Am I too tight?

I'm fairly new to SnG's. Ive played around 50 of them, maybe alittle more. I play only in $1+.20, 5 table SnG's.

So with 45 players (9 per table), I can consistantly make the final table. The problem is, I play really tight. I fold hands like AJ, Ax, KQ, and most of the time AQ. Usually play really tight like I said.

The problem I'm having is once I reach the final table, usually I'm #7 out of 9, or #8 out of 9. So whats happening is I'm not taking enough money into the final table to get me very far on that final table. Sure sometimes I am lucky enough to be in the top 3 when entering final table but mostly I am in bottom 3 or 4.

I play tight all the way to final table and usually even on final table. What can I do to try and take more money into the final table with me. I would say I could consistantly finsish (70% or better) 6th or 7th, but funds just wont take me any further unless I get really lucky.

These SnG's pay top 7 places with 7th getting $2 and 6th getting $3. So I do get alittle back, I just would like more back.

Thanks

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If you always fold all of those hands I think you are definitely playing too tight, however since you are consistently making the final table you are probably playing correctly after the flop, which seperates you from many of the players out there.

However, don't forget that there are many other factors that you need to consider besides the cards themselves in determining what hands to play. Factors such as position, chip strength, and table image (play looser at a tight table and tighter at a loose table).

What you may want to consider is taking one of the three factors above (I would recommend position) and factoring that into your decision making process. For example, if you are under the gun or in early position continue to fold them, in middle position with an unraised pot come in for a call and in late position with an unraised (or maybe small raise with minimal callers) come in for a raise (against an unraised pot) or a call (against a raised pot).

Once you get comfortable with that strategy you could then add chip strength to the equation and play them more frequently and more aggressively when you are one of the chip leaders regardless of position.

GatorJH
Should I use this strategy on the early blinds, like at the start of the tourny? I read somewhere to play really tight and let others beat themselves up early on. I guess I tend to take it to the extreme and carry it all the way to the final table.

Thanks

The problem is when you play as you have described is that someone has to have a monster too to play back at you. I bet most of your chips come from KK vs JJ type situations - that's great, but they don't come along that often. So you double once, maybe bust a SS, and then the next two big pairs you get... everyone folds, and then you blind out. If you only raise once every 20+ hands, people will assume you're just raising big pairs and will only pay you off if they have one too.

Honestly the only reason you're having the success you are is probably (what I assume to be) the awful play in 1 dollar SNGs - most opps aren't picking up on the fact you haven't played a hand in 20 minutes.

The above advice is correct - start adding a few hands into the mix in LP, get comfy with those.

And when the blinds get up there, if you raise your AA in EP and the whole table folds to you, recognize it and try another steal once you're in position again.

Playing very tight can work, but you need to mix in some big bluffs now and again to keep people honset.

Dan Harrington has a great hand in his book where he goes over top of a raise and a call with 62o. I couldn't get away with his play most of the time because I'm always tossing chips in, but when people see DH (or you, or tight player x) come over the top of a raise they think AA KK. Use that.

You should ABSOLUTELY use that strategy in the early blinds. With the early blinds you can get into pots with a lesser % of your chips and will be more willing to get out of them by not feeling pot committed when someone comes over the top of you. Again, juse be aware of your position and how others in the hand are acting (quick raising, quick calling, etc.).

part of playing multi-SnGs is being able to adapt your game to full-table, short-handed, back to full-table etc. So whilst you are right to play tight, there are times when you need to open up your game. Just remember that when it gets short-handed, the other players are not being dealt any hands better than you, so you can't afford to sit and fold away.
Another thing to do is watch the other players and spot who will defend their blinds and who won't. Stealing blinds is imperative when they hit a certain level (usually relative to the stack sizes).

in the beggining of any tournament, tight is right. yeah your chip stack may be deep in relation to the blinds, but if you play loose (baby aces, connectors, ect.), you can dwindle away your chips and thus ruining the potential earning power you have with your moster hand. once the blinds increase then you can start loosening up your play. hope this helps.

p.s. how many people get paid in the tourney?

In the $1+.20 tournies they pay 7 places. They are 5 table tournies with 45 players, 9 to each table. One thing I did figure was that since it was only a $1 table, most of the players do bid like they are playing the free tables. You tend to see lots of folks calling the blinds with 82o, 53s, those type hands.

I did forget to mention in my original post, that the few times I have played on shorthanded tables, 3 or 4 players, I have done pretty well. I do open up then and play alot looser.

Thanks for the help.

GatorJH,

Took your advice from earlier on position play. I was able to profit from it and went into the final table in 5th place. We all seemed to be within a couple thousand of each other at this table, so its kinda rough going right now. As of right now I am in 8th place, we have been playing for about 20 minutes on final table and still have all 9 players.

Ok, finished 5th playing this way. I would have done better but this time around everyone was almost equal on chip count going into final table and I just couldnt get anything to bet on after the flop. Heck outside of BB, I didnt get much of anything to open or call with.

I will keep working on not being as tight all the time and working on my position betting. Maybe when I can get my bankroll built up I can move up to the $5 tables.

Thanks for the help everyone.