Turbo SnG Strategy??

Hey all,
I was wondering if anyone had posted a really good strategy for turbo sngs. I ussually play them aggressively at first when blinds are low, build up a big stack, then sit back and when the blinds get big use my stack size to buy some easy pots. I still need a lot of work and my strategy needs refining, does anyone know any guides or have any tips that could help?

My first suggestion is don't play them. It is already head enough when blinds dictate the action later. Other than that, try and strike early. Play tight but aggresive. If you make a hand, no limping. In any tourney and especially a turbo, you need to builda stack quick. Hope that helps.

I agree turbos are for the lucky ones who love to gamble. I like the skill and patient game myself. There is nothing worse then trying to play turbo the patient way. You tend to overplay cards like k 10 jq because the blinds are putting you under pressure. Turbo equals luck and are full of bad beat stories!!! Good luck!!!

There is nothing wrong with playing turbo SNGs. I've build a BR from $10 to over $100 and 99% of my games were micro-limit Turbo SNGs. My newest BR challenge consist of nothing but $2 + .25 turbo SNGs.

True, you might forced into a gambling (push ATC) situation a lot sooner than you would like, but there is just as much skill involved in playing turbos as there is regular SNGs. In fact, there might be even more because you really have to know how to adjust to quickly to the raising blinds and the usual aggression of turbo players. Also, playing your position is just as important. You're do a lot better in Turbo SNGs if you an play your position well than if you wait for cards.

Another thing is you'll notice a lot of loose, maniacal type of plays. I've always believed that just because the table is playing like that doesnt mean I have, too. You have to adjust a lot more quickly to the table and how the players are playing.

I pretty much play Turbos like I do regular SNGs. I play tight during the early rounds, then become more aggressive in the later rounds. The only difference is you have to pay attention to the raising blinds, when they are going to raise next, and adjust your hand ranges accordingly. I aim to build my stack size during each level, not try and build a big stack during the first 2 levels. While building a big stack early might give you a slight edge, what is said for normal SNGs and MTTs can be said for Turbo SNGs: A game isn't won within the first hand.

As for the luck factor-true you might see more people gambling a lot more often buts only because they are forced into those situations a lot sooner than during regular SNGs. Either that or they just want to gamble. However, there isnt any real difference in the 'luck factor' between regular and turbo SNGs except it just happens a lot sooner in Turbos. You'll still experience the same suck outs, bad beats, etc.

^^^ thanks

np. It's far from perfect though.

I really prefer it when I get bad cards up front. Just like entering a ring game. It is wise to sit for an orbit to gauge the table before finally paying to play.

Over the years the most tried and true way for me to play any MTT or SNG, and even turbos, is to be very calm for the first orbit or two or three, wait for the opportunity and then strike.

Of course, the poker gods don't always let that happen. For me, the scariest hand I can get in any STT, or MTT is the big pair first hand.

I agree and I shouldn't of said it is more of a luck game then a regular sng. I was just stating mainly that you defintiely are forced to play alot different alot sooner ( Switch gears) which ultimately I myself am not comfortable with. I much rather trap and take advantage of situations with time to burn then take my k 10 and possibly take a beat with someone with a higher kicker knowing the whole hand has been rushed due to the fast paced blinds. I always say 70% skill 30 % Luck and hell I just got done playing 2 live tourneys tonight placed 1st and 3rd Im not mad at nobody I will make my chedder either way. Good insights none the less and have fun at the tables.

Sure you race more often, but how is it only for action/gamble player ? Getting your money in good is good even if you're just a few % favourite.

Since, I'm the midst of rebuilding a BR solely from turbos since my hourly is way higher playign them (normal SNGS can take twice as long and don't pay twice as much), let me give you some tips.

1) Identify who are the action/fast playing players. The people who are there to gamble. Get in with them only with great hands early. If you have one of them sitting to your left and you have AQo UTG, it might be best not to even play it if the blinds are in the first or second level. This is because they'll likely want to play for stacks early and if we do, it negates any advantage we might have in the future (knowing when to shove, fold, etc.). This also means that slowplaying against such players is almost never right.

2) Every chip is precious. This is even more true for a normal SNG. You should not always play 78 in middle position if you have the action player still to act. Why ? He might repop for 200 more and for you to lose the 30-50 you have put in.

3) Since you will get very low in the M unless you build a stack, suited connectors lose value especially at a table with a lot of raising preflop and turbos usually have a lot of raising or even open shoving at level 3 or 4.
4) Know the strength of position. If you have a chipstack fo 1850 UTG with 5 still to act and AJo (blinds 75/150) shoving here is risky and probably not the best option. On the button, I might even shove a small suited Ace here.

5) Know the strength and weakness of low to mid pp. When you are shoving, you are either getting called by overcards or a higher pp. This means that shoving 22,33,44,55,66 or even 77 might be very debatable in earl position when the table is not in bubble mode. True you have a pair, but you'll always race if you get called. 99 and up are proably more of a no brainer (since A8, K8, Q8, etc.) might call and only have one over.

6) Identify early who to steal from and who to avoid. If you have a call station to your left, only steal with hands you would be comfortable calling a push with (from the same player). Also try to identify who are the people who always punish limpers, it'll come in handy when you are on the button with AKs or even better, a big pp. Always resteal/shove though when they raise you: we don't want them to so a flop unless they put in the money behind, for obvious reasons (opponent folding to betting, getting free card if we check).

7) Take your opponent to value town late and look at the flop texture. Say you have q9o in the BB and SB completed. Flops comes Q24 rainbow. It is very unlikely that this flop has hit a SB who has invested money in a pot and risked getting raised preflop. You bet, he calls. Turn comes T. Now what ? Well, you still gotta get value out of your Q since it is probably way the best hand here. Checking to his check might be good, or only calling his bet if he does bet (it will also prevent him from shoving turn if he has a set, two pairs, wich are quite unlikely here).

8) Finally, know and approximate your fold equity, pot odds, effective odds, table image, etc. before making a decision late. Stealing is probably the biggest skill needed in turbos and you need to have a firm grasp of the above if you want to make smart decision.

As you can see, a lot of the tips concern late game play and this is pretty obvious if you look at the structure of turbos. Winning a huge pot (BB wise) while taking risks (or losing that pot) means little or nothing 10 minutes later (20-30 hands later) since the BB can very well be 1/3 of what you big pot was in size. This means that I'll take very few risks (calling with pot odds but speculative hands) or play drawing hands unless I'm already sitting ona big stack (M= 20+). I very often will fold KJo on the button with 4 limpers before early on. Why ? I can't raise since I'll get callers (and I ahve a crap hand) or even get reraised, it's drawing potential is limted to straights, if I connect with top pair, my kicker might not be good. KJo, A9o, etc. Later on, this changes.

Well, I found that my regular SNG and MTT games have improved greatly by playing turbos because Im more adjusted to switching gears when the blinds do go up and I have to adjust. This was one of my leaks in MTTs, as well as trying to slow play and/or trap way to often. So, I had to get plug that leak as well.

I can't believe I never saw the video you did for this. Here I've been waiting for a Chuck video and there already was one.

heh, didn't realize a video was in there...I forgot about it myself.

heh, boy has my game changed since...

Then it's time for a new video .....