SNG tournaments or Sit’N’Go tournaments are usually single-table poker tournaments that don’t have a scheduled start. In other words, these tournaments start when the necessary number of players is met and lasts until there is one winner left. This type of poker tourneys is considered one of the most popular worldwide, because it offers fast-paced poker action, which is affordable even to players with low bankrolls.
When it comes to the number of players on SNG tourneys, there are usually 6, 9 or 10-player tables featured. Player come and go as they wish and take a free seat. Once the table is full the action starts right away. The objective of the game is to force out all the opponents and remain the only one with playing chips. Thus, some players will leave the game sooner than others. One by one participants are forced out of the game as the blinds grow; thus, SNG tournaments usually last between one and two hours.
The majority of SNG tournaments are single-table ones; in other words, the entire tournament is played on a single table among the initial players that joined the action. The last one standing is considered the winner and that’s it. However, lately multi-table SNG tournaments have gained on popularity too; these are played on several tables at the same time and then all table winners face off each other in a final round. Multi-table SNGs usually have higher buy-ins, they are played longer (at least for those that are shooting for the first three places) and involve more players; thus, those that prefer short gaming sessions and lower buy-ins usually stick to single-table SNGs.
Unlike the majority of other tournament formats where only the best player is rewarded, SNGs generally feature a 50/30/20 payout format. This means that the best player gets 50% of the prize pot, whereas the second best and the third best are given 30% and 20% of the prize pot, respectively. Thus, considering the fact that these tourneys are usually played with 6, 9 or 10 players, it can be concluded that the competition is much smaller than on tournaments with hundreds of participants. It should be noted, however, that because of the lower number of participants and lower buy-ins the prize pots on SNGs are generally lower as well.
Probably the best thing about SNGs is the fact that they take far less time than other types of tournaments. Namely, players join a table, they start playing and one by one exit the game until a single winner is left. Thus, this contributes towards generally short playing sessions, which for the first to leave the action may last as little as 15 minutes. Naturally, this is completely different when multi-table tournaments are played for hours before the winner is known.
Obviously, the popularity of the SNG tourney wouldn’t be constantly growing without the many pros this type of tournaments offer. There are lots of positive aspects that SNGs attract players with, but the ones explained below are certainly the most important ones.
Unlike scheduled tournaments that are usually planned for the future, SNG tournaments start fairly quick. Namely, the action starts as soon as the necessary number of players has joined the table; considering the popularity of such tournaments, the tables are filled quite soon and thus there is virtually no waiting for the action to start.
Prestigious tournaments often are too expensive for low-budget players. However, that’s rarely a problem for those that want to take part in SNG tourneys whose buy-ins often start at low $1.10. Naturally, the prize pot is consequently lower than the ones offered on different types of tournaments, but that doesn’t lower the thrill nonetheless. Plus, there can be found more expensive SNG tournaments too, which are perfect for medium or high roller players.
A known fact regarding poker tournaments is that they last for hours and can be quite tiring for those that plan to win the main prize. They involve multiple tables and lots of rounds before the winner is crowned. However, this isn’t true for SNG tournaments because they start quickly and end quickly as well. Therefore, SNG tourneys often last for about an hour or two. Even when there are multi-table SNGs, the often last for two or three rounds only, which makes them quicker to play nonetheless. Another thing that affects this is the fact that SNGs are often played with up to 10 players, meaning only several players need to be forced out of the action in order for a winner to be determined.
The great number of SNG tournaments gives players a large selection of poker variants to play on these tournaments. Therefore, players can test their playing skills on Texas Hold’Em, Omaha, Three-Card Poker etc. This, alongside the fact that the gaming sessions are short, players can try various poker variants within several hours rather than play the same game for a whole day.
The best-known and the most effective SNG playing strategy is playing slowly and tightly in the beginning. This lets other players to take high risks and possibly be forced out of the game while you keep your stack on a fair level. This is particularly helpful later in the game when the blinds are higher and the aggression is usually stronger. Sometimes, it’s also smart to go all-in in order to scare other players and steal their blinds for future rounds. In case a player manages to get to the part when the last three players are facing off each other, it’s the best to try and make out the most of it. Namely, the third place receives 20%, whereas the second player gets slightly higher 30% of the prize pot; this means that the difference isn’t too high and therefore at this point players should try everything in order to end up winning the tournament and receiving the 50% of the prize pot.
With the rise of online gambling, Sit’N’Go tournaments have found their way to popular online poker rooms too. Therefore, not only players can enjoy a rich variety of SNGs in land-based casinos, they can also find them online as well. In terms of the gameplay, the rules and the prize pools usually depend on the tournament and the operator that organises it.
However, there is one thing that players must do prior to being able to participate in such online SNGs; namely, they must register with an operator by creating a funded account. There is usually a minimum deposit amount that must be uploaded using an accepted payment method such as credit card or e-wallet. Afterwards, those funds are used for paying the tournament’s buy-in as well as like playing chips.
Once a player pays the buy-in, they are seated on a table with other players and the action starts as soon as all the seats are taken. Then, each player has a virtual playing screen with virtual buttons and virtual cards. They use the appropriate buttons to call, raise and fold. One by one players are forced out of the game until only one winner is crowned.
The software is responsible for dealing and shuffling the cards, to rewarding the prizes to the players and so on. High-quality poker software provides for smooth gambling sessions in a realistically designed atmosphere. Moreover, they are often tested for fairness and thus guarantee 100% random outcomes.
