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Poker glossary

Sit and Go (SNG)

What it means

A sit and go, often shortened to SNG, is a tournament that begins once a set number of players have registered. Unlike scheduled tournaments, it does not start at a fixed time.

How it works at the table

A nine-player sit and go starts as soon as nine players buy in. Prize pools are usually fixed by the number of entries, and the payout structure is known before the first hand. Formats range from heads-up matches to single-table events and large multi-table SNGs.

Strategic context

Sit and gos reward strong short-stack and bubble play. Because fields are smaller and structures are predictable, players can study common spots in detail. ICM pressure becomes especially important near the money.

Common mistakes

Players often treat sit and gos like normal cash games early, then panic once blinds rise. Another mistake is ignoring payout pressure. A call that is profitable in chips can be bad in prize-pool equity near the bubble.

Sit and gos connect to ICM, short stack, satellite, and ROI. They are a core format in online poker because they start quickly when enough players are waiting.