6 Tips to Improve Your Double or Nothing Sit and Go Game

Niko | February 16, 2009

Double or nothing sit and go’s have a unique structure, especially for single table tournaments that aren’t satellites. Essentially, in double or nothing tournaments, you either double your money by finishing in the top half of the tournament, or you get nothing by finishing in the bottom half. Due to this unique payout structure, you should adjust your strategy when playing in a double or nothing tournament. Here are a few tips to help you succeed in double or nothing sit and go games:

1: Play super tight early in the tournament

In the first few blind levels, play an extremely tight style and only play premium hands in position. By preserving your stack during the initial levels, you give your opponents time to bust each other out. This also sets you up to make raises in the middle stages. Avoid taking risks at this stage and try not to waste chips.

2: Maintain your stack through the middle stages

As the blinds start to increase, aim to maintain your stack size by making smart raises from good positions and stealing blinds when possible.

3: Don’t call raises through the middle and late stages

When the blinds reach 50/100 or higher, avoid wasting chips by calling raises. Instead, consider folding or pushing over the top when facing a raise. It’s not worth risking a few chips to see a flop, as those chips might be the difference between doubling your money or getting nothing.

4: Avoid coin flips

Coin flip all-ins are not advantageous in double or nothing sit and go’s. The value of the chips you could win does not equal the value of the chips you already have. Therefore, avoid risking your chips on coin flips. This means not making all-in calls with hands that have about a 50% chance of winning, such as low pocket pairs.

5: Stay tight at the bubble

The easiest way to avoid bubbling in these tournaments is to not risk your chips. It’s easier to stay tight in double or nothing sit and go’s than in normal ones because more players can bubble. The extra players mean there is less pressure from the blinds. Remember, you are playing for 5th place, not 1st, so gathering chips should not be a concern. Your only concern should be survival.

6: Move all-in from good positions late

This is a survival technique, not a chip accumulation technique. Your goal is to steal enough blinds to replace the ones being stolen from you. Only push from good positions and against players who have shown they are likely to fold most hands.

By following these 6 tips, you can improve your chances of success in double or nothing sit and go tournaments.