How to deal with "All-In" idiots?

I play Sit & Go online poker a lot and regularly encounter players whose tactic is to shove all in before the flop on every hand. Since that approach is statistically more likely to lose, calling those shoves is a bad decision, even with AA etc, so unless some fool risks everything on their preflop holding, they will usually capture the antes and slowly bleed me out. I can't just switch tables because it's a sit & go. It's infuriating that these jerks can succeed simply by wrecking the whole spirit of the game. Has anyone found an effective way to handle these idiots that doesn't demand I risk my entire stack hoping that even if I have something like 80% on the first four cards I won't get crushed on the river (which, oddly, happens a lot)? Any tips for dealing with these game-wreckers would be welcome. Thanks.

There is no "spirit of the game", when it comes to strategies. There are different strategies. If we want to play +EV poker (make profit in the long run), we have to figure out the best strategy versus our opponents strategies.

If opponent goes all-in on every hand, and you are afraid to call even with AA, his strategy is beating your strategy. Can't blame opponent for finding a winning strategy versus yours?

In poker you can't avoid variance. As long as opponent has any outs, he will win the hand from time to time. When someone is all-in on every hand, you just have to figure out how much variance you are willing to accept, and on the other hand how long can you wait before bleeding out to too few chips. If opponent shoves any hand, you can easily check what range has over 50% versus him on Equilab.

It's impossible to say where the threshold is, should you call with 60%+ or 70%+ equity, as it depends also on the SNG format. How many players, how fast it is, stack sizes etc. The biggest thing is to get rid of the idea that opponents are playing somehow wrong and it's their fault that you don't win. It is their strategy, and they have the right to play it. Your job is to figure out good counter strategy.

I'm not saying that I am afraid to call with AA, I'm saying that even the best preflop hand is still only one pair and it is easily beaten if you're not lucky enough to triple up on the table. In the long run these aren't good odds.

I did look at Equilab but I don't seem fast enough input all the info in the handful of seconds I have per turn.

Here's a different question. What would you do in this scenario?

Would you say that using a calculator is the only way to defeat this "strategy"? The concept of ranges and how to divine what cards an opponent has is very confusing to me.

Thanks for your response.

Well, winning poker is all about math and numbers. The key is to make the calculations and plans before hitting the tables. AA vs random hand is 85% favorite. Versus 2 random hands it's 73% to triple up. I would be really happy to get those odds.

I don't play Holdem and I am not good in SNG math for ICM etc. But really simple strategy is to call all-in with range that has about 65% or more versus random hand, if opponent is going all-in with any two cards. Holdem players can give more accurate answer, but something like calling with these can't go that wrong:

AT+ (AT, AJ, AQ and AK)

77+ (77 or higher pair)

Any suited broadway cards

The harder part is that you don't really know if opponent is going all-in with any 2 cards. Even if he shoves the first hands with random cards and gets called, if he doubles or triples it might be that he starts to play more tighter from that point on.

It depends on how many BB they're pushing. For example, when it's 25BB stacks and you hold 44, there's a common tendency to fold or similar.

I play micro SnG's and I regularly encounter this situation.

I've observed open shoves from every blind position, ranging from 75bb to 25.

I've seen a variety of hands revealed, from 9s up to AA and everything between.

Unless I'm holding QQ+ or AK, I fold and congratulate them on burning their equity when as the table folds around.

My impression is that it's a casual player who prefers to avoid getting outflopped, so they shove all-in and avoid postflop decisions.

All in idiot here. If you can't beat them, join them. We follow this strategy:

Aggressive Sit and Go Poker Stars Online Poker Strategy Part 1 Of 3 - YouTube

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Aggressive Sit and Go Poker Stars Online Poker Strategy Part 1 Of 3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rnwVFn2Zl4)suncruzrob (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDDoBB-NmzJmIzfoJFS4TqA) suncruzrob137 subscribers

No, seriously, I some times shove the very first hand with KK+ in a PKO, chances are some people may want to gamble for that precious booty.

Back in the days when 180s were very popular and didn't even start with antes I remember once I open shoved KK+ the first hand, everyone folded. Then I got KK+ the next hand and shoved again and doubled or tripled up. Obviously it's a mistake to get only 30 chips with a premium hand, but if you do, it would be a mistake to not capitalize on your image if you are so lucky to get premiums back to back.

How to battle them - be observant and write notes. Chances are you are not calling nearly enough against an optimal shoving range to begin with. Going back to the 180s, I used to shove blindly like 15bb from the CO and it was +EV. Not anymore, of course, people tend to be calling a bit wider nowadays, as they should, and they are more observant, at least on pokerstars. It has to do with the player pool getting gobbled up by GGPoker. Smaller player pools means you run into the same regs more often.

My best advice is try switching to MTSnGs and MTTs. The tourney fees are lower than STTs, the player pool is weaker and it's less of a mistake to call people wider. And if you still have troubles with similar players, sooner or later someone will knock them out or they will switch their or your table. Even spins are probably better than SSTs but don't quote me on that

This has to be a very old YouTube video.

Originally posted by SDK1987

Must be a really old youtube video.

Let's see — Windows 7, so yeah, really old video. I almost thought that this was a joke.

For really funny videos though, check out "water boat"

Water Boat Poker Video Tutorial Strategy for Winning Money (#1) - YouTube

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Water Boat Poker Video Tutorial Strategy for Winning Money (#1) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gk-4IxBDJA)Water Boat (gder01) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUouNXRggYjNExCy5VNgEqg) Water Boat (gder01)3.91K subscribers

That's old as well and really bad play of hero

Even back in the day this is bad strategy. Bet sizing and limping is bad.

The AK and AQ fold pre-flop is really bad as well. Would be a shove.

Originally posted by SDK1987

That's old as well and really bad play of hero

Even back in the day this is bad strategy. Bet sizing and limping is bad.

The AK and AQ fold pre-flop is really bad as well. Would be a shove.

yes — these videos by Water Boat are meant to be taken as jokes — at least I've always taken them that way.

That's useful to hear. Perhaps he believed it was serious.

During limited time, and no Windows user, I am mostly playing mobile Spin & Go since Sit & Go is not really available in GG and KK. For this I recently followed the beginner strategy ( <= $1 ) starting hand charts (https://www.pokerstrategy.com/strategy/sit-and-go/spin-n-go-beginner-strategy/) from here about going All-In or Fold.

Finally I adjusted my game back to a less aggressive way and will use above strategy only against such players, who are constantly going all in. It is sometimes annoying when you always have to fold, because of a bad hand you know not good enough to call but yesterday for example it worked quite well, grilling them with folding (they probably want to get it done quick) and stabbing them in the right moment with a good hand.

Best one was this nut job yesterday, even it was only allin on the river.

Nice hand, sir — and I would most likely shove pre-flop with K2s for 9,6bb effective, if I’m reading it correctly.

Hi wickus,

I am sorry I can't DM you so I do it here.

From what I saw, you live in Mauritius. I am planning to move to Mauritius 1 year to play full time spin.

I read every where that you can play on .com but apparently not on Unibet.

So what are the rooms that we can play from Mauritius ? PokerStars ?

Thanks

I only play KK and GG here. I haven't used PokerStars in a long time (I can't track my old account here), but it seems straightforward to play on PokerStars. Before COVID, there was an American pro player here who I think normally plays on PokerStars.

Unibet pulled out when the country was placed on Europe’s financial blacklist. Maybe it's possible to play there again now.

I used to play 888 but that became problematic when I tried to play in Germany 2021. BetOnline also worked here, though their payout options are poor.

Besides that, living here isn't very cheap. Mobile internet is alright compared with Europe — about 6€ for unlimited monthly data. Unlimited here means full speed up to 1GB per day; after that the speed is reduced.

Facing overly aggressive all-in opponents in Sit & Go events is really irritating — I know how that feels. A tactic that’s worked for me is narrowing my opening hand selection and only committing with genuinely strong holdings against those players. They capitalize when you pay off with thin hands, so exercising patience and choosing high-quality situations can disrupt their strategy.

Finishing the maniac

Just had this 33BB allin maniac HU vs me. After5 or 6 of his allins - chop chop:

GGPoker, Hold'em No Limit - 10/20 - 2 players

Replay this hand on CardsChat (https://www.cardschat.com/replayer?hand=1t2EBG3G)

SB: 690 (35 bb)

BB (Hero): 210 (11 bb)

Pre-Flop: (30) Hero is BB with K♣ K♥

SB raises to 290, Hero calls 190 (all-in)

Flop: (420) 2♦ A♠ 2♠ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: (420) 2♥ (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: (420) 3♣ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: 420

Showdown:

SB shows 6♥ J♦ (three of a kind, Twos)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 12%, Flop: 1%, Turn: 5%, River: 0%)

BB (Hero) shows K♣ K♥ (a full house, Twos full of Kings)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 88%, Flop: 99%, Turn: 95%, River: 100%)

BB (Hero) wins 420

Rest was finished quickly

GGPoker, Hold'em No Limit - 15/30 - 2 players

Replay this hand on CardsChat (https://www.cardschat.com/replayer?hand=1t2EBGbx)

SB (Hero): 780 (26 bb)

BB: 120 (4 bb)

Pre-Flop: (45) Hero is SB with K♠ 4♠

Hero raises to 780 (all-in), BB calls 90 (all-in)

Flop: (240) K♣ 6♣ J♣ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Turn: (240) Q♠ (2 players, 2 all-in)

River: (240) J♠ (2 players, 2 all-in)

Total pot: 240

Showdown:

SB (Hero) shows K♠ 4♠ (two pair, Kings and Jacks)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 60%, Flop: 61%, Turn: 73%, River: 100%)

BB shows 9♣ 5♠ (a pair of Jacks)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 40%, Flop: 39%, Turn: 27%, River: 0%)

SB (Hero) wins 240

GGPoker, Hold'em No Limit - 15/30 - 2 players

Replay this hand on CardsChat (https://www.cardschat.com/replayer?hand=1t2EBG9L)

SB: 120 (4 bb)

BB (Hero): 780 (26 bb)

Pre-Flop: (45) Hero is BB with K♣ 4♦

SB raises to 120 (all-in), Hero calls 90

Flop: (240) T♦ 6♠ 8♠ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: (240) 3♣ (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: (240) A♥ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: 240

Showdown:

SB shows K♥ 5♣ (high card, Ace)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 56%, Flop: 51%, Turn: 55%, River: 50%)

BB (Hero) shows K♣ 4♦ (high card, Ace)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 44%, Flop: 49%, Turn: 45%, River: 50%)

SB wins 120

BB (Hero) wins 120

GGPoker, Hold'em No Limit - 15/30 - 2 players

Replay this hand on CardsChat (https://www.cardschat.com/replayer?hand=1t2EBG7u)

SB (Hero): 390 (13 bb)

BB: 510 (17 bb)

Pre-Flop: (45) Hero is SB with T♣ Q♦

Hero raises to 390 (all-in), BB calls 360

Flop: (780) T♦ A♦ 9♠ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Turn: (780) 7♠ (2 players, 1 all-in)

River: (780) A♠ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: 780

Showdown:

SB (Hero) shows T♣ Q♦ (two pair, Aces and Tens)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 61%, Flop: 70%, Turn: 70%, River: 100%)

BB shows 8♣ 7♣ (two pair, Aces and Sevens)

(Equity - Pre-Flop: 39%, Flop: 30%, Turn: 30%, River: 0%)

SB (Hero) wins 780

GGPoker, Hold'em No Limit - 10/20 - 2 players

Replay this hand on CardsChat (https://www.cardschat.com/replayer?hand=1t2EBG6C)

SB: 490 (25 bb)

BB (Hero): 410 (21 bb)

Pre-Flop: (30) Hero is BB with 5♦ J♥

SB raises to 490 (all-in), BB (Hero) folds

Total pot: 40

SB wins 40

GGPoker, Hold'em No Limit - 10/20 - 2 players

Replay this hand on CardsChat (https://www.cardschat.com/replayer?hand=1t2EBG66)

SB (Hero): 420 (21 bb)

BB: 480 (24 bb)

Pre-Flop: (30) Hero is SB with 7♦ 4♣

SB (Hero) folds, 51bfe95d has died of dysentery

Total pot: 20

BB wins 20

Great hands certainly, but overall fairly routine play.

I recall Gus Hansen employing an "all-in preflop every hand" tactic to his benefit during a televised poker event. (I think it might have been called Premier League, though I’m not certain — it was several years back). He exploited opponents’ reluctance to lose against his willingness to gamble, shoving all in on every hand for, I believe, 23 consecutive hands — not 100% positive about the exact count but it was a substantial run.

This approach can be legitimate, and I’ve observed it in live free-entry tournaments where players have nothing to lose and leverage that against others’ desire to avoid defeat. It typically persists until someone decides to call with a strong holding and then the aggressor can be severely weakened.

The hard part is coming to terms with the fact that a mathematically right decision can still result in a loss. Versus an opponent who is shoving with nearly every holding, you can broaden your calling range, yet you don’t have to respond instantly with a borderline hand. Holding out for a clearly stronger situation typically yields better results than attempting to punish the opponent out of irritation.

In the 2.5 years since I posted this, I've settled on a fairly practical approach. I fold almost everything at the start of the hand, unless I'm dealt decent pairs, face cards, or strong suited connectors. When possible I avoid anteing altogether. If I do see a respectable preflop holding I'll call. That typically means folding maybe 10 hands before one arrives that I'm willing to gamble with, and meanwhile all sorts of entertaining Shenanigans unfold with the all‑in idiot and the other players. If I miss the flop or get burned on the river I can usually wait for the next hand, since there's a solid chance that my cautious selection will outperform the player who shoves every hand 100% of the time. So, in short, if I'm patient I usually come out ahead.

Patience is the solution for hyper-active or hyper-aggro players.

They'll pick off lots of small pots from you (and sometimes a larger one), but ultimately you come out ahead.

I've also observed that even when I'm not the one to knock them out, they seldom survive for long.

What I have found in FLHE cashgame, is that vs 50%+ pfr in 6max, you can 3bet really wide and call down Ax often. NLHE tournaments however is different as one can lose their whole stack that could be more profitable in future better spot, especially in Satellites or Double or Nothings. So get it in also if you see good future scenario unfolding, such as you need a double up or you hand is very strong vs their range.

The structure is more important than the tag “all-in player.” In a regular SNG you might make an obviously +EV call and tolerate the variance; in a Double or Nothing or satellite, needing to survive can render the identical-looking call much worse. I’d need the blind level, effective stacks, remaining players and payout structure before I’d broaden a range.