Do you Play Turbo Omaha Sit N Go’s?

Part One, early rounds and adjustments

Turbo sit n go tournaments are becoming quite popular and you can find almost any game in a turbo format these days. Turbo sit n go’s are defined by less time to act and less time between blind changes. What this means is that before you know it you are going to have some pretty big blinds to pay. This can be especially troubling in Omaha hi lo if you haven’t been able to win some chips early on. This article will cover some strategic issues you’ll need to consider when making the move to a turbo format. Part two of this series will cover strategic considerations for middle and late rounds as well as some other random adjustments.

Early strategy

It is important to realize that early strategy in a turbo tournament is much different than in a regular sit n go. The early rounds simply aren’t that long and you can’t afford to sit around and wait for other players to pick themselves off like you would in a regular tournament. Realize that when you make the commitment to play an Omaha hi lo turbo sit n go that you are much more vulnerable to luck and variance. There are advantages though in that the games are quicker and usually have a little better prize pool.

In an Omaha hi lo turbo sit n go you will need to drastically reduce your starting hand requirements at the beginning of the tournament. The following hands which might be questionable early on in a normal tournament become quite playable in the turbo environment:

• A2XX
• A3XX
• A4XX
• A5XX
• 23XX
• 34XX
• 45XX

Notice the emphasis here on basically any low cards. You’re still going to have to be careful as these hands are susceptible to domination, but you have to take your chances and go with it or you simply will give away your whole stack to the blinds. Also look for hands that have a good high potential. Usually high only hands are risky in Omaha hi lo unless they are of the highest rank. Lower your standards some in the turbo format and look for good high hands like four face cards or face cards mixed in with nines and tens.

Early rounds betting strategy

In a normal speed Omaha hi lo sit n go, getting all your money in before the flop isn’t necessarily the best idea. Now, that’s not to say it’s a wonderful idea in a turbo tournament, but you need to realize that aggressive betting is what will win you the chips early on in a turbo tournament. Look at a turbo tournament kind of like a short handed game but that even more cunning and aggressiveness is required. You are going to have to make strong bets on situations that are closer than what you normally would be comfortable with. If you flop a good draw, to either a low or a strong high hand, an aggressive pot sized bet is an excellent idea, especially against someone who has already taken a hit. At the same point, if you flop a set, a strong two pair or a first or second nut low and there were no raises pre flop, don’t give anyone free cards. Bet it out strong and build your stack.

Part two, middle and late rounds

As the turbo tournament continues into the middle and late rounds the blinds and antes are going to get huge and actually out of proportion in relation to the amount of money the players hold. Because of this, you will need to play better hands and you will need to be more aware of profitable steals and bluffs. Once antes are added to the tournament, pretty much any pot pre flop is going to be worth a steal if the situation warrants it.

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Stick with it

If you have found yourself in the middle or late rounds of the tournament and you have come out with a nice bet pre flop, you are going need to stick with it when you only have one or two opponents. Continuation bets are a good strategy in Omaha hi lo turbo sit n go’s. As long as you have some shot at a low or high, figure a continuation bet is a proper strategy. Make sure your continuation bet is not too large though. Although no one will ever put it this way, a continuation bet could also be called a “desperation” bet. You bet aggressively pre flop only to see the flop miss you by a mile. Now out of anger and a little desperation, you continue to bet to try and win the pot. Although it seems like a desperate strategy you can usually get away with it in the right situation and if you don’t put yourself in a bad position. In an Omaha hi lo turbo sit n go, a continuation bet is best used when you are first or second to act of the remaining players and when the opposition is limited. Trying to pull this off with three or four players probably won’t yield positive results in a turbo tournament. Try to use continuation bets when your decidedly low power hands like A45X or AK23 fall a little short on the flop. Make sure however that your continuation bet is one you can get away from. The point is to make a bet that convinces other players to fold, yet doesn’t leave you high and dry if you need to lay the hand down.

Finishing in the money

Like all sit n go’s your strategy needs to be to get to the money. In most turbo’s this will either mean the top two or three places. If you find yourself on the bubble or one or two off with a short stack, you obviously will need to do the best you can to conserve money until the hand you need comes. If you have made it to the end (or near the end) and your stack is dwindling, your best bet will be to challenge either other players low on chips or a player with a high stack who you are certain is trying to make a move on you. This is the best way to break into the money when you hold a short stack. Keep in mind though that once you enter the late rounds of the tournament that both low and high hands of lesser quality will be capable of winning the pot. Don’t think that you have to have the nut low in the final rounds to take down half of the pot, play your low hands aggressively and drive out other players. Always keep an eye out for players who raised pre flop as this is still a good indication of a solid hand even late in the tournament. Remember that most hi lo players will usually raise with a hand of good low potential, so if you are in a blind or called and the flop shows strong high hand potential, make sure to bet strong to take the pot, especially in the later rounds.