16:34
24 Jun
(Photo: 888Poker.com)
5 Ways to Quickly Build a $10000 Poker Bankroll. See more of BlackRain79 on Facebook. Best Way To Build A Sit N Go Poker Bankroll From $50 – Part #2 – SNG Game Choices Which Are The Best Sit N Go Poker Games To Grind A Bankroll From $50? Here I Discuss The Different Sit N Goes Available And Look At The Pros And Cons Of Each.
Sit ‘n’ Gos have achieved cult status in the online poker community. You sit down at the table, and when the seats are filled the game begins. I am sure ALL online poker players have played a SNG, and most have, at one time or another, sought to systematically build or bolster their bankroll by utilising a SNG bankroll building strategy. It is almost a rite of passage for an aspiring online poker pro.
There are many variations on the SNG. The classic one table SNG sees nine players vying for a share of the prize pool with the top three players taking a 50%, 30% and 20% cut of the prize pool. All players pay a percentage to the poker room to play, usually 10% of the buy-in. There are also multi-table variations of the SNG with 18, 27, 45, 90, 180 and 360 player SNGs available for your bankroll building pleasure. The prize pools are fixed at the buy-rates as the numbers of players are restricted to the maximum number. Obviously the swings can get wilder as the number of players increase in each type of SNG.
In many “How To” guides to online poker, SNGs have been promoted as a relatively low risk way to build your bankroll if you follow the specific strategies needed to be successful. No-one says the games are easy, but they are classed as beatable and relatively low-variance. This is a win-win situation for anyone who wants to make money but does not want to suffer the emotional turmoil that comes from crazy swings in their bankroll balance.
However, there is an asterix to bear in mind. Online poker in today’s environment has been restricted by legislative moves such as black friday and the dust is still settling. Unfortunately, this means that player pools are smaller than if we had a worldwide market. The reality is that the poker boom is over (sorry, but it is!) and there are now far less new players who are joining up and paying their dues in the form of losses as they learn the nuances of poker.
The question I ask is, are SNGs still the bankroll builder that they used to be? Let’s take a look.
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The ‘Yes’ Argument
There are plenty of books available that discuss the optimal strategies to employ at each stage of the SNG. However, before you employ them to the letter, remember that some of these books were written years ago and therefore, some of their concepts may be a little outdated. The advice still works, but you could discount, for example, any comment that suggests there are “usually three bad players in a SNG”. This may be true, but you should expect each player to be reasonably competent.
This does not mean the SNG strategy books are no use to you, reading them will certainly give you a good chance to succeed, providing you place the advice into the context of what you will face today in the games. Take the time to look for the latest information that reflects the current standard of the games as they are getting harder all the time. You need to constantly improve to take into account the ever increasing standard of online poker play.
Like most online poker tournaments, the skills you will learn are transferable. SNGs will introduce you to the concept of ICM and every SNG is a form of practicing for deep situations in tournaments where you are making a run for the final table. For this reason, they are a good investment of your time in putting yourself in spots where you are going to learn.
As long as there are players taking a shot, you can beat them. As long as there are large player pools, you have a chance. I would say “have a go” and believe in your own ability.
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The ‘No’ Argument
Rather than making a living from $200 SNGs, many good players realized that there were not too many bad players at those levels and they began to play far lower and take advantage of the numerous bad players at the low stakes games. They moved from large swings in few games to lower swings in a high number of games. This is bad news for anyone who is not absolutely top notch in SNG strategy as there will be good players littered throughout the player pools feasting on the fish.
In a post on 2+2 user “sippin_criss” replied to a question from a user who enquired whether it was possible to play $20 SNGs for a living. I thought his reply summed up in a few words the view of many players. He said:
Maybe it's possible for the best of the best at that stake. Given the current state of online poker, I'd say your energy is better spent elsewhere. Very few people can make a living playing sng's these days, especially a player like yourself who doesn't have experience above micro stakes.”
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The message is clear; only the best will survive and thrive. There was also a graphic posted which showed the top player in the $16 - $35 buy-in levels for 2016 was in profit by $16k. This is good but not life-changing. My own research on sharkscope suggests that if you win $20,000 at this level you will be one of the very best poker players in the world at these levels. This does not fill me with tons of confidence and within those wins will be the inevitable swings that will test your resolve.
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I have broken down the arguments into ‘yes’ and ‘no’, but the truth is there is not a simple answer. Elements of the yes argument are, in fact, reasons to proceed with caution. For example, if everyone has access to good learning materials then everyone is getting better. Conversely, if more good players leave the games because they believe SNGs are no longer an effective strategy for building their bankrolls, then there will be fewer good players for you to beat and your chances of success are higher.
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The best thing for you to do is to study hard, learn the basics, and try the games out for yourself. Only by analyzing your results can you assess whether SNGs can work for you. You will also find your favorite games from the choices available. Personally I really enjoy the 180 man SNGs and seem to dislike the 18 man or 27 man SNGs. It is all choice at the end of the day, but I remain a fan of the SNG and hope it remains part of the online poker scene for many years to come.