MTT's or Sit n Go's

[madjek]

I haven't been able to send money to a poker site lately, so I've been trying to get started through freerolls. With a small bankroll I've always stuck with sit n go's since they pay a higher percentage of players (1 table s n g's pay 3 of 10 or 2 of 6, d or n's of course pay half). But it seems like a 100 (+ or -) MTT might be easier to cash in if you're willing to let your stack be bled to death and only push with huge hands. If you can get a decent stack build up before the blinds get around 1/10 the average stack. I played a 3.30 (no rebuy) on bodog with 120 players, final 2 tables made the money. I never had more than 10000 chips but was able to squeeze into the money. Sit n go's seem to get really tough once you get to 4 or 5 players and it seems that all but maybe one player is short stacked by then (less than 10 blinds) and are either folding or shoving. Just wondering what everyone thought. I guess D or N's are safest way to build up mini bankroll, but I lose my patience after a while with them.

[Poker Orifice]

If you've played a fair number of SNG/STT & you have a solid understanding of the game (ie. learning good shove/fold play w ICM is crucial... amongst other things too obv). Yes it's tough to build a roll in the STT/SNG (regardless of what others say.... it 'used to be easy'..but these days not always so easy... many of the players (even micro players) are familiar with SNG play & then on top of that as I'm sure you know, one can run bad (get it in good & get donked on multiple occassions). It can be frustrating... & to even play break-even is decent imo.

Anyways... 'IF', you feel you have a decent 9plyr. SNG game, try playing the 27player sngs'. You get a field of players who I'd say 2/3 or more of them are losing players (1/2 the field in a $5-27 are total donks)... with maybe 5 or 6 solid players (who are actually making a good ROI in them (ROI+20-30% is not uncommon for 27plyr. regs., whereas ROI+5-10% is good in the 9man sng's).

The 27's are a good bankroll builder imo (I'm referring to Fulltilt here.... not sure where you're playing?).

If you're playing on Bodog, I think it's alot easier to have a decent winrate there in the 9mans if you put some time into studying the game (players are generally much weaker on Bodog compared with Fulltilt... in the $2-$5 buyins anyways).

As far as MTT's go... MTT's have the highest variance of all games. Sure you might be able to be super tight and make it ITM fairly frequently (in micros it's common for players to be ITM 25% or more) but the thing is, alot of those ITM cashes are only going to be min-cashes where you're playing for 4hrs. and come away with maybe 1.5x your buyin (if you're lucky... other times it's 5hrs. for mere pennies... ie. in a 5,000 player field on Pokerstars you could play for 4-5hrs. get ITM in a $5 mtt and only win $7 (or less)). Even 40th pays minimally. With MTT's it the occassional deeprun that covers the buyins for all of the others. Decent MTT regs. who play ALOT of tourneys (20 or more per day... some of them ALOT more) are usually only ITM 9-11% and will often go 50+ tourneys without a decent cash... HUGE downswings are the norm. THey suggest you have at least 100buyins in your roll for the level you wish to play at ($10,000 if you're playing $100 buyins,... $500 if it's $5's, etc.). In the micros you can probably get away with 50buyins (because you'll be ITM more often).
More on MTT play:
In mtts you'll often be doing great, nearing bubble on say a 40-50bb stack.. then you might pick up a monster, MP raises... aggrotard 3bets in CO.. you 4bet with AA/KK.. he 5bet shoves & it's obv a snapcall. BOOM.. your 80/20 gets donked when his 10-10 flops a '10' and you're out... bink.. 'gg'.
Stuff similiar to this is common

[Poker Orifice]

With whatever game you choose..... put in the time to study (it pays off!).
DoNs.. there's LOTS or regs. in them (personally I don't like them).

Try those 27plyr sng's. (if you're on Fulltilt that is).

When playing the 27's, know that the tables will become short-handed don a few occassions... so being good at short-handed play (esp. with higher blinds) is quite important. You can't just sit & wait for a monster.... need to try to pick your spots so that when the tables are again full w 9players you'll have a decent stack.

[madjek]

Some good advice there, appreciate it. Right now I'm playin on bodog and carbon (only sites I could get a BR goin through freerolls) Bodog has a couple 27 seat sng's and carbon has 2 options I think, though I've yet to see anyone reg. for it. I'll keep watching and try to get in one. I got some money in FT a while ago (thanks SB) but couldn't build it up, maybe I'll get another chance. I don't even try PS freerolls. Thanks again for the advice though, makes a lot of sense.