Are you new to the world of online poker? Then you’ve probably dabbled in both video poker and live poker online. You’ll have come to find that there are many different types of online poker tournaments from which to choose, each with its own set of rules, buy-in requirements, advantages and disadvantages. While knockout tournaments are arguably the most profitable – especially for experienced players – it’s safe to say that sit and gos remain the most popular of all the different poker tournament formats.

Read on to discover what sit and go poker tournaments entail, learn how to play, and pick up some winning poker tournament strategy for beginners.

What is a Sit and Go Tournament?

Sit and go poker tournaments (also referred to as sit-n-gos, SNGs, single table tournaments, or STTs) are short tournaments with a limited number of players. Every SNG can be likened to the final table of a multi-table tournament. (Note that there is also such a thing as a multi-table sit and go tournament.)

So why play sit and go poker tournaments? Unlike other types of poker tournaments, SNGs don’t have a predetermined starting time. Each has a set number of players required (usually three, six, or nine in total). The tournament begins once that specific number of players signs up and buys in.

Generally, SNGs don’t run for longer than an hour and a half; some are even shorter than that. If you’re weighing up multi-table vs. sit and go poker and time is a factor, SNGs are the way to go. Some players prefer even faster-paced gameplay and opt to sign up to take part in special SNGs called high-speed or turbo SNGs, which can be completed in around 20 minutes each. This is a great way to boost your hourly win rate if you can keep up with the fast-paced decision-making.

Sit and Go Tournament Strategy: Key Tactics to Maximize Your Wins

Like all poker tournaments, SNGs are divided into three phases: early, middle, and late. Each has its own associated strategy.

The best strategy in the early phase is to be tight and aggressive. Stacks are big, and blinds are small, so it’s not worth trying to steal them. As a result, it’s best to avoid getting involved with anything but the strongest hands. Let the fish at the table get into trouble overplaying weak hands while you conserve your stack for when it matters.

The middle phase is when the antes kick in. The stack-to-blind ratio is typically much lower by now, making the blinds worth stealing. In fact, you can expect other players to loosen up in hopes of stealing the blinds. This is where the re-shove can work in your favor, as an opponent who’s opened with a speculative hand is unlikely to call.

Made it to the money? Welcome to the late phase. Here’s when you need to keep your wits about you, as a bad play can lose you a lot of money. A robust push-fold game will stand you in good stead here, with “push” meaning “shove” most of the time.  Remember that most SNGs follow a traditional 50/30/20 payout structure, so it’s worth taking bigger risks to secure a bigger payout if and when you reach the late stage. If you’ve been dealt a good hand with the tallest stack, go all in and force the shorter-stacked players to commit. On the other hand, if you’re short stacked, don’t hesitate to go all in if you have good cards and fewer than ten big blinds.

Common Poker Mistakes to Avoid in Sit and Go Tournaments

In addition to the common poker mistakes you should avoid routinely, there are some specific pitfalls to watch out for in a sit and go. 

One of the most common is placing too much value on certain hands and then overplaying them. Ace-jack, ace-ten and king-jack are hands that will either win small pots or lose big ones, so you should generally fold them to aggression until the late phase. If you have a pair of jacks or tens, treat them as low pairs; see the flop cheaply if you can, then fold to aggression unless you’re ahead. 

Another common mistake is becoming overinvested in a specific hand. Remember, it’s a tournament, not a cash game, and the aim is to make it to the money. Don’t chase a hand just because you put chips in the pot. 

Speaking of the pot, a further error to avoid is placing too much importance on pot odds. That’s fine in a cash game, but in an SNG, stack size is much more important. You might have pot odds to call in a specific situation, but calling can bleed your stack.   

Structures of Sit & Go Tournaments

When you play poker online and decide on an SNG tournament, you’re likely to have the choice between two main types of structures.

The standard structure is the norm and you can expect the blinds to increase every ten minutes or so.

In a turbo or fast-paced structure, the blinds increase at a faster pace, such as every five minutes. This means that the tournament will be faster, but you’ll have fewer hands to play early in the tournament until the blinds are comparatively larger than the stack size. So what you gain in time, you might lose when it comes to the skills required. Turbo poker is a little more luck based.

Are SNG Online Poker Tournaments a Good Fit for You?

So, why play an SNG poker tournament? Most players enjoy the SNG tournament format, especially if you have minimal free time to dedicate to poker. Players with demanding jobs or young children enjoy the format of SNG tournaments because they don’t have to make any significant time commitments.

SNGs are also ideal for newer players still exploring the world of poker online. The buy-in is usually much lower than those for knockout or multi-table tournaments, so there’s much less pressure to win. SNGs are good practice if you want to get serious about the game. They allow you to get more comfortable molding a strategy for yourself while learning about the importance of position, stack size, and shifting hand values.

Choosing the Right Poker Tournament

Remember that there are different types of poker tournaments out there and you need to pick the one that is the best fit for you. Here are some of the things to consider when choosing a poker tournament:

• How many players you want to go up against (field size)
• Your ideal buy-in amount
• How difficult you want the game or your opponents to be
• Your ideal blind structure
• Your ideal prize and bonus structure
• The length of the tournament

Play Sit & Go Poker Tournaments at BetMGM Poker

Whether you’re looking to play sit and go poker tournaments with friends or to challenge other online players, it’s a winning move to play poker online with BetMGM. Get started with a BetMGM Poker welcome bonus and explore the best online poker in the form of live dealer poker, classic Texas Hold’em poker, video poker and much more. 

Along with casino table games, BetMGM specializes in online slots, table games and sports betting.

Of course, you can also browse our blog further for more great poker tournament tips and basic poker tournament rules!