Playing Ahead

I do seem to play better when short stacked. I'm quite comfortable to sit and wait in say an mtt, confident that I can play my way back in.

That isnt a boastful statement about my game since in many ways I think playing short-stacked is easier (and particularly if you are very short stacked) Decisions are pretty clear cut: In very simple terms, raise or fold, call nothing, play very aggressively with your top hands and look for blind stealing opportunities.

My question here relates to playing when you are ahead and specifically in, say, a SnG (anything from 1 to 5 tables is what I often play)

Let's say you're the chip leader. You have up to 2 or 3 times the average stack, and you're in the latter stages (ie you've just made the final table or in a larger SnG, half you're opponents have gone out) What is your strategy here?

I've actually just had a great month with regards to SnG's and had an incredible run of getting paid in 15 out of 20 SnG's (I'm under no illusion that this good luck will continue- and it hasnt! lol)

It seems to be a recurring problem -I may be ahead at the table but a little unsure of what I should be trying to do. Should I be using my stack to bully, to call more marginal hands, to risk stealing more blinds? or should I tighten up, sit on my stack and play just premuim hands and take those pretty sure-fire stealing opportunities?

On the one hand I've lost a lead through loosening up and calling on marginals and on the other hand I might of played tighter, made some money but not necessarily first prize. In these cases I've sometimes felt that I missed chances to blow the game apart or dispose of dangerous players.

All games are different and we change strategies accordingly but I just wondered if anybody had any general strategies they often use when playing a big stack? Any thoughts?

7letters

Sounds like you're a pretty good SNG player. Personally if Im big stacked then I tighten up and observe how the rest of the table are playing. If they are loose then I really tighten up and if they are tight then I loosen my starting hands. I do attempt to blind steal alot when people are one off making the cash no matter how big my stack is. I also avoid confrontations with 2nd and 3rd place if their stacks are comparable to my own.
If I have a massive amount of chips compared to the rest of the table then I have to admit to bullying the short stacks.

Thanks for that Cadmunkey and yeh, I see where youre coming from and it all makes sense. I do seem to play ok at sng's on the whole (the 15 outa 20 I'll put down to a rush and and an abundance of confidence - though it has to be said it was at small stakes)

Looking for opinions here and I'll certainly digest what you wrote, so thanks again.

It really depends on the players at the table, if they are a lot of them make desperation bets and making just plain crazy moves then I sit back on my stack til the dust settles and there are only 3 or 4 left....but if they are all playing tight as all get out then i start bullying.

Anybody else have opinions on my original question? (ie your strategy when you have a big stack? I'm sure a similar thread will have appeared in the forum previously, just havent located it yet.

I'd welcome any and all ideas.

7letters