Is Flip & Go profitable?

Last week I attempted out the brand new format Flip & Go from GGPoker and got here to the conclusion it is going to show common. Yes the primary half is a bet however as someone who likes finish recreation poker and would not like taking part in lengthy periods, it actually suited me. 

I additionally posited that whereas the primary stage is sort of pure playing, the truth that it attracts gamblers most likely makes the tip recreation part worthwhile for many who perceive ICM. So I reached out to PokerStrategy’s personal ICM Guru Collin Moshman to see if he agreed:

There’s restricted edge in these tournaments given the preliminary flip and 5% rake at most buy-ins. On the ‘flip’ facet, they seem tender and there is potential for gamers to make ICM errors with the early rebuy technique. So I do assume they’re probably beatable.

The discard stage continues to be talent based mostly

I used to be anticipating the Flip stage to be carnage however once I performed them I discovered that there was much more determination making concerned than some would assume. The discarded card and realizing the opposite participant’s playing cards meant that you just really wanted an inexpensive understanding of fairness and blockers to keep away from a giant mistake. Our common columnist Dara O’Kearney has been coaching players on his new format and he agrees:

The flip stage might be not as gambley as some would possibly assume, since you not solely should discard your card however you may as well see the three playing cards everybody else is dealt. You’ll know what number of of your outs are lifeless and this could inform your determination. You will see a variety of gamers make the error of going with their finest two gap playing cards with out contemplating whether or not they have a dwell hand or not.

The buy-in technique is every thing

I additionally quizzed Dara on the buy-in technique itself, you should purchase in for one to 10 beginning stacks within the Flip Out stage. A giant stack makes it extra probably you proceed to the following spherical, a small stack maximises your ROI, so which is healthier?

The larger strategic consideration than the discard stage, imagine it or not, is what number of stacks you buy-in for. Buying a much bigger stack is finest as a result of GGPoker stability the stacks throughout the tables so it reduces the ICM penalty for purchasing extra chips. Also the bonus for making robust three card hand has a a lot larger impact on a ten massive blind stack profitable the flipout stage.

However many stacks you purchase, more often than not you’ll exit instantly in Flip & Go. Humans have a frequency bias and it is laborious to abdomen shedding that always. It most likely signifies that Flip & Go is an effective recreation to throw in in direction of the tip of a session reasonably than focussing all of your efforts in direction of, as a result of you may be upset so usually. 

I do nonetheless imagine that the sport is worthwhile as a result of there will likely be so many individuals in the long run recreation stage who usually would by no means make it that far. I’ll give the ultimate phrase to Dara:

They will likely be massively worthwhile within the quick time period when you have the fitting buy-in and discard technique, then if you make the cash you may be up towards weaker opposition than in a match the place folks needed to play poker to get there.

Is Flip & Go worthwhile? Let us know within the feedback:

Barry Carter

Barry Carter is the editor of PokerStrategy.com and the co-author of The Mental Game of Poker 1 & 2, Poker Satellite Strategy and PKO Poker Strategy