A Sit and Go (SNG) tournament is a poker event that starts as soon as the required number of players have registered, without a scheduled start time. Typically smaller and faster than regular tournaments, SNGs usually feature a single table where players compete until one remains, with prizes awarded based on final placement.
Sit & Gos (SNGs) are the perfect strategy training ground: single-table focus, quick action, and a microcosm of tournament dynamics — from early-stack play to push/fold bubble pressure.
Played right, SNGs teach you timing, ICM awareness, short-stack strategy, and how to extract maximum value from marginal spots. Play them wrong and you’ll learn the hard way: variance compounds fast in short events. This VIP Grinders guide gives you the structure, rules-of-thumb, practical shove/fold thinking, drills and cheats to dominate single-table Sit & Gos.
Sit and Go (SNG) tournaments come in various formats, each requiring distinct strategic adjustments. For example, in single-table SNGs with 9–10 players, focus is on ICM pressure and push-fold dynamics near the bubble, while Hyper SNGs demand aggressive play early on due to fast blinds and short stacks.
Heads-up and double-up SNGs emphasize post-flop skill and aggression, and multi-entry or re-buy SNGs start looser but tighten later as ICM pressure builds. Turbo and super-turbo formats speed up the blind levels drastically, pushing players to widen their push-fold ranges much earlier. Understanding these format-specific strategic shifts is essential to adapting your play and maximizing profitability across SNG variants.
| Format | Players | Typical Structure | Strategic Focus |
| Single-table SNG (9–10 players) | 9–10 | Standard blinds, fixed payouts | ICM/bubble play, push-fold dynamics |
| Hyper SNG | 6–9 | Fast blinds, small stacks | Preemptive aggression, exploit pre-bubble |
| Double-up / Heads-up SNG | 2–4 | Fast, winner-take-more in heads-up | Heads-up postflop skill, aggression |
| Multi-entry / Re-buy SNG | 6–10 | Rebuys in early period | Early looseness, late tighten for ICM |
| Turbo / Super-turbo | 6–10 | Rapid blind increases | Push-fold ranges widen early |
Early Stage:
Middle Game:
Late Game / Bubble:
These guidelines help you adjust your approach dynamically based on your effective stack size relative to the blinds. Applying these heuristics consistently can significantly improve your decision-making and overall tournament performance.
Stack size — measured in big blinds (bb) — is your primary decision engine. Below are practical heuristics; memorize them.
| Effective Stack (bb) | Typical Strategy |
| >40bb | Full postflop game — focus on value extraction and pot control. |
| 25–40bb | Mix of postflop and shove pressure; use squeezes and 3-bets. |
| 12–25bb | Standard shove/call zone — widen open-shove and defend less. |
| 6–12bb | Push/fold only — shove many hands from late position; call tighter. |
| <6bb | Power-shove — push extremely wide; fold extremely tight to shoves if short. |
ICM (Independent Chip Model) converts chip EV into prize EV; near the bubble, survival is often worth more than marginal chips. Here are 3 simple ICM Sit and Go rules:
Practical ICM tip: if you’re unsure, default to survival on the bubble unless you have clear fold equity or a read.
| Format | Buy-in Guideline (Conservative) |
| Regular 9-max SNGs | 100–200 buy-ins |
| Hyper SNGs | 200+ buy-ins (higher variance) |
| Heads-up SNGs | 150+ buy-ins |
SNGs are variance-heavy relative to cash — treat them like MTTs for bankroll planning. Track ROI per format and adjust buy-ins accordingly.
Play tight and conservative, focusing on strong value hands due to deep stacks and low risk of elimination. Avoid unnecessary bluffs and speculative plays early on to preserve your stack.
Position is critical; playing more hands in late position and avoiding out-of-position confrontations helps realize equity better and control pot size. Aggressive plays and 3-bets should be positionally aware.
Aggression should increase during the middle stages as blinds rise and stacks shrink, allowing for more pressure through squeezes, 3-bets, and occasionally shoves to accumulate chips and exploit opponents.
Your effective stack size relative to big blinds dictates strategy: deep stacks (>40bb) favor postflop play and value extraction; medium stacks (12–40bb) involve mix of shoves and postflop; shallow stacks (<12bb) call for push/fold strategies with wide shoving ranges.
Play more cautiously to preserve your stack since elimination before the money is costly, but also look for opportunities to pressure medium stacks. Bubble dynamics may allow selective aggression to steal blinds and antes.
Heads-up requires wider ranges and increased aggression due to fewer opponents and blinds cycling quickly. Ballpark your opponent’s tendencies and adjust bluffing and value ranges accordingly for better edge.
