I've played a lot of turbo sng's on UB ($10) lately, but there is a situation that comes up quite often that I keep struggling with.

One LAG player gathers a lot of chips, and by the time when there are 6 people left and the blinds are at 300/600 I am shortstacked with about 1800 chips. The LAG player raises many hands, and calls raises from other players with many hands. So, hardly any stealing opportunities (if LAG folds, it is almost guaranteed that one of the other shortstacks moves in). Of course, if you get a premium hand then you have a decent chance to double up, but what do you do when you get lesser hands for a couple of rounds? It happens a lot to me that I move in with, say, KQ, and bust out because I get called by a small pp or an Ax-type of hand.

Should I take more chances in the first levels of these turbo's in order to avoid having to gamble later on? In a regular SnG there are usually some opportunities to gather chips when the blinds get to the 50/100 level and when people tighten up a bit. But in the turbo's it quite often happens that you just don't get a decent hand before the blinds are at 150/300, and there are not many opportunities to choose from.

Pieter

Pieter
I have NO answer on this, and would enjoy more input on this subject...The accelerated blind structure (IMHO) makes most people play TOO fast...I see some truly atrocious play in these things, but still not sure how to capitalize on it...I played about 20 or 30 of the turbo's a few months ago and did "OK" but I felt my ROI was better in the regular SNG's. Any time you see the majority making bad plays, it seems like it would be easy to exploit, but in the this case, I am stumped...Any comments???

Funny, I've gotten myself into a couple of Turbo SnGs at UB by accident ($20) in the past couple of days (thought I was entering a normal one), and it is very noticable how different the play is. It's pretty maniacal early.

But I cashed in both of them by just sitting back and letting about half the table blow themselves up, then by getting real active (aggressive) at about 50/100, especially when in CO or on the button, or even in the blinds, and going after the seriously small stacks, even with marginal hands. Avoid the big stacks, take all the chips from the small stacks and pretty soon you're right there with the big boys and can start pushing them around.

Seems to me that you have to pick your spots, and you have to be aggressive and not be weak when you do pick a spot. They'll back off considerably if they know you're going to fight back and they can't intimidate you any more.

IMHO, i play at UB too, i think the regular SNGs are about 80% skill, 20% luck...these crazy turbo's i think it's more like 50/50...only accidently did i play in one...never again.
GL with 'em.

As usual, I completely agree w/ Flafishy... I've played a couple Turbos, and the best way to make it into the money, even more so than in a regular tourney, is to just sit back and do absolutely nothing... Guaranteed, by the time the blinds go to 50/100, only about 5 people remain... win a couple hands, and you're good to go... The worst thing about Turbos, though, is that, once you're in the money, it's a crap shoot for 1-3 a lot of times, cause the blinds just eat you up...