Turbo vs standard SnG's

[gmunny]

I was beginning to think Al was related to Jimmy "two times" on goodfellas!, maybe a new nickname, Al "three times" [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[PrayingMantis]

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I do think the increased speed is a hindrance to stronger players tho, and a help to the poorer ones.


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In my view, the high variance of the faster SNGs is indeed a benefit for the poorer player, but only *psychologically*. People who play badly, or just want to gamble, usually like faster and high-variance games better, because they feel they have a better chance: it looks like an all-in fest, and only the cards count.

But this is a mistake, of course. It takes a lot of practice and understanding, IMO, to play very short stacks and high speed poker. Some call it "kamikaze" NL. Stronger players, that enjoy this style, will have a very significant advantage over the poor players, *on the long run*.

So, I think it's a question of what kind of game you prefer, and how do you like your $/H and variance. I do agree that playing the slower pace tournament poker, is very enjoyable too. I like both of them...

[mackthefork]

First you take a quote from my reply and then you paraphrase it. I said poorer not poor, I don't think anything benefits those players other than a lie down between beatings [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

You are probably right about the style thing they sure don't suit me because i can't move fast enough and tend not to bluff as much as i'd like to because i know i will get called by the people i play against if they have so much as 2 overcards. I would not suggest for one minute that you are a poor player, I just think the format forces the issue and thus narrows the gap between players of differing abilities.

(open to criticism)

Regards ML

[mackthefork]

Don't get me wrong, I can get paid on strong hands in this type of game, but I always feel rushed and that some of the decisions are forced on me by the time constraints, if you get rubbish cards for 20 mins you could be in trouble in this type of game. Especially if as you say the poorer players are attracted to this type of game, because they are likely to call you and suck out.

Just my opinion

Sorry for awful grammar - and sentence construction, I will do better next time.

Regards ML

[PrayingMantis]

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I just think the format forces the issue and thus narrows the gap between players of differing abilities.


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The fantastic results strong players have on Party SNGs, might prove, IMO, that the gap, *in the long run*, remains the same.

Of course it is too bad if you get only garbage in a specific game, or get outdrawn, or I don't know what. But one should focus on the bigger picture. And that is: making the best decisions.

Anyway, If you don't feel comfortable in the faster formats, for variance reasons, or anything, by all means - you really better not play it, and oncentrate on the games where you feel you have bigger advantage. That's what's so good about different formats.

Only my opinion here.

[mackthefork]

I'm glad to hear of your success in these turbo SNG's, I wonder how the standard Party games which are probably 75% of my SNG intake compare to the turbo's in terms of blind increases (they go up every 10 hands). Certainly they are over faster than a Stars SNG.

Regards ML

[PrayingMantis]

This is actually quite interesting. The blinds on Stars turbos go up every fixed amount of time, 5 min (instead of 10 in the regular ones). The effect of this, is that the early levels sometimes take much less than 10 hands, since the table is still full, and people think a lot. Sometimes it's even around 5 hands a level, for the first few! Crazy pace, much faster than party. However, when only few people remain, and the game gets faster, sometimes there will be much more than 10 hands for level (when the blinds are high). When you're HU, say with blinds of 400/800, you have full 5 minutes until blinds go up again. That leaves you with relatively lot of room to play, and many hands, if you play fast enough (and your opponent too).

These are interesting differences, that have a significant impact on the game.

[David BB]

Just curious PM - how do you adjust your game to a turbo SnG compared to a regular Stars SnG?

[PrayingMantis]

I think the most important thing in adjusting to the turbos, is to make a relatively faster transition on the tight-loose scale. It doesn't take too many hands, before you find yourself in the danger zone, if you play too tight. Also, I find that generally, it's a faster transition on the passive-aggressive scale too, since players who remain last, are usualy more aggressive, but also more ready to fold when they face raises. At the early stages, when there are too many callers, you have to be very careful using too much strength, but this is true for the regular Stars SNGs too. The difference is in the pace, in which you shift gears.

I guess it sounds very general, but that's how I look at it. Of course, it depends on many other specific aspects, that are relevant for each game.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I think if you are the type of player who plays better on a short table(4-7 players) you will like the turbos. I have only played in one and I took 2nd. I enjoyed it, but I am kinda of impatient and sometimes get bored easily, so playing a SnG for an hour and a half bores me( much like last nights 2+2 SnG).

I also don't think they favor bad players. Bad players are going to be bad regardless of what their playing. Them playing the turbos just simply means they will give you their chips sooner [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]