Back to Back SNG Victories

Last night I played in two SNGs and finished both of them in first place. During the early stages I will try to see the flop with pocket pairs as cheaply as possible and play very tightly on the flop if I don't make a set. During the later stages, when the blinds are bigger and 4 people have busted out I switch to pushing all-in preflop with a few more different hands. I think playing this way in the early stages helps me to win more pots during the later stages, when I start to get more aggressive.

During the first hand, I won my first big pot during the third level after reraising with AKs from the SB. I then pushed all-in on the flop of 8Q9 and was called by one player with QTs. I caught a king on the turn and moved into second place. It was a very risky push but it paid off.

** Happy Stream [Hold 'em] (80.00160.00 No Limit - STT) Real Money
- ronstarr sitting in seat 1 with $1480.00
- arktileman sitting in seat 2 with $800.00 [Dealer]
- MrBigStuff25 sitting in seat 3 with $960.00
- joe2001 sitting in seat 5 with $3900.00
- battleaxe32 sitting in seat 6 with $540.00
- wardcband sitting in seat 8 with $720.00
- billoz sitting in seat 9 with $1480.00
MrBigStuff25 posted the small blind - $40.00
joe2001 posted the big blind - $80.00

** Dealing card to MrBigStuff25: King of Spades, Ace of Spades
battleaxe32 folded
wardcband folded
billoz folded
ronstarr raised - $160.00
arktileman called - $160.00
MrBigStuff25 raised - $240.00
joe2001 folded
ronstarr called - $240.00
arktileman called - $240.00

** Dealing the flop: 8 of Diamonds, Queen of Clubs, 9 of Spades
MrBigStuff25 went all-in - $760.00
ronstarr called - $760.00
arktileman folded
ronstarr shows: Queen of Diamonds, 10 of Diamonds

** Dealing the turn: King of Clubs

** Dealing the river: 9 of Clubs
MrBigStuff25 wins $2320.00 from the main pot

I folded most of the rest of my hands until I picked up aces and pushed all of my chips in and only had one caller with KTo and moved back into second place again with four players left.

** Happy Stream [Hold 'em] (320.00640.00 No Limit - STT) Real Money
- MrBigStuff25 sitting in seat 3 with $1080.00
- joe2001 sitting in seat 5 with $5260.00 [Dealer]
- wardcband sitting in seat 8 with $1240.00
- billoz sitting in seat 9 with $1940.00
wardcband posted the small blind - $160.00
billoz posted the big blind - $320.00

** Dealing card to MrBigStuff25: Ace of Diamonds, Ace of Clubs
MrBigStuff25 went all-in - $1080.00
joe2001 folded
wardcband folded
billoz called - $1080.00
billoz shows: 10 of Spades, King of Clubs

** Dealing the flop: 9 of Diamonds, Queen of Diamonds, 8 of Spades

** Dealing the turn: Queen of Hearts
** Dealing the river: 2 of Spades
MrBigStuff25 wins $2320.00 from the main pot

A few hands later, when we were three-handed, I called the short stacks all-in with KJ of diamonds. The SS had AQ of spade and was eliminated after I made a flush on the turn.


** Happy Stream [Hold 'em] (320.00640.00 No Limit - STT) Real Money
- MrBigStuff25 sitting in seat 3 with $1680.00
- joe2001 sitting in seat 5 with $7080.00 [Dealer]
- wardcband sitting in seat 8 with $760.00
wardcband posted the small blind - $160.00
MrBigStuff25 posted the big blind - $320.00

** Dealing card to MrBigStuff25: Jack of Diamonds, King of Diamonds
joe2001 folded
wardcband went all-in - $760.00
MrBigStuff25 called - $920.00
wardcband shows: Ace of Spades, Queen of Spades

** Dealing the flop: 8 of Diamonds, Queen of Clubs, 7 of Diamonds
** Dealing the turn: 10 of Diamonds
** Dealing the river: 7 of Hearts
MrBigStuff25 wins $1840.00 from the main pot

We only played two hands heads up. On the first one I checked after my opponent called my BB holding 86o. The flop was 456 and I pushed. My opponent called and showed T5o and I won the hand after making a straight when a seven fell on the turn. On the second hand I pushed with 84o and my opponent called with T8o. The flop did not improve either of our hands, but I caught a miracle four on the turn and won the tournament. I was the underdog going in to the flop on each of the last three hands, but I was very fortunate to catch the cards I needed to win.

During the second tournament I played the same way during the early stages and waited until the a few players had busted out to get aggressive. The blinds were 80/160 when I pushed my remaining 720 chips in with A7o. I was hoping I would not get called but the BB pushed in his remaining 615 chips in and showed A7 of spades. He didn't get any spades and we ended up splitting the pot.

A few hands later I was in the BB and checked with 76o. I made a pot sized bet on the flop after pairing my seven and both of my opponents folded.

I moved into third when I pushed in 900 chips with T8 of diamonds, the SB called and showed Q8 of spades. The flop was 329, all hearts. I thought I was leaving in sixth place but the turn and river was a jack and a queen, making my hand a straight.

I took the chip lead when I pushed with AQo and was called the the short stack with A3s. The flop came 33J and I thought for sure I would be leaving in third place, but the turn and river brought queens and we were down to heads-up.

I didn't push with every hand I was dealt when we were down to heads up, but I did push with most of them. The tournament finally ended after I went all-in with JJ and my opponent called and show 44.

I know I was very lucky to catch the cards I needed to win both of those tournaments, but I feel like being patient and picking my battles also helped me to win them.

Current Bankroll: $322.64
Tags: Poker; Texas Hold'em; Texas Hold Em; Online Poker; SNG; Limit Hold'em