As some of you know, I have been teaching Low-Limit SNG classes recently, with tremendous success, as well as improved results for the vast majority of my students. After my 50th lesson, I have noticed I am correcting the same leaks for very many of the people I teach.

I want to share with you the most common mistakes I am seeing and the best fixes for each:

- Playing at a level above their head on a regular basis.

Many students, who are proven winners at the $5.00 level are playing mostly $10 SNGs, for a losing ROI. I suspect this is because they feel they can dominate the lower level, and at one time, had a measure of success, or a hot run at the level they are losing on.

Keep good records, and take an honest look at your ROI. If the level you are beating is running at 15% or less ROI, in most cases you have no business moving up. Let's say your ROI is 12% in $5.50 SNGs (.66 profit/SNG), you are going to need a 6% ROI in the $11 SNGs to acheive the same profit. It isn't going to happen. Keep results over a long period of time, and honestly examine them. It is our nature as poker players to challenge ourselves. Be sure not to take this to the extreme.

- Playing too many tables at once.

From my experience, Multi-tabling causes about an 8% drop in ROI (of course this varies, depending on the competency level of the player trying it.)

Therefore, I recommend no less than a 16% ROI at the current level you are playing, in order to try multitabling.

Example: Mark Multitabler has a 5% ROI (avg $.50 profit) in the $10 SNGs, but wants to play four at once. Under the best circumstances, Mark's ROI will be slightly negative. (appx $1.20 loss per session)

This usually occurs due to boredom. If you are paying attention to the table you are on, even when not in the hand, trying to pick up betting patterns, you will not be bored.

- Playing poor hands out of position.

Many players are playing any ace, suited connectors, or any two paint cards, in any position. Position is one of the keys in poker, and the earlier you enter the pot, the stronger hand you must have to realize a profit playing the hand. Nine handed, under the gun, this means playing AQ or better, if unpaired, and hands like any ace, and paint cards should generally be played in position, and much of the time, only if the pot is unopened.

- Calling raises with inadequate values preflop.

Many players are calling raises with hands such as KQ and AJ, and in many cases, much worse. It's seldom correct to call a raise. Most often the proper action is to reraise, or fold. Folding AQ, or a medium pair should be standard against most raises from early position, as you will often end up playing a guessing game.

- Not believing opponents might have a hand.

Many players are calling big bets with marginal hands, failing to realize the bettor may very well have a hand. Some players instantly put their opponent on a given hand and keep that thought in their head without an open mind that their initial read could be wrong. They see an opponent bluff once or twice, and then think they have nothing and are just trying to steal the pot. Be sure that you have a solid read before you make a marginal call.

- Failing to respect a check-raise.

Most low limit players do not have the wherewithal to attempt a check-raise bluff, and a check-raise is almost always consistant with a huge hand. Even if you have a very good hand, you need to be cautious about proceeding here. Folding is usually the best option.

- Bluffing loose opponents too frequently.

Many players at these levels call any bet with even a shred of a hand. If you are going to try a big bluff, ensure that you have some type of read that says you will likely succeed, or make a play at a pot that has been uncontested thus far.

- Failing to bet enough to chase draws out of the hand.

I'll see a player bet 100 into a 400 pot with top pair, or bet half the pot into a scary flop that could easily be damaged by a bad turn card. Many players at this level will chase very many hands, and you need to make them pay to outdraw you. If not, you are going to feel unlucky.

Most bets should have teeth. 2/3 of the pot is a standard bet in No Limit play.

- Failing to raise unopened pots preflop.

Too often I will see a player limp a hand such as KJo or A7o in late position in an unopened pot. This is a good way to get a good second-best hand, and get no read against the blinds, who could have anything!

My recommendations: Q7+ or J10 on the button, Q9+ in the cutoff, K9+ in the hijack seat, A8+ in the next seat, and A10+ in the next seat, all for a raise. Be fast, but be first.*

* 2010 Edit: Please note that these raising recommendations were given when 30% ROI was possible in low-limit SNGs. I recommend tighter opening ranges in the tougher games these days.

- Calling/limping too much.

In no limit holdem, the proper play is most often raise or fold. Calling fails to give you the extra read you need, and the extra information you get from raising. The example I provide below is preflop, but this occurs after the flop as well.

Example:

AQ in utg+2, 9 handed. This is a hand that should be played, but many don't wish to play it for a raise, due to the fact that there are several players left to act, and they don't want to face a better hand out of position.

Let's say you limp, and the button raises: The button could have KJ+, any ace, or any pair.

Let's say you raise and are reraised by the button: The button likely has 10-10+ or AQ+.

Let's say you raise and are called by the button: The button likely has 22-99 or KJ-AJ.

What you accomplished by raising is getting information. Essentially by raising, and watching their action, you have defined their hand, giving you a better read. It's hard enough to play this hand out of position without having to guess your opponents holding. If you are limping more than twice per SNG, you are likely limping too often.

- Raising minimum preflop.

I see many players raising on a scale based on hand strength, (for instance: minimum for A9, KJ, or late pos steal, 3x for AJ, and 4x for JJ, QQ). Keep consistant, and disguise your hand. I recommend 3x the big blind.

- Failing to play huge draws with extreme aggression.

One of the most common myths in poker is that pushing all in on the flop with a flush draw is a horrid play. The truth is, that it isn't, and it's merely a just a slightly bad play. In the event that you have more than a flush draw, say a flush draw with an additional pair, openended straight draw, or a gutshot with overcards, it's time to make a huge play at the pot.

I see too many players checking these hands, hoping for a free turn card, with players left to to act. Aggression wins!

The important concept here is that your draw becomes weak after the turn if you miss, and even a 60% draw turns to 30%. Then it's too easy for someone to bet you out of the pot, and no matter what the river card is, you cannot reap the benefits without paying too much. With these hands you want to see either a turn AND river, or just the flop, winning the pot right there, therefore it is often best to just shove!

What shoving does is guarantee that you get to see both the turn and the river, and it maximizes the chances your opponent will fold (fold equity), thus adding value to your draw.

- Failing to call underdog hands with proper pot odds.

A fold I often see in this level is from the big blind, where more than 1/3 of your stack is invested, and the hand held is weak.

Let me introduce the 30% rule:

If you are heads-up in a pot, and the amount it costs to call is less than 30% of what the total pot will be, it is almost always correct to call.

- Failing to play to win, and just trying to make the money.

Most of my students coming into my classes have the idea that survival is the most important concept in a SNG, and they should never jeopardize their "tournament life", unless they are sure they are ahead! While surviving increases your ITM%, your ROI is most affected by the number of wins you attain!

In the lowest levels the majority of your opponents are thinking like that, and you should abuse them liberally!

Let me give you an example:

Q: You are in the small blind, holding two blank cards. You literally CANNOT win a showdown. Blinds are 100-200, and it's folded to you. When is it correct to raise to 600?

A: When your opponent is so tight he will fold 75%+ of the time.

Let's say your opponent folds everytime unless he has a pair, a good ace, or KQ-KJ...say 80% of the time.

In five trials, you will win 200 four times, and lose your raise once, for a total profit of 200, holding 00!

Recognize which opponents are tight, and situations where your opponents will often play tight, such as survival situations. These situations come up most often later in a SNG, and are the key to winning!

- Expecting opponents to play well.

Your opponents in a $5-10 SNG are a mix of recreational players with little clue, bad players, weak-tight players, and the occasional decent player. Your opponents will be making mistakes. It is your job to exploit these, or you will fall into the looooooooooooong list of people "who can't seem to beat donkeys".

Watch for mistakes your opponents are making, and counter appropriately. If they call too much, bet more when you have it, and bluff less. If they fold too much, bet more often, etc. They are screwing up left and right, DO NOT FORGET to adjust to this, or you will be left in the dust whining about your bad beat.

- Playing too tight early.

While playing tight early is a viable strategy in a typical medium-limit SNG, it is simply a mistake in the lowest limit SNGs, where there are usually a few players just dying to lose their money early. Get first crack at these players' money. Play a wide range of hands in late position, hoping to hit a monster. You have huge implied odds when the blinds are small, and opponents who are all too willing to call off their stack with top pair! Play hands in position, cheap, hit a monster, and bet HARD hoping for a call. You'll get it more often than not.

For more information on low-limit SNG lessons, email me at goodtime46@aol.com, or visit my site at Jennifear.com. Discounts will me made available to those who sign up for a site through a link at pocketfives.com.