Consider Sit N Goes Profitable Enough For A Steady Income? Then The SNG Grinder’s Life Is For You!
SNG Grinders are those high volume professional players who make regular profits by multi-tabling the lower to middle-limit Sit N Go tournaments. The best make many $1000’s each month. Many of today’s ‘pros’ cut their teeth as SNG Grinders, and many of tomorrows names will be building their bankrolls at the SNG tables right now. This article outlines some of the key factors involved in becoming a profitable SNG grinder – and highlights some of the expensive mistakes to avoid.
While no single aspect of learning to become a grinder is particularly difficult, the combination of skills and discipline takes some time to learn. Those players who end up with the profits are those who invest in their development as players by continually working on their games. Here we break the core skills down into 5 components.
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Becoming A SNG Professional #1 – Bankroll Management
If you are one of the many poker players who feel bankroll management does not apply to them then think again. Variance, the natural swings of fortune inherent in the game, will affect all of us at some point along the line. Ensuring that you are adequately bankrolled for the level you are playing at will protect you from long losing or breakeven runs.
The key factor to bear in mind is that you never want to be worrying about the value of money while playing at the tables. This can and will prevent you from making ‘optimal’ plays based on the situation presented. We have many articles on different aspects of Bankroll Management here at SNG Planet. Our Introduction To SNG Bankroll Management makes a solid starting point.
Becoming A SNG Professional #2 – Poker Site Selection
Headline bonus rates. Loyalty Schemes and Leaderboard Promotions are all factors to be considered when choosing where to base your SNG Career. In my experience the key factor is to counter-balance these with both the quality of the opposition (softer sites can easily add several percentage points to your ROI) and your comfort with the interface and gameplay.
If you play every game with 5 other pro grinders, your profits might be lowered so much that the bigger / better loyalty scheme does not balance this. While beating other winners might be good for the ego, the smartest grinders are those who take a more calculated approach - finding the softest games!
You'll find many articles and resources to help you find the best sites for your individual needs. Below are 2 solid recommendations in 2013 for those looking to become SNG Pros, for further information check out our Best Site For SNG Tournaments guide, which has been fully updated to account for the latest poker site closures and changes.
Solid Grinders Choice #1
PokerStars is the world’s most popular site with by far the biggest volumes of SNGs online. Re-sizable tables, smooth software and plenty of fish at the lower limits make this a serious contender. At the mid-limits ($30 to $50+ range) you will start to encounter more pros, so more table selection is required. Use Marketing Code PSP3108 when you register to claim a 100% match on up to 3 'first' deposits, Click to check out Pokerstars.com for yourself now!
Solid Grinders Choice #2
Party Poker are still huge despite no longer allowing US Players. The games fill up fast, with the additional benefit that you get to choose your seat (position on the better players being important). Party offer regular bonuses and promotions too. The opposition is markedly weaker than at many other large sites – making this a top choice for potential SNG Pros. Use bonus code SNGPLANET to claim your 100% to $500 sign-up bonus.
Becoming A SNG Professional #3 – Learning To Multi-Table
This is a must for anyone serious about making a large profit from SNGs. The key factor here is your hourly rate, or overall dollars earned per hour. While adding 8, 10, 12 or more tables will reduce your profit per table, the additional tables will more than make up for this in terms of total cash won.
We break this subject down into two parts in our detailed guide to multi-tabling SNGs. Firstly we look at the math / ROI factors and show how you can expect your profits to escalate. Secondly we look at the practical issues, these include the debates on Sets vs Continual and Tiled vs Cascaded views.
Multi-Tabling SNGs Part #1 – ROI and Profits
Multi-Tabling SNGs Part #2 – Setup Considerations
Becoming A SNG Professional #4 – Push / Fold Poker
You not only need to understand push / fold poker to become a SNG Pro – you will need to have your ‘ranges’ and ‘equity based decisions’ down to a semi-automated level. That is to say you will need to learn Poker ICM and the math behind dollar equity based decisions.
This will involve going through your own hand histories and looking for spots where you could have improved your profits. Both in terms of your own behavior (pushes / folds) and the calls of your opponents with surprising cards.
We suggest that anyone serious about making many $1000’s from SNG grinding needs to invest in a tool to assist with this analysis. SNG Wiz comes recommended for exactly this purpose, they have a 30 day free trial to get you started – just make sure you do not stop improving once the trial ends! Click the banner below to download this excellent tool. For more excellent opportunities to improve you ROI check out the reviews in our Poker Software Tools section now!
Becoming A SNG Professional #5 – Make Sure It Is Right For You!
Having the right expectations and the right mindset are as important as choosing the correct site and investing in the right tools. The excitement of poker will fade after becoming a grinder for any length of time. It is important that you are able to keep yourself motivated to put in the hours.
A Balanced lifestyle, taking regular breaks and making sure you have no distractions are all key factors – and will become especially important during those inevitable break-even or losing patches.
SNG Grinding can be hugely profitable, we wish you the best of luck and look forward to your feedback at: support@sngplanet.com
Becoming A SNG Professional #6 – SNG Training Videos
Well, the world of SNGs gets more competitive all the time – so I added tip number #6! This is to highlight the fantastic job that Cardrunners are doing in including SNGs in their line up of videos. With some of the best qualified coaches in the world – including Collin Moshman, Sippin_Criss And Faarcyde I have no hesitation in recommending readers check them out. Click now to see what Cardrunners can now do for SNG fans for yourself!
SNG Grinders - Best Place To Build A Professional SNG Bankroll - Mark's SNG Planet Verdict
Remember – selecting the right site is a critical factor. We recommend PokerStars to any player aspiring to become a SNG pro. With more games to choose from, great software to multi-table and the best VIP loyalty scheme anywhere online (known as the 'Pokerstars VIP Club') you will not find a better combination anywhere for profitably grinding those SNGs. Use Marketing Code PSP3108 when you register and Bonus Code STARS600 when you deposit to claim your 100% sign-up bonus up to $600 which can be spread over up to 3 deposits as required. Check out Pokerstars.com for yourself now to find out why they are the SNG Players number one choice!
