5 Ways To Spot Regulars In SNG Poker Games

Here is a post I have been meaning to write for some time. Many guides and articles (including mine!) will tell you that avoiding regulars, also called ‘regs’, at the poker tables is a good thing. After all, why play the solid and (possibly) winning multi-tablers when there are so many tables with novice / occasional or just plain bad players at them! So, here we go with 5 ways to spot regulars in different sized SNG poker games.So, if you do not feel like looking up every player you meet individually on an subscription online stats service, try these 5 ideas for ‘reg spotting’ instead.

#1 – 180s / 90s / 45s SNG Tournaments

This is what started the idea for this post. The key moment with multi-table SNGs is the minute after one kicks off, you should look at who joins the waiting list for the next one straight away. For example with my favorite Full Tilt 90’s – you wait 10 minutes for a $13 to get going, then *boom* 12 to 15 players are registered for the next one immediately. While not fool-proof (random people may join anytime) these are significantly more likely to be the multi-tabling regulars. They automatically sign up for the next one when the games start… if you were going to do some checks using online stats services, these should be the first players you query.

#2 – 1 Table SNGs Here you have to look at the number of people waiting for each game. I took a screen shot of Full Tilt to demonstrate, from the $12 Turbos. Here you will see 5 out of 9 for the first one, 4 out of 9 for the next – then 3’s and 2’s. Here it is the players waiting in the games with 3 and 2 players who are most likely to be the regulars – they are not always big winners, however the are setting up a multi-tabling session and so are at least reasonably experienced.

 

#3 – Using The ‘Find’ Button Almost all sites have this feature – you can look up a player by name, either through a choice on the lobby menu, or in the case of Stars and Tilt by right-clicking at the table and choosing from the small menu which appears. This usually brings up a list of the players current tables and will show up those who are multi-tabling several of the same games. Unfortunately there is a ‘hide from search’ available too – though of course, this gives away information on its own, novices are far less likely to see the need to hide themselves from search.

#4 – You Keep Seeing The Same Old Names / Avatars Your brain is designed to spot patterns, and the same players night after night is a useful one to spot. I have a particular shade of blue on Tilt which simply means ‘have seen at the tables a lot’, as I gain more information on how they play then I fill in the text and maybe change their color code to one of my ‘type’ categories. If you see a player a few times then put them on your ‘must look up’ short-list for those stats services after the session.

#5 – Poker Pro Labs ‘Tournament Shark” Finishing off with a paid tool, from the awesome Poker Pro Labs – one which is approved by the major sites too. Tournament Shark attaches to the bottom of each table and gives you win-loss stats on each player… invaluable information on who plays a lot, who is a winner and who is a complete beginner. As you move tables, or new players come in you just hit ‘refresh’ to get the updated stats. Anyone taking their poker seriously should have a look at this quality poker tool via this link: Check Out Tournament Shark Here!  That’s the ones I came up with, if anyone has any more ideas for keeping an eye on the regulars then why not post them over in our facebook group (where I will link this article as soon as it is posted). It is http://www.facebook.com/sngplanet

GL at the tables, Mark