Twister Poker: Let's Go!

Twister Poker is a 3-person SNG in hyper-turbo format, where the prize pool is decided by lottery and is awarded fully to the winner (the winner takes it all). After three players register for a Twister Poker SNG, the lottery for the prize pool begins:

In the following table you can see an overview of the different prize pools and how often they occur:

This gives a rake of 7%. On average, with a buy-in of $1, you are playing for a prize pool of $2.79. The starting stacks are 25bb and the blinds start at 10/20.

Suited for Cash Game Players

Since Twister Poker is carried out in the "winner takes it all" mode, there is no difference between ChipEV and $EV like there usually is with SNGs. If a move is profitable in a 3-handed cash game, then it is also profitable in a Twister Poker SNG. This means cash game specialists aren't at a disadvantage compared to SNG players.

Popular with Casual Players

In a Twister Poker SNG you can win thousands times your buy-in in a single SNG. This lottery-effect, as well as the good visibility of the game variant in the lobby, and easy handling of the variant are the reasons for the big popularity of the format with casual players. This softer player pool and the acceptable rake means the Twister Poker SNGs are also an alternative for hyper-turbo regulars

5 hints for Twister Poker SNGs

Hint 1: No calls with speculative hands

You shouldn't call open raises with speculative hands if you would have to invest more than 10% of your stack. You call preflop in order to make a profitable postflop move on fitting board textures. Here, however, your preflop investment is too big and your potential implied odds are too low. You can't play fit-or-fold anymore. This also includes speculative hands like AT, KQ and Axs.

Hint 2: Only play 3-bet or fold in the small blind

Only play 3-bet or fold in the small blind. If you call, you are always out of position and it also gives the BB the opportunity to squeeze, which even further lowers the EV of your call-hands. Due to the high blinds in relation to the stack and the wide steal-ranges, a 3-bet is usually more profitable than a call.

Hint 3: Push or fold on the BU and in the SB

With less than 10bb, only play a push-or-fold strategy on the BU and in the SB. There is not enough room to make moves postflop and you can't fold to a 3-bet anymore anyway. Since you also want to attack the blinds with a lot of weak hands, you go all-in directly.

In case you don't have any particular reads on your opponent, use the following charts as defaults:

Button:

Small Blind:

Hint 4: Minraises

Minraise on the button and increase your raise to 2.5BB in the small blind with effective stacks above 9BB. Blind stealing is especially important in this game mode.

If you don't have any further information about your opponent, use the following ranges to steal blinds:

Button:

Small Blind:

Hint 5: Bankroll-management

Due to the additional element of luck involved in deciding the prize pool, you should play the Twister Poker SNGs with a conservative bankroll management of at least 50 buy-ins.