Capture the Flag: Andreas ‘Skjervoy’ Torbergsen

One of the most talked-about players in the high-stakes online cash games this year has been Andreas Torbergsen, a Norwegian pro from the city of Skjervoy, which just happens to be his online handle.

The pot-limit Omaha expert only recently started to play the nosebleed stakes of $300-$600 and higher, and the risk has paid off handsomely, for what some have reported to be as high as seven figures.

Torbergsen has done most of his damage on Full Tilt Poker, where he is a red pro. When he’s not tearing up opponents in the heads-up games, he spends time as an instructor for CardRunners, teaching his students how to beat low- and medium-stakes pot-limit Omaha games.

In this interview, Torbergsen explains how he made the switch to pot-limit Omaha, and even offers some advice for beginners who are looking to learn the game.
Julio Rodriguez: It’s been reported that you learned to play poker from your father. What games did he teach you, and when?

Andreas Torbergsen: My father taught me how to play five-card draw at an early age, although we played for only pennies. He had played a decent amount in his youth, so he would have crushed me if he hadn’t let me win most of the time. I didn’t play much after that, until I turned 18 and learned no-limit hold’em from my friends.
JR: At what limits did you start out?

AT: The first game that I played for real money was no-limit hold’em. I played with friends from school in what I guess was the equivalent of a $4-$8 game. I struggled in this game, because my friends had already played for a while, and I had only just learned the rules.

I think I played two or three times with them before I joined a different home game later that year. They were beginners just like me, so it was much easier to win. We started with fixed-limit, since we were too confused to do anything else, and they believed it was a “safer” choice, in regard to money. Obviously, we soon got bored with minimum-betting each other, and made the switch to no-limit.

I was the biggest winner in the game, but for me, it was mostly about the social aspect and getting better. The stakes were not high enough to be unkind to anyone, but if you lost, you would be needled for a while. I have very fond memories of that game. In my eyes, that’s what poker is really about, having fun with your buddies.
Fast-forward about two years and I had moved on to online poker. I started out playing pretty nitty at 50¢-$1 and was winning slowly, and steadily spread it out to eight tables. I had some decent success taking shots in multitable tournaments and higher cash games, so I decided to try to satellite into the 2006 World Series of Poker. I had seen some poker on television and really wanted to check out Las Vegas. I won my seat on my second try, and my cousin also qualified, setting up a nice trip for us.

JR: Is that where you started to play pot-limit Omaha?

AT: The other Norwegians I met in Las Vegas were a lot more degen [degenerate] than I was, and they decided to play some $1-$2 pot-limit Omaha at Bally’s one night before going out. I had played it for small stakes online before, but it wasn’t until that night that I realized I had a knack for it.

I got hooked, and when I returned from Las Vegas, I decided to have a separate bankroll specifically for pot-limit Omaha. I started playing $1-$2 full-ring games, but I also got some heads-up and shorthanded experience in games that were just starting up.

One of the toughest things I remember learning was not to set-mine all pairs like I used to do in no-limit hold’em. Learning not to overplay aces was big, but it was much harder to learn how to read other people properly. Hand selection was a big part of my game, but I have to admit that it is still something I’m working on.

JR: Is it true that you went from small stakes to $10-$20 pot-limit Omaha in one year?

AT: At first, I was cashing out everything over $10,000 in my account. Then, I moved that limit to $12,000. The problem was that there weren’t many games between $3-$6 and $10-$20 at the time, so one day I just decided to make the jump.

The games proved to be really beatable. Six-way limped pots at a nine-handed table were not uncommon. I didn’t have the bankroll for that game at first, but the games were so soft that I decided to make an exception. The only real stumble I encountered was when I got stubborn playing against a Finnish player called “byrrrr.” We had some epic battles in which I had almost all of my PLO [pot-limit Omaha] bankroll on the tables, and he ended up beating me pretty good. Luckily, I could always drop back to the lower stakes to regroup.

JR: When did you decide to become a CardRunners instructor?

AT: I coached privately for a while, and got good reviews. Mix that with some good results of my own, and I guess that it got the attention of CardRunners. I played tons of medium-stakes pot-limit Omaha in 2008 and 2009, so I think I’m qualified to teach those stakes, even though I play high-stakes PLO now.

The biggest difference between the two games is that high-stakes players have fewer leaks and are usually less risk-averse than their low- and medium-stakes counterparts. I teach my students how to capitalize on these mistakes.

JR: Your records show that you’ve been a consistent winner for quite a while, but it wasn’t until September that you started playing the nosebleed games.

AT: I took a shot at $100-$200 for the first time a year ago, and took some shots at $200-$400, as well. I had a big shot at $300-$600 go wrong in April when I lost to Tom “durrrr” Dwan, but I was able to grind it back up before taking some more shots in the last three months.

Those new shots have gone great, but in the interest of full disclosure, it should be known that I sold some of my action. Not many people are properly bankrolled for those huge games, and I’m no exception. The swings are just too big, especially in pot-limit Omaha.

JR: Do you have any advice for beginning players who are looking to break into pot-limit Omaha?

AT: You can save yourself a lot of time and money by avoiding the typical mistakes that most beginners make. Don’t chase non-nut draws, and try not to play too much when out of position. Don’t play like a robot, and always have a plan, and a backup plan, as well.

If you can afford it, video coaching sites are a great value. The biggest and most known site is CardRunners, where I make my training videos. Other than that, I recommend that you always keep learning. There will never be a point when you’ll know everything, so be sure to use every available resource. ♠

You can receive CardRunners and Andreas’ training videos for free by signing up for Truly Free Poker Training (http://www.trulyfreepokertraining.com).