Hello everyone,
I've decided to play DoNs, but I can't really find any useful videos for this type of game. Isn't it popular anymore? I have a few qustions:
1. Is it worth it to start increasing your bankroll playing DoNs? (If no please tell me why and ignore next questions)
2. Can I guide myself from 9 max SnG strategies? If not, which strategy is best to use for DoNs?
3. Want to share some experience if you played DoN before?
Your answers will help me a lot. Thank you in advance.
There was a coach here a while back that did some DoN videos -- I'll see if I can find them later.
I have to go out in a few minutes, so don't have time right now.
I once built a decent roll on Party playing 8-handed DoNs,
The big differences are:
ICM is crucial. in DoNs it is sometimes required to fold AA. Why? For example, if a short stack with 1BB is UTG he'll bust out in the next couple of hands, and if you're sitting 4/5 you don't want to risk even Aces.
Tighter rules. DoNs are a great place to let your inner nit loose
Aggression rules. As the big stack your task is to deny the blinds -- so stealing is of greater importance.
Watch for collusion. Tag every player in a DoN, and if you see the same 4 over and over, then get suspicious, and watch for soft play
They're a great way to amass bonus points, since after a long time you play a lot of games,
That's all I can think of atm
Thank you!
At pokerstars by the way, the payout system is based on the chips you have at the end. So it's not quite „Double or Nothing”... I am not that good at poker maths, so how do you think, is this payout system a bit "not worthy"? I mean that buy-in is 1,50$, and even if you win, your prize might be less than the buy-in. What are your thoughts on this aspect? It feels like on a long run it is not really profitable, or I am wrong?
PS. I think I found the videos you are talking about, but they are adted 2009-2012. Back then was another story, people were just "sit out", and still double up. Btw, this is exact reason why they changed the payout system.
Yeah, I hate those "Fifty50" payout structures.
I don't recall having people sit out, but in fairness, if they're in a situation where "fold any two" is the correct play, then I wouldn't mind.
Sitting out in such a situation is preferable to the even more annoying "tank-fold every hand" players
50 50 are no Don. Weird format with the payouts not transferable to any other format. Fgs is key in dons
The Fifty/50 Sng's on PokerStars is indeed a complete different game. A lot more fun I think with the fact that you're chip stack at the end of the game has a huge factor how much money you get. Less ICM involved.
Cheers,
SDK1987
It's not "less ICM involved". But the ICM is completely different, almost reversed.
If there is a guy who's about to be all in from the blinds, if you have a small stack you want to save your tournament life, but you can afford to "gamble" with some hands with a big stack while risking your tournament life against the chip leader. Here's why:
$3.50 Buy In
You have 3000 chips. Your stack is worth your tournament life + 10 cents for every 100 chips. Your tournament life is worth 3.50 (not considering fee) plus 30x0.10 = $6.50
When you call a shove you are risking $6.50 to double up your stack which will be worth $3 more.
So... risking 6.50 to win 9.50 total means you have to have around 69% equity with your hand to be calling.
Now... Let's say you have 1000 chips in the same scenario.
You are risking 3.50 + 1.00 to win 1.00 = 4.50 to win 5.50 total = 81% equity needed to be break-even calling. Meaning calling only AA.
So yeah, while at DoNs you basically have to fold AA when you have big enough stack to survive, you can "gamble" with AA, KK and probably QQ too at Fifty50 with a bigger stack.
But when you are the smaller stack your risk-reward is really bad and you should be calling really really tight and try stealing against players that do the same but watch out for players that would spite call you.
Obiously those are some of the more extreme and very simplified examples and don't take blinds and antes, different stack sizes, player tendencies and FGS into account but I hope you get the point. 
There was once a coach here who did DoN sessions.
Basic strategy as a big stack: Deny the blinds
Basic strategy as a mid-stack: Survive
Basic strategy as the short stack: Hope and pray <<< I just made that one up 
Good afternoon, In my opinion, you can build your bankroll studying and playing any modality. If you choose to play DoNs you need to be patience because of the variance of these games. However, If you show a consistently solid game and start becoming regular there you will earn tje respect of your opponents.
Good luck on the tables.
