Let me post some hands from my SNG play today. Please reply with your thoughts on these, and later on I'll post a new topic with what I ended up doing and why.

(1) Early in a $10+1 SNG on Royal Vegas. I'm observing my opponents, and notice that the person immediately to my left (Kat) is the biggest calling station ever, and currently has 3000 chips. Called an all in on hand number one with KJo, called a 8xBB bet on the next hand with A7o. Rest of the table seems solid, with the exception of a short-stacked maniac (Brad) on the opposite side of the table. I'm UTG, and the blinds have just moved up to 20/40. I've got 950 of my original 1000 chips, and I would seem very tight by this table's standards. I'm dealt AKo. What should I do?

(2) Later on in another SNG, there are 6 players left and I've got 1400 chips. All the players seem pretty "average" so far, all a tiny bit loose-passive preflop, loose aggressive post flop. I get in the BB, it folds to the SB who completes. Free flop. The flop is . The SB bets 320 into the 320 chip pot. What do you do and why?

Hmm. Hand number 1 is very curious to me. The thought of actually just going all in crossed my mind. You stand a reasonable chance of getting called by the calling station, and of course we are almost certainly gonna be the favorite. However, your position is pretty poor, and it would be TERRIBLE if you got a later position overcall, whereas if you just made a standard raise and someone in late position came over the top strongly, you could lay it down. Then of course there is limping. Some might limp, I certainly don't like limping with AK, its just too strong of a hand for me. I would probably make it 80 to go.

Yuck. I muck in a second. The old me probably would have called, but the old me also found himself shortstacked in QUITE a few SnGs thanks to draws not making it, TJ Cloutier wasn't lying when he said draws are death in tournaments, obviously he was talking about multis, but I think it applies to SnGs too. I've really gotta fold this one. Seriously, no question.

1) I do raise, probably standart 3x to 4x BB...but I play this hand very cautiously when Kat calls and if no one else does. If she is a calling station, and I do not make a hand, then I will probably just check it down on the off chance she has a pair in her hand or hit the board. But, if I make that Ace or King on the board, I will be sure to be betting it up and hoping she provides me w/ the profit she took from those other players...But, I know I have to own a hand if I am going to bet into her.

2)This is interesting. I don't know if she has you covered, so I can assume some things. Like, if you do raise her all in, she will probably call here w/ the odds the pot is now giving her. If she twice as many chips as you, then she might actually be able to let it go, but I don't like putting my tournament chance on a heart draw which might be the only draw you have here...and maybe not even that b/c she might have a better draw.
Since the blinds are 80/160, there is a chance she is on a steal, but I think I might wait for a better opportunity. You still have some time left to be aggressive, and you are going to be on the button in two hands where you might be able to steal back blinds...
Since I don't like calling here b/c it screams out what your hand is, and you would be calling off a fourth of your stack, I either raise or fold, but I definitely lean toward folding.

Hand #1...since the calling station is on your left, I dont think theres much you can do preflop that targets this player. I would do whatever you would normally do in that situation without regard to him be a calling station.

Hand #2...I fold. Youre never going to see the river without being all in.

Hand 1, you should make it 160, a 3xBb raise. Fold to any allins. Pretty standard play with AK in that type of situation.

Hand 2 is much more interesting. Logic says to fold that hand everytime. However, in a SnG, you have to double up at some point - it seems like now is a good time to do so. With you only having 1400 chips (I'm assuming you start with 1500?), and blinds at 80/160, you have 6x blinds left after you fold this one. The pot is almost half your stack, which you might pick up without having to go to showdown. If you go allin and you are called, you likely have 12 outs (9 hearts and 3 10s), as I see SB on a Q9 type of hand. Especially with your tight image, this would be a great time to use it to your advantage. Just a thought.

I didn't mean to suggest minimum raising. I meant to say a 3-4x BB raise, but I didn't notice the big blind was 40, I HATE min raising.