Bankroll Builders, Vol. 1: Super Turbo SNGs Part 2
Yesterday we ran the first part of our new series "Bankroll Builders" and gave you all the information you'll need to get started playing super turbo sit-n-go's. Today, we're following it up with tips to help you crush your low-limit opponents into sit-n-go submission.
Tips from the Trenches
- There is far more skill to playing super turbo SNGs than one might think. Though you’ll be playing push-or-fold poker 95% of the time, simple, solid play and a good understanding of ICM (Independent Chip Modeling) can take you far. The beginning of a super turbo is sort of like hitting the 75-150 level in a regular turbo. The stacks are shallow and players are moving in or folding. In super turbos, the adjustment to be made in the early levels is to realize that everyone is in the same situation at the beginning. Don’t panic and shove the first ace-rag you’re dealt.
- With a ten big-blind starting stack and a weak field, the chances are high that a few players will make this very mistake, shoving the first “playable” hand they see. In super turbo SNGs, players will make this move with a very wide range: any pair, any ace, Broadway card combinations like K-Q, K-J, Q-J, K-T, Q-T, and sometimes even more marginal holdings like J-Ts, J-9s and suited connectors. These players are willing to gamble, so if you happen to pick up a big hand against them, call happily and pick up their dead money.
- If you find yourself facing an all-in during the first few hands, adjust your calling ranges. Calling an all-in with a hand like K-9s can (and likely will) be a solid move in the later stages, but at this point you’d be wise to tighten up just a bit. The structure is fast and the stacks small, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be a better spot to get your chips in.
- Spend the early levels looking for good spots to pick up dead money. Despite playing in a structure where limping is almost never correct, players do it constantly in super turbos, especially early on with marginal hands like baby pairs and suited connectors that they can’t bear to fold, yet can’t move all-in with. Shove over the top of those limpers and grab that dead money.
- On the bubble, keep your eyes on your opponents’ stack sizes. Know at all times who will be going through the blinds next and how much of their stack it will eat. This is crucial to narrowing their holdings. A player with 260 chips facing blinds of 50-100 will be pushing a far wider range of hands from UTG than one with 780 chips. In other words, a super turbo bubble is going to be very similar to a regular turbo bubble. Be patient unless you have a massive stack and scared opponents who are easily pushed around.
- Pay attention to your opponents’ pushing and calling ranges. People tend to push lighter and call lighter in the super turbos than in regular turbos often for the simple fact that they don’t have as much time invested in the game as they would in an SNG with a slower structure. Keep an eye on the regulars as well. Every SNG environment has them and the super turbos are no exception. Pick up a tool like PokerTracker or Hold’em Manager to give yourself even more of an edge when it comes to tracking your opponents and their tendencies.
Whether you’re busto or robusto, super turbo SNGs can be a quick way to grind up your bankroll. Set a challenge for yourself — play 1,000 games and see how much you can earn.
To try your hand at super turbo SNGs, head over to Full Tilt Poker. And hey, why not follow us on Twitter while you're at it?
