Okay... so here's the scenario... As I play a couple more SNGs (I'm taking a couple days off before I break my new laptop), I'll post the actual hands... But until then, you'll have to go with my brilliant imagination...

All these plays are at mixed tables at UB (mostly bozos, some who know a LITTLE about poker... ie... the normal $10 SNG player) What are your moves if....


Blinds 30-60 ... I'm middle of the pack w/ 1500 chips... 5-6 people left... Dealt UTG...

Blinds 50-100 ... On the bubble... Dealt A10 on the button... everyone has between 2000-4000 chips...

Blinds 75-150 ... On the bubble... Dealt 6s UTG... I'm the smallish stack (although not about to be blinded out)...

Blinds 75-150 ... On the bubble... Dealt A10 on the button... Ready to raise and steal the blinds... When CO raises to 450 before I get a chance...

I'll think of a couple more as they come to me...

Thanks...

1) I agree with Kiddy's advice here. The only time I'd raise here would be if I've noticed the table significantly tightening up where most raises are not being called. If it were down to 5 or 4 players, I'd be more likely to raise it.

2) Sounds like a clear 3x BB raise. I assume when you said "everyone has between 2k and 4k" you were including yourself. Raising 300 would bring you down to 1700, which isn't bad for 50/100. You still have 17BBs. I'm sure you know what to do if someone calls.

3) What do you mean by "short-ish" stack? Less than t1400 chips, I'd push right here. 1500 or more depends on many factors. Who else is short-stack? How badly? Are most pots heavily battled, or is it a raise-on-flop -> fold? I'd still tend to push here. If you don't now, you're going to lose another 225 in the blinds. That's nearly 10% of your stack! And you might not pick up another decent hand for another two orbits, which would bring you down nearly 500 more chips, which would probably be around half your stack.

4) Has the CO player been raising often? I notice some players even when the blinds are large and it's down to 4 players will still camp on Big Aces and Big Pairs. Also, how much damage can you do to the CO if you re-raise all-in? Unless he's been camping on huge hands and finally picked up one, it's likely he'd fold. Also, how often have the blinds been calling raises? Finally... how many chips did you have compared to everyone else?

1) depends heavily on the table texture. If the others are very passive I'd raise, provided I'm sure that I won't get more than one caller. Otherwise I'd limp (and fold to a raise) or fold. I don't like medium pairs in early position in an SNG and usually don't play them unless I have a very good reason to do so.
2) raise pot and hope to take it down. It is a known phenomenon that raises from the button are often interpreted as stealing and if the BB comes over the top you have to fold this, since you obviously don't want to gamble. Also, sometimes I cut down on raising from LP a bit when I stole a lot of pots and I think that people are getting fed up with it.
Anyway, you won't be in trouble if your steal fails, since you are only committing 10-15% of your chips here.
3) Really depends on how short you are and how the table is playing. I move in if I have 6xBB or less. Usually (as in part 2) an UTG raise gets more respect than an LP raise.
If you have a slightly bigger stack (say 8BB) then occasionally I will either raise pot or fold, depending on whether I think people will fold (who is in the blinds, is there a big stack playing table cop, etc.). Note that nothing screams more strength than a shortstack making a 3BB raise from UTG.
4) Really depends on your stack and the CO's stack. I like to avoid a confrontation here, unless I have a very good reason to play this hand. For example, the CO is bullying with a big stack and raises every other hand, and you have about 600 left. Then this might be your chance to get back in the raise. Otherwise, fold.

Btw, what is your handle on UB? I play the sng's there quite often.
Pieter

MVP, I love these types of problems, but I think you need to give a little more information. Such as this:

Stack Sizes:
Player A: 4000
Player B: 2000
Player C: 300
You: 3800
SB: 1000
BB: 3600

Blinds are 100/200

$10 SNG, SB is a weak tight player and BB is a solid and aggressive player but has not played any hands recently. You have been dealt 3 great hands lately and bet them hard but have not shown any of them down as you won them all without a showdown. You get dealt pocket 8's on the Button, Player A, B, and C folds to you.

What's your move?

(These are how they are presented in "Harrington on Hold'em", I didn't invent this structure, but it works great at defining the scenario!)

"What's your favorite color?"

Blue! No! I mean, green! AHHH!!!