A Detailed Overview Of DoN Sit N Goes, And How Double-Ups Make Great Bankroll Builders
When I first wrote this article, Double or Nothing SNGs were relatively new – so new that I was recommending on my blog that readers get in before they settle down and become filled with ‘regulars’. These games are sometimes called ‘Double-Up’ SNGs, this is exactly the same game, just a different name.
Fast forward to today, and these games have settled down a lot. They are now part of the offerings of most poker rooms, and yes, a lot of the games have filled with multi-tablers using them to build a bankroll! Meanwhile, PokerStars, who started the ball rolling with these games, moved over to their unique Fifty50 format – which pays half the prize pool in DoN format, and the other half based on chip-stacks at the point the game ends. More on that game here.
Some good news.
There is still plenty of money to be made in DoN Sit n Goes – You just need to understand the strategy and spend some time making sure you play in the softest games!
I have the strategy aspects covered in detail in my Double Or Nothing Sit n Go Strategy article. This page is a FAQ for players new to this format covering how these games work, what makes them great for building a bankroll and where the money comes from in the games. I will end it will my current recommendations for soft games both US and non-US readers (for more detail on what the sites offer in DoN format you can check this article)
Double Or Nothing Sit n Goes – How Do They Work?
You join a 1-table tournament, 10 players being the most common format. The blinds and antes increase putting pressure on everyone’s stack. Once you get down to exactly 5 players, the game ends. The 5 remaining players get twice their buy-in (minus the poker site fee) and those who busted get nothing.
Double Or Nothing Sit n Goes – What Games And Variations Are Available?
The number of games and variations have expanded massively over the last few years. No-Limit Holdem and Pot-Limit Omaha (occasionally Hi-Lo) are the main games, with 10 and 6 player tables. The speed of these games varies across different sites, with standard (7 to 10 minute blind levels), Turbo (3 to 5 minutes) and Hyper / Super-Turbo (100 to 300 starting chips, 2 minute blinds) all competing for your attention. Buy-ins now start at less than a dollar, most games come in below $10 and you'll find action up to around $30 on the bigger sites - above this you are looking at waiting for games to kick-off.
Double Or Nothing Sit n Goes – Look Out For Variations In The Fees!
This is an important tip. Some sites charge the standard 10% fee for their double-up games, while others have fees of between 6% and 8%. These often go down as the games get faster.
This makes a huge difference to your returns at the end of the month. If you are making 50c per game on average, and paying 25c more in fees than at a rival site – then you could be better off playing somewhere ‘tougher’ with lower fees. For example making 40c profit instead, but avoiding the extra 25c would leave you 15c a game better off… multiply this by 1000 games a month and the difference does start to add up.
Double Or Nothing Sit n Goes – What Makes Them Great For Building A Bankroll?
Of all the games these are the easiest to multi-table. Your strategy is very mechanical, with very few spots needing serious thought or consideration of opponent ranges. For me there are like an extreme version of the SNG strategy I outline in my free course, the Sit N Go Blueprint. You stay ultra-tight early, steal a lot in the middle and then play a push / fold game based on math and ranges (+ experience level of different opponents) at the end.
Combine the easy-of-multi-tabling with the huge popularity of these games, and you have a great way to build a bankroll with the following formula.
Easy To Multi-Table Strategy + Popular Games + VIP Rewards Schemes = Big Bankroll!
Like all Sit N Go formats, it is a rare player who will stay with the format forever. Instead they make a great way to build you roll, then use this to take a shot at MTT or Cash Game play later on.
Double Or Nothing Sit n Goes – Where Does Your Profit Come From?
In every form of poker, your profit comes from players who make mistakes. What makes Double-up games popular, is that novices will not even know that they are making mistakes.
Bubble play dictates very tight calling ranges, and I mean top 2% tight in many situations. Bad calls spew a lot of equity here, the upside is so small compared to the risk. For example, with an ‘average’ stack and 6 people left you might have $1.70c in equity over the long run. With a payout of $2 for the top 4, the risk of all that equity for 30c more would have to be mathematically sound. Novices instead think that it is good enough to beat their opponent’s range. Taking a 60% / 40% edge getting a price of 7-to-1 will never make sense. You can make a lot of money from these mistakes!
Double Of Nothing Sit n Goes – What Makes Some Games Softer Than Others?
You have a choice, play at the coolest sites, with 7 regulars who know the strategy backwards in each game… or spend some time seeking games with new players who know very little poker strategy.
Most people know there are bigger profits available outside of the big name sites.
Yet very few of them choose to play there.
Beats me why!
Planet Mark’s Rec: The Easiest Sit and Goes Online are Over at America’s Cardroom!
You can use them to grow a bankroll, qualify for online tournaments, or even to help you win a seat in the World Series.
Instead of tables full of ‘regulars’ who know the math, bubble strategy and hand ranges, ACR Poker is recreational. Compare the fields to the bigger sites, and you will quickly see how soft they are for yourself.
You can get your bankroll off to a flying start with a 100% matched bonus using referral code: SNGPLANET
Check out the latest promos and tournament events for yourself now, over at www.americascardroom.eu!
