Sit-and-Go Poker

Learn how to deal best with low-blind play and avoid sticky situations. Tips for understanding your position, keeping hold of your chips and getting the most out of the game

Section A: Low-Blind Play
“Sit-and-Go” online poker has shot to popularity in recent years and is played as a single-table tournament. Played along similar lines as multi-table tournaments, Sit-and-Go gives you a fixed number of chips. It does not allow re-buys so you’ll need to guard your chips carefully.
Beginners Tips
• Be especially careful when the blinds are low. You do not want to risk lots of chips when this is the case.
• Don’t get too aggressive too early on...give yourself time before you go in for the kill.
Playing with Caution
• Play assertively if you can.
• Don’t, however, throw yourself in to the action at too early a stage. Take your time and be patient.
• Don’t attempt to take advantage of small edges at a very early stage.
Working Example
• Effective stacks=$1,500.
• You hold 9 spades 9 clubs in the big blind.
• Blinds = $20/$40.
• There are currently 4 limpers to you.
• If you were playing a cash game, you may well go for a raise. However, in sit-and-go, you might wish to consider it a check. In order to raise, you will need to make it 5 or 6x the big blind.

This basic principle has lots of applications. Don’t inflate the pot in order to try to get ahead on the basis of a potentially moderate edge. Hang on to your chips for the bigger blinds.
Understanding Your Position
• Try to avoid sticky situations early on the game.
• Don’t play poor hands out of position as you are simply throwing chips away.
• In an early position, it is advisable to fold dominated hands. Even if it looks like a relatively decent hand, don’t get tempted.
• At a late position and the button you can start including hands in your limping range.
• Try to get in cheap to a multi-way pot. Use a suited connector or even a pocket pair.
• Look out for cheap flops.
• Remember the gap theory. Once the hand has been raised before it gets to your turn, you will need a higher hand to call than you would do otherwise. This means that someone in the middle position could raise A-J, but you should not call with this. Play extra tight when the actual pot is opened right in front of you.