sitter outers in small tourneys

[rog 0]

I've been playing a lot of freeroll and micro stakes sit and go tourneys on pokerstars lately to shore up my short-handed game. Having some trouble figuring out starting hands on short tables. One thing I've noticed is a lot of people signing up, and sitting out until they get to the payout, or the blinds start getting serious. Some even play a few hands first, and if they win hands, they're that much better off to weather the blinds.What do you do about this? The only thing I can think is play super tight and be the last active player with the big stack when they come out of hibernation. It hardly seems fair though to see 6 guys play down to one, and then three guys come back to the table already only one spot out of the payout.Is it ehtical for the sitting-in players to agree to take turns robbing the blinds until the sit-outs either blind out or come back?And finally, why would someone do this at a freeroll tournament? It's not even real money., If you're not there to have fun and play some hands, why are you there?Rog

[NYSPOKER 0]

In LL STTs, the early rounds can be extremely dangerous. By sitting out, they avoid the suckouts. I do not think it any more unethical for those sitting in to agree to steal the blinds, than it is for them to sit out. Be cautious, they might be sitting out but they can jump back in prior to the action getting back to them, if they have a big hand.It is the same in freerolls. The game doesn't really start for a decent player until the blinds reach a level of about 1/10 the starting chip count (~T100 BB). They would rather wait until they can use their skills at this point, rather than be busted out by a suckout after playing good for 45 minutes.

[rog 0]

That's a different point of view I never thought of. I just figured they wanted an easy pass to the payout by hoping half the table busts out before they ever play a hand. I always want to play the early rounds because I've been blinded out so many times on a bad run, I dont feel very confident with a stack that's 1/10 the BB. Especially in low/no stakes games where practically everyone calls a 3xBB bet.

[Big_Puke 0]

I see this often on Stars when i am playing SitnGo's. Once someone has doubled up in chips (between 2500 and 3000), they sit out and start another Sitngo. Or they sit out and let the others beat each other up and then resume play when the table is down to five or six. I have done this myself so I can't complain. Its just one of those things and there is nothing that can really be done about it.One time I was playing in a SitnGo and one of the opponents had somewhere in the range of 3200 to 3500 chips within the first two rounds. They sat out the whole Sitngo after that. They ended up in third becuase the blinds ate up their money! They could have easily gotten second if the other player and I had not agreed to play conservatively until the blinds ate up his stack.

[NYSPOKER 0]

I dont feel very confident with a stack that's 1/10 the BB.  Especially in low/no stakes games where practically everyone calls a 3xBB  bet.

Not 1/10 the BB, 1/10 the starting chip stack (if start with T1000, then when BB = T100). Haven't seen too many just double up and then sit out for rest of entire tourney. They usually return trying to move up in payout, b/c of the premium for finishing 1st vs. 3rd. However, I suppose if they only played each one until they double up or so, then moved on to play addional ones, they could end up +ev, overall.

[rog 0]

I dont feel very confident with a stack that's 1/10 the BB.  Especially in low/no stakes games where practically everyone calls a 3xBB  bet.

Not 1/10 the BB, 1/10 the starting chip stack (if start with T1000, then when BB = T100).

Whoops...I meant 10xBB not 1/10 BB. Some of these guys sit out right off the start, so if you're right they'd be coming back with less than 10 x BB as a stack since they'er folding blinds the whole way..

[NYSPOKER 0]

Yeah, they would have less than 10BB, but when the BB gets to be around 1/10 the starting stack, players tend to tighten up. Skilled players will take advantage of this.

[theresa113 0]

I have done the sit out on free rolls. I have signed up the hour before, gone out to dinner, come back home and started playing an hour into the game. Too many idiots the first hour, people going all in on every hand. They have a 5-7 off suit, I have a pair of aces and they win on the draw... I have been there, done that, no thank you. That's why I have waited it out. However, after the first half hour to an hour, you come accross some really good players, even on a freeroll. I like the really big tournaments because it is here where I learn paitience. I can get some good practice, try some new moves without any risk. Freerolls can be fun if you play them right.

[rkard 0]

Freerolls are such a waste of time, sorry. Unless you make it to the final two tables (where people might be reasonable) you're just wading through a sick amount of suckers. Just double up at the first and best opportunity then go do something else, come back double up or bust and take it from there. Back when I hardly had a bankroll I did this and finished on final table. The problem is that you can't play a normal game. You've got double up double up double up because the chip leader will have an insane lead seeing as everyone's putting their chips in like crazy. For this reason I'm glad I finally have a good bankroll to play higher buyin mtt's where you can stick to a more skill based gameplan. You're missing out on a fine test of skills playing those freerolls. Everyone's gotta start somewhere I guess but i'd probably have done it differently if I knew what I know today. Much more skill training value vs time just investing a bit of money.