18 Man SnG Strategy Guide For My Fellow Members

There's a lot of strategy posts and ideas revolving around cash tables, MTTs, STTs, etc. But what about those of you playing the multi-table SnGs like 18mans and 45mans? I'm going to first go over 18mans and if the response is good put up a similar one with 45man strategy.

The 18-mans greatly differ to STTs (6/9/10-person SnGs) for several reasons:

1. Obviously, there are two-tables to start instead of one
2. There are two bubbles which differ slightly. The final table bubble which typically doesn't last very long and the money bubble which sometimes can.
3. The FT bubble's blind levels are less than STT's money bubble level, and the money bubble's blind levels are higher than STT's money bubble level.
4. It's more imperitive you play tighter earlier on and open up completely in certain spots.

So lets go into some discussion on some of these points until we get into more specific playing styles.

First off, like most SnGs, you should be playing very tight early on. This is especially true in 18-mans. There's absolutely no reason to get very aggressive early on. There are a few reasons for this, but if nothing else for this reason:

The final table bubble is one of the more crutial parts of the 18-mans. Many of not all people who play these don't realize this.

Like any bubble of just about any game, you want to be playing really aggressive. What's more important about opening up during the FT bubble (when there's 5-6 people at your first table) is that because most people don't really consider it a bubble. So basically what you have is people striving for the final table, but this time you rarely have anyone vying for any of the chips just sitting there. Even if blinds are 25/50 or 50/100 or even higher, you have a lot of opportunities to chip up a little bit before you hit the FT. This is huge.

So because you have opportunities to chip up before you even hit the FT without just playing really aggressively, there's very little reason to go crazy early on. Instead, play smart, play aggressively if certain +EV opportunities arise, but other than that hang back. That way you can enjoy the FT bubble before you hit the FT.

Once you've hit the Final Table..

Here's where blinds are typically around 50/100 or 75/150. Similar to the very beginning of the SnG, you want to stay relatively tight here. If you are around 2500-3000, you're fine on chips at this point. Chip up when you can, but keep in mind the table is still fairly full and there's usually at least a few shortstacks..so look out for that.

If you are a shortstack around 5-12 BB's, you should be looking to chip up. You don't necessarily want to go for the double up. This is very crutial in playing these FT's so that by the time it's getting near the bubble you're no longer a shortstack.

With 5-6 BB's, you should look for a hand to shove with in late position. Try to stay away from making light shoves in early or middle position with hands like K9os and A5. I'd much rather wait and shove 89os on the button than A5 in middle position.

With a few more BB's but still short, look for opportunities to 3-bet shove. This is where bigger stacks are raising a lot (like they should be) and you are shoving over them hoping to take down the pot there.

If you have around 5-10bbs and you're in the BB and it folds to the small blind who completes, you should be shoving just about every hand here.

So even if you were a short stack or you have just been chipping up normally all SnG, by the time there's 5-6 people left you should be pretty fine on chips. However, even with a decent stack, blinds are still going to be around 300/600 so you may still need to stay pretty active. Here's where we enter our SECOND bubble.

On the second bubble, the MONEY bubble, you must be able to stay aggressive. If folded to you in the small blind, you can't be afraid to try to shove-steal into the BB. When you're making shoves like this, it's important to do so in late position in almost every instance. The later position, the better.

Obviuosly with 5-10 bb's at this level as well with 5-6 people at the table making shoves in EP or MP is fine, but remember if you're trying to steal you have more people to get through. With a decent hand though, obviously you should be able to shove.

With situations like these, if you get called and you lose or you're called by a worse hand and lose don't get discouraged. The point of these games are to make correct +EV shoves at +EV situations and that's all there is to it. If you get called occasionally, that will happen. But I'd rather take the chance that that'll happen once in awhile since other times we're chipping up and we're getting a big stack.

Once you're in the money the rest of the game basically plays itself out. If you're a big stack, you want to be targeting the middle stack(s). That way when there's a shortstack, he'll be folding a lot to make a little bit more money.

Do everything you can not to get in too many confrontations with the shortstacks. Keep them in the game and steal chips off the middle stacks.

If you're a middle stack, look at trying to steal against these big stacks. Most of their raises will be pure steals. And if they're not, they will fold very often cause they are afraid to double someone up.

When you're a complete shortstack, do what you can to try to chip up. Often times you won't have fold equity (meaning they'll have to call you) or you'll have too few chips that you'll get called by a lot of hands though not all of them. Just don't get rattled, hang in there and try to stay in the game.

There's really not much more to discuss about these games, they sort of play themselves out..so lets recap:

1) Play early stages very tight and just chip up in smaller situations
2) Play the final table bubble with 5-6 people at your first table aggressively and pick up pots often
3) When you make the final table, don't get too active early on if you're a middle/big stack. If you're a small stack, look at making some steal shoves in later position often or against weak limpers.
4) If you're a big stack on the bubble steal often and pick on those shortstacks just trying to make it. If you're a middle/shortstack, don't be afraid to try to steal or make shoves to keep yourself in the game or maintain your chipstack.
5) Upon making the money, play your big stack smart and don't look to double anybody up. If you're a middle/shortstack try to make shoves where they are unlikely to fold. And if they are calling, try to get it in ahead at all times.

That's it for now. Feel free to post 18-man situations or questions here if I didn't address certain aspects of these games. These are extremely profitable at just about every level, especially the $1.75-$6.50 levels..