Multigame Events Add a Touch of Spice to the Tournament Menu

If you get bored playing the same type of poker for hours on end, you can add a dash of spice to your tournament menu by playing multigame events, a relatively new entrée on many tournament menus these days. In my last column, I discussed half hold'em/half seven-card stud events; this time, I'll talk about tournament combinations that feature three or more games.

The popularity of five-game H.O.R.S.E. (an acronym for hold'em, Omaha high-low split, razz, seven-card stud, and eight-or-better stud) tournaments has waned in favor of three- or four-game events such as S.H.O.E., H.O.E., or R.O.E. (Frank Henderson's favorite mix). Basic tournament strategies still apply in these multigame events, but the uniqueness of their format requires special observation skills at the table. Because certain opponents are more skilled at some games than others, you must determine how best to play against them in their best games as well as in their worst games. In reality, a lot of players who like to play multigame events are weak in one or two of the games being played. That's why it is so important to observe your opponents closely and be more conservative and selective in your own weakest game.

Suppose that you've decided to enter a S.H.O.E. event and you believe that Omaha high-low split is your weakest game. During the Omaha segment, you would play a conservative strategy, being far more selective about which hands you would play. In particular, avoid playing marginal hands that require a lot of tricky judgments. Alert opponents will know that you are playing your weakest game and will try to take advantage of you during that segment of the competition. You will want to stay out of their way, yet not allow them to run over you. Therefore, as is the case in all forms of tournament poker, a selectively aggressive posture is essential. This means that when you find a premium hand to play, you should play it strongly, even in your weakest game, in order to maximize your potential win.

Multigame events have been around for quite a while, but it was the Tournament of Champions that really brought them into the spotlight beginning in 1999. In its three-day format, limit hold'em, Omaha high-low split, and seven-card stud are the featured games. The final 27 players assemble on the third day and play no-limit hold'em until a winner is crowned. To be a strong contender at the TOC or in any other multigame tournament, you must have acquired expertise in all four games; you cannot rely on strong skills in three games, for example, and then simply coast through one game (although some people have tried). If you are confident that your limit hold'em, stud, and Omaha split games are strong, but are having trouble adjusting to a no-limit structure, I suggest that you practice by entering as many small buy-in no-limit hold'em tournaments as possible. The same advice goes for any other game that you believe is your weakest suit.

Tag-team events are another type of multigame tournament. At the Four Queens Classic this year, the tag-team tournament was played half hold'em and half Omaha high-low split, but other mixes also are popular (for example, half hold'em and half seven-card stud). In these tournaments, of course, try to choose a partner who is strong in the game that you are not playing. You may want to recruit a specialist in one type of poker, such as Omaha high-low, while you play the hold'em half. In tag-team events, the game changes at each level, so, typically, one of the two games is always played at a higher limit than the other one. If you are the team member who is playing the second game, you hope that your partner has accumulated enough chips for you to be competitive at the higher limit. If not, simply play your best selective-aggressive game in hope of building a stack for your partner to play in the next round. Above all, don't be afraid to bust out during your segment – don't let ego get in the way of judgment.

Multigame tournaments are not only challenging to play, they can add some spice to your tournament life. Placing third in the 2001 World Series of Poker S.H.O.E. tournament was especially gratifying for me because I thought of it as a true test of my versatility as a tournament player. And, of course, in the Card Player Player of the Year standings, being able to play a variety of tournament games is key.

Whether we partner in a two-game event or duke it out individually in a multigame tournament, I hope to see you at the final table one day soon.

Editor's note: Tom McEvoy is the author of Tournament Poker and the co-author with T.J. Cloutier of the Championship series of poker books. McEvoy and Cloutier are billed as "Poker's Leading Team of Winning Authors." Their books are available through Card Player.