Quote Originally Posted by koolmoe
Quote Originally Posted by SteveO
Third, there is far more luck involved in SNG than a ring game.
I'm not sure I really agree with this. Winning tournaments puts a premium on short handed play, when you will be forced to play more marginal hands. Playing shorthanded is a skill in itself.
i have really mixed feelings on this particular point - so, let's just say that koolmoe and steveO are definitively wrong, and fishstick is right! (actually, i'm agreeing with both of you)

so, you're down to 5 players, BB is 100 (going up to 200 in a couple of hands) and you're the short stack at 600 because you've had 35 hands of crap cards. you need to make a move while your stack still has a little authority, and you have position.
-you're on the button, 2 players have limped in, and you're holding pocket . if you can fold everyone else, you'll collect 350 (a good amount).
-let's also say that you're positive no one else in the hand has a pocket pair
-you go all-in hoping everyone will fold, but being ok with a caller because you will have a small advantage (~53%) with the made pair over two over cards (to your 7's). you'll have even more of an advantage if you get called with something like Ax where x is smaller than a 7.
-you get your one caller (probably a big stack) who turns over
-there is now 1450 in the pot (minus your 600) which more than doubles your stack and will likely put you in the money.
-the flop is safe, turn is safe, and then a T on the river (isn't it always the river )
-you go out 5th

i guess the point i'm trying to make with the above example is that while there is some luck involved (getting out drawn when you're the favorite, albeit by ~53%), if you still make the "correct odds" play, you will win more often than not.