Turbo Poker Strategy

Turbo poker is ideal for players with limited time.

Poker Turbo's are designed to complete over short time period. I've had countless unlucky exits after 4 hours of regular speed games, walking away with nothing to show for my efforts.

Turbo poker games make the inevitable exit more palatable. I can fit in 3 unlucky turbo exits in the space of one crushing defeat in a regular game.

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Poker Turbo Stress

Calling opponent's 2-7 offsuit bluff with pocket aces, only to watch them crumble, is a recurring nightmare players must face.

It's not because poker rigged, any two card can win by the river. Poker can be frustrating, turbo poker tournaments amplify your position.

Some hands should be played, regardless of cards. It get's a little crazy but due to less hands, quicker and steeper blinds.

Often your play is within others calling range, the more clashes, the more likely you'll be turned over by weaker pre-flop hand. It's simple arithmetic but we delude ourselves with visions of crushed hand.

Turbo Poker - Luck or Skill?

Experienced players are more likely to win long term but not always on day.

Optimum Hand Range - Higher Variance

All poker games have elements of luck.
Turbo games deal less hands (higher variance).
Turbo poker accelerates you to crucial points in game.

During a turbo poker tournament you'll be forced to increase calling hand range more quickly than usual. This is a time issue enforced by blinds and antis.

Variance is higher because you'll have less time to pick premium hands. You'll see less hands, get less clear cut opportunities than regular timed games.

This naturally increases variance but players can develop winning turbo poker strategies based on the common timing mistakes of others.

Luck does factor, after you make your play. If you consistently make correct calls, you'll win more than you lose. If not, find weaker opponents.

Reducing Turbo Poker Tournament Luck

Those who claim turbo poker tournaments are pure luck don't understand the adjustments required. Timing is everything when your options are limited.

Players make bad folds turbo tournaments more than in regular games.

It takes more than luck to recognize and exploit errors, first you must spot them, understand how to deal with them, under variable circumstances.

Sure, you need luck, but when you base your game on methods that improve your mathematical edge, luck will shine on you that little bit more.

Poker Turbo - Different to Regular Games?

Poker turbo's are quicker.
Turbo Blinds rise faster.
Games intensify more rapidly in turbo's than regular games.
Players lose self control quicker during turbo's.
Less hands are dealt between rounds.

Turbo Poker Tournament Adjustments

Minor adjustments can become a game changer if implemented at the right time.

All tournament stages require adjustments, based on blinds, chip stacks, available hands before blinding out, and numerous other factors.
Turbo players may get 3 hands instead of 10 before blinds increase. This affects whether player takes coin flip (when he still has chips), or holds back.
Poker turbo's, essentially use same strategy as standard game.
Player perception changes, often to degree of decent regular poker player failing to grasp timing differences and how it affects overall strategy.
Poker turbo's get to certain phase quicker but it doesn't matter how quickly blinds shoot up, optimum play matters.
It's about switching gears at correct stage in game.
Turbo poker strategy falls within regular poker calculations.

Shortstacked - Losing Fold Equity

You'll be faced with situations when it damages your chances more by folding than taking a coin flip.

If you are in a situation where blinds are about to swallow you up, you should play your hand when you still have chips left. Often this means you'll push with a weak hand, hoping for a rub of the green.

Below 8x BB - Low Folding Equity

Unless you've at least 8x big blind, you'll have little folding equity.

Keep this in mind and consider yourself in allin or nothing mode when you drop below 8x BB.

When caught short, try to pick best opportunity to get chips into pot. At this stage in game, the biggest mistakes are often bad folds.

Tight Turbo Players Get the Boot

Tight players are punished, over and over.

This is done naturally in turbo poker games through steeper blind structures from the outset.

Tight players are often dismal in late game stages, failing to calculate costs linked to folding.

Crazy Turbo Poker Players are "So Last Year"

Crazy players will always be crazy, playing against odds, eventually getting caught out. They're more suited to turbo's (impulse v patience & time theory).

Blinds structure swings the pendulum away from passive player to maniac with better players somewhere in the middle.

Sometimes being crazy isn't such a bad thing but your aim is to be a calculating loony tune, crazies get involved in unnecessary hands.

Crazy players are both dangerous but profitable, you'll only get so many spins of dice before your luck runs out, so make them count.

Standard Turbo Poker Considerations

Adapt game to cater for increasing blinds and antis.
Short stacked players are proportionately hurt more as blinds and antis take toll.
The trick is to switch gears to match game requirements.
Short stack strategy requires aggression to regain stack strength.

Calling Short Stacks in Poker Turbo Showdown

I'll view a raise into my big blind as a potential shot to nothing. I know exactly where I'm situated in relation to others, who's likely to play, etc..

Any two cards can win hand, sometimes a coin flip is best option available under circumstances.

When shortstacked and time is slipping away, losing another round of blinds may drop you in the "call with anything" range.

You must take your coin flip when you've still got chips, or you'll be digging yourself a big hole.

Midstacked Poker Turbo Players

At 16x Big Blind you still have breathing space, can wait for opportunities. Below this range and you'll be sucked into danger zone after a blind or two.

Stealing blinds are important for maintaining stack.
Calls are situational, often based on table position.
Most plays focus around blinds avoiding stray bullets.

You cannot sit too tight, play will catch up soon. You should be looking to cash in on panic plays.

Chip stacks Can Predict Turbo Poker Play

I often recognize when a player is about to move in with nothing.

Chipstacks dictate play of others letting me calculate likelihood of them shutting their eyes, pushing on table position strength or necessity.

Some stacks are not worth the risk, others probably best played, even calling as presumed underdog.

Losing Turbo Players Don't Observe Chipstacks

If you don't know chipstacks of all players active in tourney pot I'll guarantee you're a losing player.

It's crucial information. You get full access (if you choose to do so).

The only strategy advice you need is to know is with practice you'll recognize when players are going to move in on you. What are you going to do about it?

Other times you may calculate your pot sized raise will claim an easy pot, dealt cards irrelevant.

Tight Turbo Players

Tight players wait for big hands, playing for double-ups.
Each time they double-up, they hide back under their shell.
Tight players rely on good cards appearing at opportune moments.
Opponent's often spot tight play so chances of a good payoff are reduced.

Tight Poker Strategy - Accident in Waiting

As you can guess, I don't advocate tight play for anyone other than to learn basics.

Tight poker is considered passive but this style always leads to conflict. It's a low impact, high risk, low reward strategy.

Tight players let opportunities float away, damaging overall game prospects. They fail to assess chipstacks or look at the big picture. Most turbo players are over cautious by nature and fail to pick out EV+ plays.

Turbo Poker Information

Turbo Poker Strategy
Turbo Tournaments Vs. Regular Poker Tourneys
Turbo Blind Structures
Turbo Poker Tournament Thoughts
Selecting Online Poker Site for Turbo's

Turbo Poker Guide

Poker Turbos (Home)
Super Turbos
Hyper Turbos

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