[Thinkerbell]

I have recently come to understand how it can help your game to think about how to play the sit out, since this is a common and pervasive problem.

The key to benefiting from sit outs at your table is to always be aware of what their position is in the action. For example, if you have one to your left, and it is the big blind, be ready to call, even if you have a crappy hand that you'd normally fold. If no one else is in the pot by the time betting comes around to you, calling the big blind sit out assures you of collecting the blinds.

If you see someone else is in that situation (they are small blind with big blind sit out to their left), and you're on the button and no one has called, go ahead and call. I've often seen the small blind fold. So the player on the button collects both blinds. So don't forget when you've got a sit out to your left. That sort of puts you in the postion of the big blind in terms of action.

This same strategy can be employed from an earlier position, too. If you know who tends to play tight, and pay attention to when the sitouts are the big blind, you can steal the blinds. This is a little trickier to execute, because another player may call before betting gets to the blinds. But the key here is only calling, so you have a minimum investment in case somebody else gets in the pot.

[TriptreysNJ]

If I'm in late position and there is a sit out in one of the blinds, and its been folded to me....I auto-raise. I have no idea why, maybe b/c I see dead money on the table, and I just don't care what anyone has. I just want that blind. I do this even more so later in the game when the blinds are actually worth stealing.

[Lytspeed]

Originally Posted by Thinkerbell

The key to benefiting from sit outs at your table is to always be aware of what their position is in the action.

Exactly. Sitouts prosper and can collect blinds when people don't pay attention.

Another thing that contributes to this problem is people pre-checking the Fold box while in the small blind. Too many people check the Fold box before their action arrives, causing them to auto fold, even if no other player called the blinds. That's like giving the sitter a free hand.

[ktb1017]

What a sad statement about the online tournaments. The fact that we can even have a discussion about strategies concerning sitouts really says alot.

That being said, in most of the tournaments I play now, the "sitout strategy" is the first thing I think about when my table loads. I look around the table and spot the sitouts. If I have two in a row, I will generally make a good size raise when they are both in the blinds. I think the best strategy to employ is a very aggresive one. Especially when the whole tabel is sitting out. (And actually this has happened a few times)

ktb

[quant]

i have noticed that in the last few tournies on titan i have a lot of sitouts playing, then suddenly one will pop up and play after you have raised on the button to get the blinds, then they pop off again after the hand.

why not play and fold hands rather than pretned they are not there and then play a hand???

love playing sitout's, it does add another dimension after that 1st hour break

quant