SNG Strategy - 10 Early Game Tells

1-table tournaments are hugely popular on the web, and involve some significant strategy adjustments when compared to a standard poker idn money game. With the later stages, and specially the 'bubble' (when only 1 more player has to bust before the paying places) so crucial, it is key that you predict how different players will react during this stage of the game.

Below is a list of 10 vital things to look out for throughout the early stages, when chips are plentiful and the pressure low - along with what these signs can inform you of a particular players late game and bubble strategy.

- Early Game: Take note of any hands which players call raises with, this is an enormous clue regarding kind of hand they will appear with afterwards at the bubble.

- Check-Raises: Look out for check-raisers, some players use this more often than not when out of position and others check and then fold. Exploiting a serial check-raiser is very easy, you get to take free cards in some situations and these players will frequently help you build a big pot too! Check-raisers are used to playing backwards, so expect more late game bluffs too.

- Unusual Bet Sizes Early / Mid Game: Note players who make 4x or bigger open raises, this is the mark of an inexperienced on line player or can be a hint that they have a hand they don't really want to visit a flop with, such as a mid-pair. Inexperienced opponents tend to call 'light' at the bubble.

- Open Limpers: Again, inexperience often leads to an excessive amount of limping in to the pot. These players are unlikely to be adhering to a tight-early / push late strategy and can make classic bubble errors. Watch for players who frequently raise then suddenly limp-in, this is often a big hand.

- Super-Tight Players: Make a note of people who play extremely little hands for the first few levels, they can easily be good players employing a 'Pushbot' type of strategy.

- Shows: Each time a player gets a walk in the big blind and shows his trash hand, bets and then shows a bluff or shows a strong hand after everyone folds the turn - you should positively make an email. Again there is a high likelihood that this player is inexperienced, especially showing rags in the blind and revealing bluffs. Experienced grinders realize that SNGs are too short for such non-sense and have seen enough of pokers variations that they do not need to show you their cards.

- Bluffing Dry Side Pots: Most players in SNGs will check a hand down each time a player is all-in. People who bet when there is no second pot to win (only the one that the all-in player can win) and then show a weak holding are usually inexperienced... provisionally assign them the 'Push too tight, call too light' bubble ranges.

- Bubble Calls, Hopefully this 1 is obvious, when you see a call at the bubble which looks 'light' immediately take a note that can help you put this player on a better array of hands next time around.

- Bubble Raise / Folds: When you see a player with 12 blinds or less raise 3x and fold to a re-raise you can be pretty certain they don't understand the details of prize-pool equity (based on the actual fact that they don't really understand pot-odds! ).

- Push-Bots: This term refers to players who are pushing all-in at nearly every opportunity, often good players! You can assign these types a massive range, though you know you still can't call with no premium hand, right!