Poker Stars Steps Strategy + Overview
Your Guide To The Pokerstars PCA Steps SNGs
Poker Stars Steps Sit N Goes Could Turn $7.50 Into A $12k Caribbean Adventure Package!
Details Right Here
Poker Stars have introduced a brand new way of qualifying for the ‘PokerStars Caribbean Adventure 2008’ via steps SNG tournaments. This article shows how these work and suggests some of the important strategy adjustments required for the end-game play.
The dates for the PCA are Jan 5th to 10th 2008 – it takes place in the luxurious Atlantis Resort and Casino, last years winner Ryan Daut took home a cool $1.5 million making this EPT event one of the biggest around.
PokerStars Steps Sit And Go Overview
There are 6 ‘steps’ to go through to win your seat. While you can buy-in directly at any stage many players start at step 1 with a $7.50 (or 500 FPP) entry fee. The first two finishers in each step get a ticket to the next level, while the lower places get ‘try again’ entries into the lower steps.
There is a graphic showing the details of the qualification path at the bottom of this article – Poker Stars Step SNG Qualification Path.
Once you are on the Poker Stars Steps SNG ladder you can not jump off! That is to say that ‘tickets’ are not redeemable for cash or for T$ / W$. In addition the prize itself is non-exchangeable… you win a seat you gotta go!
The final step changes from a 1 table to a 2 table SNG – with no less than 3 PCA packages awarded.
PokerStars Steps Sit And Go Strategy – Early Stages
The lower steps have their fair share of inexperienced opponents. Here the best strategy is to stay tight early, play hands with high implied-odds value (small pairs / suited connectors) and to follow the bluff less but value bet more line that works best against inexperienced opposition.
The blind levels are 15 minutes which should leave plenty of room for post-flop play. This can seem rather slow to players more used to the poker stars turbo SNG structure.
PokerStars Steps Sit And Go Strategy – Bubble Play
The bubble in Steps SNGs creates some interesting situations. Depending on which step you are playing in, as many as 6 of the 9 places will be awarded some kind of prize – though this will often be less than the initial buy-in (move down a step / try again).
Since many of the people playing these steps will not be the SNG specialists who understand dollar equity models (ICM) you will need to adjust your shove / call ranges in two different ways.
- Firstly to account for the different prize structure
- Secondly to account for the potentially loose calling ranges of opponents
The prize structure paying the top 2 equally means that you do not need all the chips on the table. The presence of one or more short stacks thus has a bigger effect on your bubble play than in a ‘normal’ SNG tournament. Avoid playing big pots with the other large stacks here and keep the pressure up on the small stacks by stealing their blinds regularly.
For more information on bubble play check out our comprehensive Sit N Go Strategy section which includes articles on SNG Calling Ranges and An Introduction to ICM.
Not already a Stars player? Find out for yourself why this superb poker site is more than twice as popular as its nearest rival! Bonus code FIRST2008 will get you a $50 sign-up bonus!
Poker Stars Step Sit N Go PCA Qualification Path
|
