Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs) and single table Sit’n'Gos (SNGs) have become hugely popular in recent years, but more recently a new breed of game which mixes the best elements of the two styles has started to gain popularity.
These multi table SNGs can have from just 2 to as many as 20 tables, but still start as soon as enough players have registered, just like a regular sit’n'go. They are often available in turbo formats, and because they only take an hour or two to play, yet offer attractive prize pools, they are growing rapidly in popularity. But whether you’re a regular MTT or single table SNG player, you’ll need to make some adjustments to your game if you want to become successful at this format of poker.
The typical payout structure on a 2 table SNG is 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% which is much flatter than the typical 50%, 30%, 20% of a one table game, while at the same time only rewarding the top 20% of the field (as opposed to 30% in a one table SNG, or 33% in 9 table games on sites like Full Tilt Poker).
That means you’ll probably want to play a little looser in the early stages in order to build up a stack before you get blinded away, but one you get past the bubble, there is less reward for being aggressive. Every place past the button earns you an additional 10%, so near the bubble your thoughts should be less on risking everything to take first place, but rather making the money. Second place earns 75% of what first place earns, so you’re better off just making it to second, than risk busting in forth in an attempt to win. With that in mind, you should be less happy to gamble once you’ve built a stack than you would in a one table SNG, with a more cautious approach being a better strategy.
Having said that, many players will still be playing too tight, and folding too often on the bubble so you must take advantage to steal the ever increasing blinds. Since the blinds and antes tend to be quite large at this point there is no need to shove. 3BB – 4BB raises from the cutoff and button will be enough to take down the blinds most of the time, without risking your entire stack. When you are 3bet from the blinds you can be reasonably sure your opponent has a real hands (unless they keep 3betting in which case you’ll need to adjust accordingly).
When the bubble does burst most people tend to loosen up, and start going all-in. The best strategy here is to tighten up and be patient. Unless you have a real hand, wait for the other players to bust each other out before making your move. Once this mad rush has settled down you can turn up the aggression again with less fear of being called light.
Multi-table sit and gos, especially the 2 table SNGs can be both fun, and a reliable way of making a steady profit. Variance in these games is much lower than in typical MTTs, but you’re still getting the thrill and experience of tournament play, so if you find cash games to slow these can be a perfect middle ground.
