As I am still in the learning phases of SNG's only 184 recorde on PT, there is a situation I still am a bit confused about. Do you play more conservatively when there are 4 or 5 left when top 3 get paid?

My thinking is that while 3rd is not a large profit you need to hit the last 3 to be able to win so is trying to slide into the money a viable option, or should one remain aggressive. I have tried both ways and see good points in each.

What about 4 left and you and #3 person have equal or close to equal chip stacks. what about the same situation with 5 left.

I have been remaining aggressive with 5 left, but when 4 hit I have been trying to slide my way in at times, into the final 3 figuring some profit is better than none.

Many times it seems when I stay aggressive with 4 left I keep running into a chip leader who hits the flop and I'm out of the hand several chips poorer and in a worse situation than before.

Here is a typical situation that I find myself in more often than not. Comments are welcome


Player A 6700
Player B 3700
Player C 1000
Me 2000

I'm the Button Player B is SB Player A is BB and Player C the short stack is CO
Blinds are $150/$300

I am dealt AQs. CO, the short stack is trying to slide in the money and folds. He has folded several hands of late so you know he's trying to slide into the money. But here I am 3rd in chips, with AQs A 3x the bb raise seems standard and often I will make that raise. This now brings me to 1100 in chips

Flop is K 5 3

Now here I am w2ith only 1100 left. I can check which is such obvious weakness that BB especially with his stack will leap all over that. or quite often I will bet out and it turns out the chip leader called with say K9s in the bb and wins with the kings

On the other hand I could have just limped in with the AQs and when the flop misses me I am out of the hand only -300TC, buit the thought of such a passive approach is a bit hard to swallow, but perhaps this is what is needed in these situations and that is what I am trying to find out here.

To those of you experienced in SNG's how do you approach these situations? What if in my scenario you and player C have equal amounts of chips? That would seem to be a much harder course because in this case the chip leader is liable to call with anything just to try to knock you out.

While it's true that there will be times that you will hit that A or Q will be the top card, and other times you will steal the blinds with the raise, is the chance of getting knocked out of the money in the SNG and letting the short stack be one of the final 3 is it worth taking those chances or should the line I take be much more conservative?

Oh, and be sure to STUDY CJ's additions to NashVeags strategy. Well worth the effort.

*sniff*

I feel so humble.

But isn't it so satisfying to suck-out occasionally? No wonder the fish keep coming back for more! It's like a drug! I'm addicted to winning suck-outs, but I simultaneously HATE being the underdog when all-in. I guess they cancel each other out so quickly that this drug doesn't last too thing.

And that's why fish keep coming back.