Sit
And Go may sound like the new fast food joint or local convenience store, but
it’s actually the hottest form of tournament taking place right now, as
thousands of online poker players are getting into the game.
It’s every
poker player’s dream to make the final table of a tournament, and the Sit And Go
format, also known as SnG, serves up that opportunity at almost every poker
website. The SnG, mostly associated with the Texas Hold ’Em game, is the
alternative to the big multi-table tournaments that eat up a lot of time in a
player’s day. It’s the Reader’s Digest of a big tournament, landing a spot
against nine other players.
The SnG tournament starts when 10 players have registered for the game. Most
SnG’s are single-table tournaments, but there are two-table SnGs which have 18
to 20 players and a larger prize pool. There’s an even quicker version called
the “Turbo” SnGs, with fewer players and quicker blind changes. The popularity
of the SnG tournament has become so high, just getting a seat at the table may
be the hardest part of the game.
In a SnG tournament, each player makes
a buy-in, which is a set amount that goes to the prize pool. Each player gets
the same number of chips, normally 800-1,200, and then the game begins. The
typical buy-ins for SnGs start at $5-$1, with $5 going to the pot and $1 going
to the rake, the cut taken by the online casino. For obvious reasons, the
competition gets tougher as the stakes get higher, with $30-$3 table generally
considered the point where things really heat up.
In
the SnG, it’s wise to play conservative at the beginning, but you can’t just sit
back and hope you finish in the money. The increasing blinds change after a
certain number of hands or a set time limit, depending on the game. Naturally,
as the blinds go up, a successful player has to adjust his or her playing style
to come out ahead.
One key difference between a SnG and a regular
multi-table tournament is the competition. In a regular tournament, if you make
it to the final table, you know you’re facing nine other high-end players. In a
SnG, the players bought their way into the final table, so chances are there
will weaker players at the table. And the more unskilled players, the better
chance a good player has to finish in the money. The usual payout at a SnG goes
to the top three spots, with 50% to the winner, 30% to second place, and 20% to
the third-place finisher. In the two-table format, the prize pool is typically
split between the top four players.
The SnG offers many advantages to a
poker player. It’s like a poker classroom with very little risk. For a small
amount of money, you get to improve your skills playing against nine players
and, if you make it far enough, you get the experience of playing heads-up. The
tournaments are fast-paced and a chance to virtually live out the dream of
sitting at the World Series of Poker final table.
