go poker tournaments is so easy to learn, then the problem in losing money must inherently be derived from lack of emotional control.

This is truly one of the key facets to poker psychology that comes into play because it's one of the first tests you are going to be facing while playing poker online day after day. It essentially requires you to continually ask yourself - "Can I compete and learn in this game while controlling my emotions?" That answer lies in your poker account. Is your cash going up or down? Are you reloading or are you using other players money? Are you making the right decisions at game critical intersects?

Lack of emotional control leads to poor decision making and invariably, costly mistakes. It doesn't matter if you get lucky. It doesn't matter if you suck out. It doesn't matter if somehow you still make the money. If you press that all in button for any reason other than tactical strategy, your mistakes will become more and more glaring and more and more expensive.

Emotional control can be learned with experience, attentiveness, reflection, and a burning desire to improve. I mean have you ever seen Gus Hansen lose it at a table? Like him, and most other professional players, you must first recognize how emotions are a part of your game, and then learn to use them to your advantage.

Sample ICM Math Calculation

2008-08-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

If you are really into ICM calculations for your sit and go skill set, then you should do what this forum member has done and try specific scenarios layed out in basic math. You can even post it in our poker forum for evaluation.

Situation: $5 SnG on the bubble, hero is facing all in push by button....Action goes: Cutoff ( Chip leader) folds, Button ( fourth in chips..aka villain) pushes, Small blind ( Second in chips ) folds, Big blind (aka..hero..third in chips) Fold or call push?

Hero dealt: [Ad 5h]
Blinds: 100-200
Payouts: 1st- $25 2nd-$15 3rd-$10

The stacks are:
Cutoff- 5937
Button- 2286
Small blind- 4475
Hero (Big blind)- 2302

Before the hand, here is how equity is split up:
Players Chips Equity
cutoff 5937 $19.79
button 2286 $7.62
Small blind 4475 $14.92
Hero ( Big Blind) 2302 $7.67

Call push and lose ( -$7.61)
Player Chips Equity
cutoff 5937 $19.79
button 4672 $15.57
small blind 4375 $14.58
hero( big blind) 16 $0.06

Call push and win (+$7.96)
Player Chips Equity
cutoff 5937 $19.79
button 0 $0.00
small blind 4375 $14.58
hero (big blind) 4688 $15.63

So we are risking $7.67 to potentially win $7.96 and using the ratio of ( risk/winnings)/( total equity/winnings) to get the percentage needed by a hand to win against a random hand to make this call +$ev

So ($7.67/$7.96)/ ($15.63/7.96)
So (.963)/ (1.963)= 49.1%

This means are hand needs to win at least 49.1% of the time to make this call +$ev...

Ad 5h against any random hand has 57.697% equity is this making it a clear call....

I would like to know how my math is in this ICM question. I hope this makes sense and i am starting to get the hang of ICM...

Just to throw in a wrench, villain is playing semi passive and has been playing tight over the last maybe 10-12 hands....does this mean that we ignore the ICM calculation and put villain on a better opening range or do we still abide by ICM and call?

And if we do ignore ICM then were also ignoring a +$ev situation (provided my math is correct) which means were making a mistake, but since were on the bubble does that mean its ok to ignore this +$ev situation? Hope this is making sense and somebody can check the math and then determine what we would do in these other situations..

Sit and go action planning.

2008-08-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

The forum is discussing how to "plan" for profit with sit and go action in particular. I must admit I have never really had a plan in place either, but am open to the concept. I have always felt that moving up the bankroll, using my poker calculator, was a positive plan in itself.

I don't really make these sorts of plans.
I used to in the past but I don't feel like it gave anything. I would make these sorts of plans if I needed to regularly withdraw money or challenge myself, but if I just play and try to learn and make a profit I don't think I need that kind of thing.

I lately found a great spreadsheet for tracking all sorts of things, the best thing being that if I want to know something new I would just have to create a new function and I can change everything there. And now I also can track how much I have deposited and withdrawn from different sites and where my money is located. I used to use these online tracking sites but I still had to keep track of my withdrawals/deposits/bonuses and so on. Thanks to the spreadsheet I am very aware of what's going on with my roll and I feel that's all I need.

I try to play the most profitable poker games and only set a rule when I'm moving up/down. I never make these plans like how many weeks it would take me to play 500 S&G and what I should earn by playing them.

I just feel that setting some goals and then not reaching them would make me feel even more dissatisfied with my game and that's not what I want.

The only goal that I could think about atm is becoming profitable at the $10 lvl S&G at Full Tilt but have no idea how long it would take. :S I've only played 3 S&G's after resolving problems with my account at FT so far and they are on lower lvls.

sit and go profiling video

2008-08-04T00:24:00.000-07:00

This is a clip of one of 4 videos included in the sit and go profiling report available anywhere on the main website. It is 21 pages and uniquely combines the icons in tournament indicator with the traditional TAG/LAG grid that Alan Schoonmaker first described in his book, The Psychology of Poker.

Sit and Go grinder has big decision.

2008-07-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

One of our regular forum posters has become so proficient at sit and go poker strategy he is now getting offers for sponsorships and poker bankrolling. In that however has created further complications in making a decision:

From Raz in the fourm: I posted last week in my SNG grind thread about me not playing very much online due to exams. I also happened to be in the midst of a 62 buyin downswing (about 1.5k) which didn't exactly provide much motivation to play.

I've also been playing at the local casino a lot in the last 2 weeks. Basically working in the day and playing at night. It turns out that live games are ridiculously soft. In the 10 trips that I've made there, my original $360 is now $4k. 60% of the winnings from poker tournaments, the rest from cash games.

With live poker going so well and online going so badly I was seriously considering withdrawing my bankroll from full tilt and playing some bigger live games further afield, travelling with a friend (that will make an appearance later).

So this morning I check my emails and find an email from a company that sponsors poker players to play on a range of different poker sites, the main ones being iPoker skins and Mansion. I had heard of this company from some other people at the casino and they have offered me $200 a day sponsorship to play the $20 STTs on ipoker. Then once I make $500 total profit I move up to $500 a day playing the $50 games. I keep half of the profits. No rakeback deals until I'm up to $1,000 a day sponsorship.

When theres a 1.5k downswing going on, playing with other peoples money sounds like a very good idea.

Later that day I get an email from the friend that I mentioned earlier. He plays the highest level SNGs on poker stars and cake. He wants to stake me 100 buyins for the $55s on FT for 50% of the profit and 50% of the rakeback.

So really I have no idea what I want to do. Technically I could take both staking offers, but then I'd have pretty much no time to play live, which has been extremely profitable. Rakeback playing the 55s would be pretty substantial and playing higher would be nice (I know that the games are still soft at the 55s).

So yeah, just thought I'd throw that out there. If anyone has any opinions or any thoughts on this, please, go ahead

_______________

If you are this good at the game, I really don't understand the benefit of playing fro someone else. Not to mention the added pressure of having to post results and play when you really don't want to play (or shouldn't be playing). This decision in Poker is an odd calculation of new variables you have not yet encountered. If you do go ahead with it, start very small and give yourself a test period of say 3 months or so where you can walk away if you have to.

Someone watching Turtleknife in a Sit and Go

2008-07-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

A contributor From the forum questions one of my hands online he was watching:

oniondan wrote:

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2914758 That is the beat

but after watching the videos saying you should keep it tight early on id like to know what you had when you put your entire stack in with this hand

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2914761

did you think people would fold or did you have a monster and begged for a donkish call?

thanks, dan

This is a multi-table sit and go tournament.

I have this tournament recorded, but I dont remember the second hand - however sure looks like a mid pair being protected here. I dont think its a mistake to protect your hand against loose players by shoving after the flop if I figure they might be waiting for an ace or king to fall. I am big odds favorite here and way ahead there with the best hand, and I want to make it very expensive for a wanker to want to look for his card.

The alternative in this spot is to value bet, and then see an ace on the turn or river.... I am usually screwed! It is all relative to my profiling of the players too in that I got TWO full tilt kids to fold there.... I was probably better off with that result.

Poker After Dark Sit and Go Table?

2008-07-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Poker After Dark tables are essentially sit and go tournaments. I saw annie duke recently donk of her stack to kristy Gazes when she still had a Yellow MZone stack. Her brother, Howard Lederer who was also at the table was looking on, none too impressed.

2008-02-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

For those of you using a poker calculator playing tournaments, I just wanted to say that Tournament Indicator is the only one designed specifically for holdem tournaments and hence if that is your game, this is the tool you need to consider.

It also measures your mzone during STT and MTT play and that allows you to know how desperate your situation may be at any given time - no more guessing. In addition it has all the other popular indicators like VPIP, Aggression Factor, WSD%, and WSDW%. Something unique to tournament indicator also are the streak and balance indicators which are really handy in figuring the range of hands your opponents are playing.

2007-01-14T01:42:00.000-08:00

Getting a lot of positive feedback in regards to my free video strategy series for sit and go poker. I mostly have been using Full Tilt for the lessons, but will start a little bit on Poker Stars now as well, if for variety if anything. They have similar blind structures for the 9 seated STTs anyway, so shouldnt be much different. Anyway if you wat to sign up go to: PokerSitandGoReport.com

2006-12-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

Poker Sit and Go Report: How to Avoid Tossing your Computer Through a Window.
This strategy report could also be called Anger Management for Online Poker Players, but I thought the throwing the computer thing was pretty typical of a tilt session in the privacy of your home or office. Tilting is the result of inadequate anger management, and to help manage your anger in poker, here are some critical elements of your game that you need to master. If you can’t grasp the importance of bankroll management, situation analysis, and emotional detachment then you stand little chance of being successful at sit and go tournaments.

2006-12-15T00:29:00.000-08:00

There is an interesting dynamic in Sit and Go Tournaments that happens to me approximately one out every five times I place in the money. The situation occurs when I am the chip leader and can take any of the other 3 remaining players out of the tournament in any given hand. In fact, I have them all covered and there is quite possibly a short stack facing elimination on the bubble with no money. When this occurs, there is a strategy I engage that solidifies me as the odds on favorite to win first place.

2006-12-13T00:28:00.000-08:00

Poker Sit and Go Report: Not giving up when you are a Short Stack.
I have played in many single table tournaments where my stack was depleted quite early. It could be through no fault of my own play, but almost as often, I suffer from brain gaps as well. On the tougher side though, my AA losing to KK is a common scenario for this. (By the way, why does my KK never beat an opponents AA?) Here are the goods with being a short stack early in the tournament. Lets say my 1500 chips turns into 140 after my pocket aces go down to a chumps J9os. Yes, this happens more than you may realize on the internet! I was in the big blind when it happened and the blinds were just raised to 20/40. The way I see it, I can look at another twenty hands before I am forced to do something. Twenty hands provides me with a fair shot of seeing a decent hand to run with, but I am looking for other opportunities as well.

2006-12-11T15:45:00.000-08:00

Building your online bankroll with sit and go poker. You may know already that sit and go action is where a good, solid poker bankroll can be built. You get to choose your maximum risk, and play against a variety of talent giving you plenty of value for your buy-in, unfortunately, most poker calculators are not designed for sit and go poker.

2006-12-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

Full Article; Marginal hands in sit and go tournaments are quite simply the death of weak players. Before you begin to make the money in Sit and Go Tournaments, you need to know how to fold. Not being able to, is the single, biggest, critical mistake that MOST players make on a consistent basis. Yes, I wrote MOST players. In fact, their lack of discipline will often boost you to the money, but you need self control when it comes to tossing these hands yourself, as your opponents will go down one by one, playing the very hand that you correctly discarded.

2006-12-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

Beginning my sit and go series (again), but now have a dedicated site for sit and go poker. You can find it at www.PokerSitandGoReport.com