Here are twenty mistakes that will empty your bankroll and brand you a novice. Commit a few of these mistakes during a Sit n Go, and you will have branded a big ol' scarlet 'F' on your forehead! ('F' is for Fish.)
1. Blinded out.
Better to go out fighting than to be blinded out. Start the fight well before you are desperate, while you still have enough chips to inflict damage. Tight passivity will not win a Sit n Go.
2. Being dominated.
Never let an opponent dominate your play. Fight back. That is what all-in reraises are for.
3. Calling flop, folding turn.
Consistently calling flop bets, then folding to turn bets is a certain chip waster. And, brands you a loose-weak chaser.
4. Slow playing premium hands.
Slow playing premium starting hands preflop is a sure formula for disaster. Do not allow your opponents to beat you for cheap.
5. Playing against the big blind in an unraised pot.
Be careful of the big blind in an unraised pot. He could have flopped anything. Even if the flop is ragged, a strong big blind bet should be respected.
6. Keeping short stacks honest.
When a short stack pushes all-in, just because you have a lot of chips does not mean it is your job to call. There are situations when a call is justified. There are also situations when a call is not advisable. Calling should not be thought of as a routine matter.
7. Showing your cards.
When you show your cards you are giving away free information. You may think you are being friendly, or even tricky. But, eventually all that free information can and will be used against you.
8. Wishing good luck to all.
I have kept records for the players who wish good luck to everyone at the start of a Sit n Go. Close to 98% do not make it to the money. If you are one of these players, maybe it is time to examine your attitude about the game. This is not a family reunion.
9. Chatting.
Chatting is not only a distraction, it is a lot like showing your cards. Inevitably, you give away free information that can and will be used against you. Reading chat is OK. After all, that is a steady stream of free information.
10. Bluffing when a short stack is all-in.
There will be times when your best interests are served by cooperating with an opponent to eliminate an all-in short stack. This requires that you two simply check down the hand, in hopes that one of you can beat the short stack. This is no time to bluff your opponent out of the pot.
11. Play too many pots.
Say, around VP$IP of 30% in the early rounds.
12. Push all-in too many times.
Say, four times in the first four rounds.
13. Call too many bets/raises.
Consistently calling, rather than folding or raising is a certain death sentence for your stack.
14. Lose showdowns.
Twice would be enough.
15. Fold to re-steals.
Twice would be enough here, too.
16. Frequently complete the small blind.
Completing the small blind against the big blind, without ever raising, is the same as calling too much.
17. Bluff too much.
It will not take long for your opponents to see that you are playing out of line. They will start looking you up.
18. Bet into a smooth caller.
Sometimes it's hard to avoid a trap. But, if you've been trapped twice, that's too much. So, be very wary of the smooth caller.
19. Play from out of position.
Sometimes playing from out of position can be a good bluff. But, play frequently from out of position, and you are dead meat (fish).
20. Gamble with your big stack.
This one is not just a mistake, it is a downright sin!
There are many more mistakes, but these are enough to make the point. Your mistakes quickly profile you for your opponents. You cannot escape this consequence. The better players watch and record. And, a high frequency of mistakes is hard for anyone to miss.
What can you do?
Well theoretically (it is not guaranteed), when the sharks start moving in for the kill, poke 'em in the eye with an all-in bet. That is just about your only defense. Other than learning how to play better.
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Read my Article Review of this article, Twenty Mistakes That Tell the World You Are a Sit 'n' Go Poker Fish.
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Copyright 2009 R. Steve McCollum
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