Head To Head: Which is the best site for SNGs?
We Compare The ‘Big-2’ Side By Side To Ask The Important Question:
Which Is The Best Site For Sit N Go Players?
So much debate around the internet about the best SNG Poker Site… this article takes this question away from personal preferences and anecdotes and lines up the facts side by side. This is the first in a new series of articles comparing sites on the factors that matter to the Sit N Go Player. Here we ask whether Poker Stars or Full Tilt Poker is the best site for Sit N Goes.
Best Site for SNGs – Criteria #1 – Blind Structures
Poker Stars
Starting stacks are 1500 chips and each table has 9 players. Blinds go up every 10 minutes (standard SNGs) and 5 minutes (turbo SNGs). The schedule 20, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 200 (ante 25), 400 (ante 25), 600 (ante 50), 800 (ante 50) and 1200 (ante 75).
Full Tilt Poker
Starting stacks are again 1500 on 9 player tables. Full Tilt have slightly shallower blind increases, balanced by a slightly faster increase rate (6 minutes for ‘Standard’ and 3 minutes for ‘Turbo SNGs’. The schedule: (Big Blind) 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120, 160, 200, 240, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800, 1000. No ante is used in Full Tilt SNGs.
Best Site for SNGs – Criteria #2 – Fees / Rake
Poker Stars
The SNG fees at Poker Stars are different for the standard and turbo games. The standard game fees reduce as you move up the levels, with the smallest level having a 20% rake ($1+20c), the small to mid-levels having a standard 10% and the higher levels reducing from this ($100+$9, $200+15, up to $2000+$90). Turbo SNGs have a smaller fee starting at $3+40c then $6+50c, $15+$1, $27+$2, $55+5 and going up to $2100+$90
Full Tilt Poker
The smallest buy-in SNGs at Full Tilt are $2.25c, the standard fee then falls to 10% of the buy-in for the standard speed games up to the $100 level where the fee reduces to $9, this is reduced for the higher buy in games $200+$16 and $1000+$50 are examples. The turbo SNGs have a slightly lower rake than the standard games, $11+1 and $35+$3 for example.
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #3 – Game Selection
Poker Stars
Stars have a big selection of No Limit Texas Holdem SNGs including many buy-in levels of standard and turbo games. They include heads-up, 6-max sit and go tournaments and many multi-table SNGs from 18 up to 180 players. Pot Limit and Fixed Limit Omaha games are available (including Hi/Lo) as are Razz, HORSE, HOSE, Stud, 5 card draw and 2/7 triple draw. Poker Stars also offer a wide range of satellites which lead to seats in their main tournaments, these start at just $2 or entered with Frequent Player Points.
Full Tilt Poker
Again No Limit Holdem SNGs are the most numerous, heads-up, standard, turbo and multi-table SNGs up to 90 players are available at a wide range of limits, pot-limit and fixed limit betting structures are also available. Pot Limit Omaha Sit and Goes (inc Hi/Lo), 7-Card Stud (inc Hi/Lo), Razz and ‘Mixed Game’ SNGs (Holdem / Omaha + HORSE) are also available.
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #4 – Traffic Volumes
Poker Stars
Stars is the number #1 in terms of traffic volumes. Sit and Go tournaments at all levels fill up very fast during peak hours. The lower levels ($20 and below) often fill within 1 minute. Multi Table SNGs also fill quickly, the $4+40c 180 Player SNGs going off each 10 to 15 minutes during busy periods.
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt is currently the second busiest online poker room and is growing fast. SNG tournaments at the lower limits fill very fast at peak times. Waiting time for the less popular games (Razz etc) can be a little longer. The multi-table and satellite SNGs also fill quickly, especially at the lower limits and at peak hours,
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #5 – Software
Poker Stars
The Poker Stars client is fast and easy to use. Navigation to SNG tournaments comes under a dedicated SNG tab which opens an area allowing you to view the games under micro, low, medium and high limits and also divides into 1-table and Multi-Table games. There is a filter available to narrow your selection of game type and betting limit for future reference. The tables can be re-sized and Stars will remember screen position and seating preferences. You can also upload a personal icon for display at the tables.
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt’s software is considered to be the best in the online poker industry. It is fast to load, easy on your computer’s resources and has a fun cartoon-like look and feel. The sit and go tab in the lobby can be further divided into 1-Table, Multi-Table, Heads-Up and Satellites views. The games are then displayed in descending order with small labels indicating turbo and 6-max games. A ‘Custom Filter; is included which saves your preferences for game type, buy-in level and other variations. Tables can be re-sized during play to assist multi-tablers.
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #6 – Opposition
Poker Stars
Poker Stars has a reputation for some of the tougher opponents on the web. While this may be true of the higher limits, the low to mid-limits have a fair share of fish and are beatable by the thinking SNG player. Some mid-limit games ($16 and $27 turbo SNGs in particular) attract multi-table ‘grinders’. These are people who play 12 or more tables at once. Table selection can be important here as there is a danger of multiple winning sit n go players at the same tables.
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt has a share of winning players at the higher limits but the lower to middle limit SNGs are slightly softer than the equivalent games at Poker Stars. Opposition is particularly weak during the peak times in the afternoons and evenings US-time. While the multi-table grinders do play at Full Tilt there tend to be less of these players per table than you find at Poker Stars.
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #7 – Satellites
Poker Stars
SNG Satellites are a feature over at Poker Stars. These range from single table SNG Freeroll tournaments for a few Frequent player Points (FPPs) to bigger buy-in multi-table satellites to the larger online MTTs (for example the Sunday Million). A common SNG satellite type are double-shootout tournaments, the winner of the first tables going to a final table SNG with big payouts for the top places. 18, 36 and 45 player satellite SNGs are available. For satellite specialists Poker Stars allow you to win multiple entries into any event, the additional entries are awarded ‘Tournament Dollars’ (T$) which can be used to enter any tournament including SNGs.
Full Tilt Poker
The SNG Satellite system at Full Tilt awards ‘Tournament Tokens’ which can be exchanged for entry into specific buy-in levels of tournament. They also have many ‘special’ satellites which give entry into very large buy-in one off events such as the FTOPS championship. Buy-ins to SNG satellites start from as little as 50 FPPs and go right up to 100’s of dollars. In addition to single table SNG satellite qualifiers there are 18, 27, 36 and even 54 player satellites available – number of places awarded depending on the buy in level and the specific tournament you are qualifying for.
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #8 – Bonuses
Poker Stars
The sign-up bonus for Poker Stars is a 100% match on your first deposit up to $50. This clears very quickly and is boosted throughout the year by reload bonuses. The percentage of tournament (SNG) fees returned when clearing the sign-up bonus is the equivalent of $50c for every $1.
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt offer a 100% match on first deposit up to $600, again this will clear relatively fast. Reload bonuses have been regularly awarded several times each year. The percentage of tournament fee returned when clearing any bonus is the equivalent of 42c for every $1.
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #9 – VIP Clubs
Poker Stars
Players at Poker Stars will earn 5 FPPs for every $1 in SNG Fees. These are accumulated and can be spent in the Stars shop or used for freeroll tournament or satellite entries. Poker Books start at 1000 FPPs and Electronic Items from 5000 FPPs. In addition each player is given a VIP level depending on the number of points earned, special freerolls with prize pools from $20k to $100k are held on a monthly and weekly basis depending on your VIP level.
Full Tilt Poker
Players at Full Tilt earn 7 FPPs for every $1 in SNG or tournament fees. Again the options for spending these are freeroll SNG tournaments (or Multi-Table Freerolls) or the online store. Poker Books start at 3000 points and electronic items are from 20000 points. Freerolls are entered depending on your VIP level (points earned last month). Full Tilt feature the ‘Iron Man’ monthly freeroll tournament, the winners of the initial multi-table tournament gain entry to a SNG with a $50k Prize Pool.
Best Site For SNGs – Criteria #10 – Misc / Promotions
Poker Stars
A regular feature at Poker Stars are the ‘Double Shootout’ SNG Tournaments. These take the form of 2 Sit and Goes – the winner of the first table moving on to the 2nd where the real prizes begin. These are usually satellites to the bigger online multi-table tournaments such as the Poker Stars Sunday Million.
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt reward regular SNG players via their monthly SNG leader-board contest. Winning the most SNGs in a month gets you a prize worth up to 20 of your most common buy-in. The leader board is divided into 2, high-limit for those playing the $24+2 SNGs and higher, and low-limit for smaller buy-in SNGs. The top 100 players in each category are awarded a bonus at the end of each month.
The SNG Planet Verdict:
Both sites have plenty of choice, traffic and similar fees. Both offer VIP clubs, satellite and freeroll SNGs… the important criteria that differentiate the 2 rooms are the sign-up bonuses and the quality of the opposition. Here Full Tilt take the lead with a $600 bonus and less winning players, especially at the low to mid-limit SNGs.
For thinking SNG players we recommend Full Tilt as your first choice – use bonus 6 referral code SNGPLANET to get the full $600 sign-up bonus… check them out here today!
Poker Stars should not be lightly dismissed, their generous VIP club and wide selection of games make them an excellent SNG players choice…. Check them out here the bonus code is FIRST2008.
Related Articles
|
