If you place in the money (ITM) in sit and go tournaments it means that you have risen above the average and defeated six or seven other opponents to get to the final three. An above average performance means that you reach the money more than 30% of the time. This is a result of simple math. Ten players at a table, only three make the money. Therefore, if you can place more than 30% of the time, you are above average.

When you have made the money though, and three of you remain, you want to do your best to make first place because of the number realities of sit and go tournaments. In a typical 10 seated tournament 1st place takes 50% prize money while 2nd gets 30% and 3rd gets 20%. There are different strategies for 6 seated, multi-step, and entry chip satellite sit and go tourneys but our focus here is on the traditional 9 or 10 seated STT?s.

Let's say your main sit and go circuit is the 20+2 10 seated tournaments. First takes down $100, while second wins $60 and third wins $40. The thing is, no matter what your stack is when the last three players remain at the table, your overall strategy should be aggressive. Depending on your stack size, and your opponents, you should also consider a hyper-aggressive strategy. You see it's all in the math.

In third place you have turned an $18 profit. In second place add another $20 bucks to that because your profit is $38. But if you finish first, you have cleared $78 in profit, a full $40 more than second and $60 more than third place. If you consider that the difference between second and third is only $20 but between third and first is $60, then your overriding strategy is clearly aggressive as strategizing to finish second (playing tight) is simply not taking advantage of the dynamic math in sit and go tournaments.

This is even more critical when you are the short stack when three-way action begins. I would be looking to move in when I am first to act with any hand in groups 1 through 6. That would include connectors, two gap suited connectors, low pairs, Ax, Kxs, and any two face cards. If your stack is critically low, then I move with anything if I am first to act. Yes, I said anything.

Now the times that you bust out in third with a foolish looking hand should be countered against those select times you double up and go on to win the tourney. If you have already made the money you have simply made a profit. However, if you finish in first, your bankroll gets a solid boost. You only have to finish first once in 5 times when you are ITM for this strategy to pay off. And it will. I can tell you how many times I have doubled up to come back and win a tournament pushing with hands like 97s, 33, K5s and other funky looking hole cards. In short, forget about second place, and go for it!

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