Question about MTTs

[jdiana86]

Late in MTTs around the bubble, and I guess SnG's too,although I dont know which has the greater impact... does position become less important and stack size more important? or vice versa or do they not change?

[Fildy]

MTT's I think stack size is more important. Obviously if you are super shortstacked it is going to be decision time, and if you are super deep stacked you can steal a lot of pots.
In SNGs this changes a ton, because there a lot fewer chips in play and the stack sizes are much closer together. In SNG's you really shouldn't focus on stack size or position other than "Okay Two people left to act behind me, they both have 4bb, i have them covered." Shove. See SNGs become a very very mathematical game as you approach the bubble. In MTT's there is still a bunch of play left.

[Invigilator]

These are overlapping influences, so I don't tend to think of one as MORE important than another.

Position is going to allow you to make moves at the blinds/pot with greater long term success b/c you act with more information.

Stack sizes around the bubble then raise the next question... position on who (whom? whatever). Solid tournament players will focus on the medium stacks as they can afford to fold more redily than the big and the small*

*in some MTT and SNG's you also run into the Uber-nit who will fold just about everything but the top 10% of hands hoping to slime their way into the money. (but even they can catch cards).

[Windbreaker]

The bubble in SNG play is far different than a MTT. If you played 100 SNGs, you will reach able to the bubble play a far more significant number of times than a MTT. The difference in prize pool is significant between the two, and as a result, the way you handle similar stack size, hand strength, and position should differ.

Making the money in a SNG is far more important than in a MTT.

[Kurn]

Bingo. In a 9 player SNG 33% of the players make the money vs 10-15% in an MTT.

At the bubble in both, the basic concept is the same. Take advantage of the fact that most players tighten up and don't want to take risks.

Position is less a factor in a SNG than a MTT simply because in a SNG at the bubble you will be 4-handed, in an MTT, it will be a full (or close to full) table.

Similarly, pure stack-size factors are more an issue in SNGs. The relative size of the 4 stacks are crucial in how you make push/call decisions in a SNG. For example

BB - 8000
Hero (SB) - 4000
Button -750
UTG - 750

Clearly, if its folded to you here you do not shove anything but a premium hand as the $EV of shoving < the CEV of shoving (extreme case I know)

In an MTT since you're still going to need to keep chipping up, stack size becomes less relevant. Also in an MTT unless you're at an M of <10, it won't be pushbot like a SNG so preflop raise-fold will still be an option.