Sit N' Go's

[BigBlobOToothpaste]

So I just barely got my deposit to work ($30), and have promptly started playing 5+.50 sit n' go's. However, I've placed 5th three times, 4th once, and 3rd once. I was down to $2.50 before I got the 3rd place finish, but I am still at $12.50, down $17.50 and only able to play two more without placing. I have been playing tight, yet I always seem to be shortstacked.

This is how it usually works out...

I don't run into many good cards to start, or else I run into a few and get outbid when I don't see anything I like. So we're down to about 7 people, average chip count is like 1400, I'm usually at 600-700. I'm just barely holding on, until we're down to 5 or 6, I haven't run into any big hands, and I'm seriously shortstacked-like 2000 chips behind chip leader, when I have about 500. The blinds keep taking me out, but I run into a few good hands, maybe getting me 400-500 more in chips, before I hit the blinds again. By this time it's like 50-100 blinds. Eventually I go all-in with 300-400 chips, on something like a pair of queens, and lose.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can do better? I really don't wanna send another cashier's check through the mail, I'd like to get back to $30 with my current $12.50...

Again, I know that $5 isn't much, but I'm only 14, and it is a lot to me, when I'm losing consistently.

[Dead Money]

This sounds like a classic example of "tight weak" play. You play only strong hands, you limp in and then fold when raised. This is very common with new players who are afraid of losing their chips and bankroll. If the players at the table see you fold when you are raised, they will raise behind you (often with nothing or very little) just to get you to fold.

A couple of suggestions. 1. when you get a good hand raise before the flop, and not just the minimum. Force the other players at the table to pay to see the flop. If you end up with a caller, who then raises after the flop, now you might have something to think about. 2.Read up on basic no limit hold em strategy and commit to playing a certain way. Stick to your plan.

I don't know if your remaining bankroll can see you through the learning curve. I used to play until I was too low to play a tournament, then go to the lowest limit ring games and rebuild my bankroll until I could play again. You can also double up at a heads up tournament if you are comfortable playing heads up and think you can win.

Lastly, play someplace with cheaper tournaments. I used to play at UB all the time, but the $5 minimum can chew you up fast. I know TournamentNetwork has $1 sit and gos, and I am sure others can point you to sites with cheaper sit and gos as well.

Good Luck

[HalfSugar]

I always play the $5 or $10 SnG's at UB too but I finish in the top 3 in at least half the games I play, probably more like 3 out of every 5 so I've got a nice little earner going.

From my experience, play tight as a duck's a** until the idiots get themselves knocked out and ur left with 6 or so players. By this point, u r fine still hovering around the 1,000 chip mark as the lead will change a lot towards the end in most cases.

Don't overplay good cards early on, especially when out of position. The time to bung in a lot of pre-flop raises with group 1 and 2 hands is when there are 5 or less players left in my experience. Most players are still pretty green at these tables and u can often go on a run and find urself chip leader with very little effort. Once there, I tend to pick on the short stacks mercilessly (eg raise their big blind no matter wot) and when it's down to 3 just play the classic short-handed game.

I have not been beaten heads up in the 5 tourneys I have been down to the last 2 in so if I make the last 3, I'm pretty certain of a nice payday by the end

Good luck, let us know how u get on in future.