SNG Strategy Tips
Super Turbo Middle Game

SNG Strategy Tips - Let's define the Super Turbo Middle Game as 6-handed and 5-handed play. Blinds will typically be 25/50, 30/60 or 40/80 at this stage, but occasionally they'll be above or below these levels.

It now becomes more important to be aware of the different stack sizes around the table. If you have a non-desperate chip stack (at least 6 BBs or so), you want to avoid unnecessary confrontations, because letting other players damage or kill each other increases your equity in the tournament.

Your stack size is a big determinant of how willing you should be to get involved in a hand. There are two ways that I think about what actions to take when I am faced with close decisions. One is I imagine that I am analyzing the current hand in SNG Wizard. This often leads me to a clear decision, because I have spent many hours reviewing hands in this way.

If I am still unsure about what to do based on my imaginary SNG Wizard analysis, then I think about the situation. Am I already in a comfortable chip position, or am I short stacked and way out of the current top three? What are the likely scenarios if I fold - or if I call and lose - or if I call and win. It takes many hours of experience and study to quickly run all that through your mind and make a quality decision in only a couple seconds, but in time you'll get there.

Here's a good example of a Super Turbo Middle Game Situation.

SNG Strategy Tips - Super Turbo Middle Game situation.

And if you are very short-stacked and/or far behind the top three chips stacks, you should be looking for a spot to go all-in. You might even need to make what's called a "Negative EV Play".

To see an explanation and some examples of some proper "negative EV" plays, see this article:

Negative EV Plays - When to Ignore ICM