After playing the 75K event at AP a couple times, after winning a seat by winning the AP forum MTT, I realized how much fun MTT's are as compared to SnG's. Just way more complex from the deeper stacks and the top heavy payouts. Gunning for first, the MTT goal, is far more fun then folding to cash, the proper technique of a SnG grinder and a satellite specialist. I am also really enjoy reviewing the HH and finding mistakes. I feel this will only help me to prevent them in the future.
In the last two weeks I have used the satellites to win seats at 5 AP majors. Two $1050 events, two $530 events, and a $162 game. I cashed in last nights $530 event but only for $750. I paid less than $200 for all my tickets so far so I'm up overall. I really want to hit a top 3 on an AP major this month. I have 3 left to play and I don't plan on stopping there.
Yesterday I managed to get in a season ending snowboard day. It was awesome as my buddy who shattered his leg 25 months ago while we were out west at Fernie got back on his boards for the first time. His bones have yet to heal completely but his doctor told him to go ahead and give it a try. Thankfully he walked off the hill at the end of the day. My last hockey tournament is next weekend so I'm now officially looking forward to golf season.
Thanks to my family, JoeDirt, FreddyJames, and Rags for their encouragement.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
My WSOP seat winning plan
Curious what others might think of this plan. After looking at the options on PokerStars I decided that the satellite MTT's pay so few that they are really outside of my strength. I have confidence in my satellite game when 1 in 10-20 pay and the field is large. These are 1 in 100+ and the fields are small so usually only the winner wins a seat.
So what I play on doing is trying out the sng Steps. I'm a profitable mid stake sng player but definitely not one of the best. I don't plan on dumping a lot of money into them but I found a way to fund my attempts using a game of which I am very good at. The satellite games where many players win. There are $2r WSOP satellites into a $39r game. If you win the $39 seat you can unregister and take W$. W$ can then be used in the Step sng's. The first step costs $7.50. As a trial I have played 4 of these $2r satellites and won a seat every time. I don't expect to maintain that but clearly I can win around 50% of them and use this method to fully fund my Step attempts.
In the steps themselves each step has a different skill set of people and the structure of the game even changes as you get higher. For this reason I don't plan on mixing the different levels much. Instead I plan on winning a bunch of step 3 tickets before I even attempt to play a step 3. I will only 4 table the games so that I get max reads without boring myself into surfing or starting other matches.
So far I think I have bought 10 step 1 tickets and have 2 step 3's to show for them. I made some mistakes in assessing ranges and have not done as well as I should and can moving forward. The play is so bad I have nothing to compare it with. I'll keep playing the $2r to build W$ and continue to play the step 1 and 2's until I have 12 step 3 tickets saved up. At that point I will start taking my shots at the next levels.
Advice appreciated!
So what I play on doing is trying out the sng Steps. I'm a profitable mid stake sng player but definitely not one of the best. I don't plan on dumping a lot of money into them but I found a way to fund my attempts using a game of which I am very good at. The satellite games where many players win. There are $2r WSOP satellites into a $39r game. If you win the $39 seat you can unregister and take W$. W$ can then be used in the Step sng's. The first step costs $7.50. As a trial I have played 4 of these $2r satellites and won a seat every time. I don't expect to maintain that but clearly I can win around 50% of them and use this method to fully fund my Step attempts.
In the steps themselves each step has a different skill set of people and the structure of the game even changes as you get higher. For this reason I don't plan on mixing the different levels much. Instead I plan on winning a bunch of step 3 tickets before I even attempt to play a step 3. I will only 4 table the games so that I get max reads without boring myself into surfing or starting other matches.
So far I think I have bought 10 step 1 tickets and have 2 step 3's to show for them. I made some mistakes in assessing ranges and have not done as well as I should and can moving forward. The play is so bad I have nothing to compare it with. I'll keep playing the $2r to build W$ and continue to play the step 1 and 2's until I have 12 step 3 tickets saved up. At that point I will start taking my shots at the next levels.
Advice appreciated!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Busy times...AP majors....Aruba/WSOP?
This is a busy time of year. My kids are in hockey playoffs. My oldest, 12, is out now. My 8 year old is in his finals with games Tuesday and Wednesday and if necessary Saturday. Then the season will be done. I coach both teams so obv never miss a game or practise. We also try and get north to ski/board because the end of the season is near. Yesterday was the first Sunday this winter that I could sleep in due to no practise at 7:00am but that damn bunny got my youngest excited with his gifts and he woke us up anyhow.
I won my second AP Forum match this week so was scheduled to play the 75K last night. This time I actually won HU compared to the last time when Carson purposely lost because he already had a seat. He wouldn't even let me ship him anything for it. He is definitely a great guy and I am happy for his all his success lately. I didn't cash in either. Made it 2+ hours in and ran into coolers both times. No regrets. I also watched Freddy play lat night. He played extremely well and got donked out when he shoved a Kxx flop with his AA and got called by KJ off. (the donk nuts) K turn and Freddy is railed. He will be winning one of these soon if he keeps at it.
A little about my relationship with AP...
I still have some internal contacts there after helping them out a few times pre-scandal. I quit playing AP but continued email contact with those I know. Well recently with their Cashier problem I got involved again. Once the problem was resolved they offered me a small cash token for helping. I asked them if they would consolidate my VP247 and AP accounts onto AP and they did! I now have my ARPs, cash, and rakeback all on my AP account. I was surprised to see that my account was back over 1K as well. I have been doing a few transfers for people that want Stars money and it all adds up.
So Saturday morning I decided to move AP onto my Main computer and see what is happening there. They have huge overlay satellites into their majors. I shipped a 100K pro bounty seat ($1000 seat) for 800 RPs (equivalent of $8) and a 150K ($530 seat) in a $20 rebuy, 2 seats guaranteed satty for $80. Only 9 players in it. 7 left at the break and only 4 of us added on. Easy shipping. So I may be playing more of the big games at AP. The majority of my play will still be on Stars. Their satellites are better in that you can take the cash. I also shipped a Stars Sunday warm up and a Sunday Million seat yesterday and took the cash.
Next goals, Aruba seat on AP. WSOP seat on Stars. Got to try this year. My BR can handle it and my satellite game is good.
I won my second AP Forum match this week so was scheduled to play the 75K last night. This time I actually won HU compared to the last time when Carson purposely lost because he already had a seat. He wouldn't even let me ship him anything for it. He is definitely a great guy and I am happy for his all his success lately. I didn't cash in either. Made it 2+ hours in and ran into coolers both times. No regrets. I also watched Freddy play lat night. He played extremely well and got donked out when he shoved a Kxx flop with his AA and got called by KJ off. (the donk nuts) K turn and Freddy is railed. He will be winning one of these soon if he keeps at it.
A little about my relationship with AP...
I still have some internal contacts there after helping them out a few times pre-scandal. I quit playing AP but continued email contact with those I know. Well recently with their Cashier problem I got involved again. Once the problem was resolved they offered me a small cash token for helping. I asked them if they would consolidate my VP247 and AP accounts onto AP and they did! I now have my ARPs, cash, and rakeback all on my AP account. I was surprised to see that my account was back over 1K as well. I have been doing a few transfers for people that want Stars money and it all adds up.
So Saturday morning I decided to move AP onto my Main computer and see what is happening there. They have huge overlay satellites into their majors. I shipped a 100K pro bounty seat ($1000 seat) for 800 RPs (equivalent of $8) and a 150K ($530 seat) in a $20 rebuy, 2 seats guaranteed satty for $80. Only 9 players in it. 7 left at the break and only 4 of us added on. Easy shipping. So I may be playing more of the big games at AP. The majority of my play will still be on Stars. Their satellites are better in that you can take the cash. I also shipped a Stars Sunday warm up and a Sunday Million seat yesterday and took the cash.
Next goals, Aruba seat on AP. WSOP seat on Stars. Got to try this year. My BR can handle it and my satellite game is good.
Monday, March 3, 2008
What's next?
I'm really getting bored of the $5.50 rebuy satellites. I have a 50% cash rate and roi > 70% in them. The variance is about as low as any poker game could be. I have not gone longer then 7 matches without a cash in 250+ overall matches. Anyone reading this that would like to pick my brain on strategy for them is more than welcome to. They are great for BR building at a slow and steady pace. I have looked up many regulars in the pokerdb and have found that I cash a higher percentage then any of them. I must do something right but I think I need to move on.
The Sunday million also has a whole whack of satellites and I might attempt a few of them. The $36 rebuy is the same format as the $5.50r so I believe my strategy would be the same and it might be fun to try them. I even think they are within my BR.
I have also played a few dozen $12 45 man sng's, mostly 3 tabling, and find them much more interesting then the 9 man's. The full gambit of MTT strategies come into play during the various stages of the game. More importantly, for my bankroll, is the fact the bubble play is terrible. The $16 9 man turbos are what I use to rack up FPP pts at the end of the month to maintain silver star status but I find them mind numbing to some extent and 6-8 tabling them hurts my clicking finger!
I think that the 45 man's might be my next game with a few higher stake satellites. The WSOP satellites are running now and that has caught my interest. Not sure to what extent but I'm thinking about it.
Oh and I'm waiting on my first Stars cheque!
The Sunday million also has a whole whack of satellites and I might attempt a few of them. The $36 rebuy is the same format as the $5.50r so I believe my strategy would be the same and it might be fun to try them. I even think they are within my BR.
I have also played a few dozen $12 45 man sng's, mostly 3 tabling, and find them much more interesting then the 9 man's. The full gambit of MTT strategies come into play during the various stages of the game. More importantly, for my bankroll, is the fact the bubble play is terrible. The $16 9 man turbos are what I use to rack up FPP pts at the end of the month to maintain silver star status but I find them mind numbing to some extent and 6-8 tabling them hurts my clicking finger!
I think that the 45 man's might be my next game with a few higher stake satellites. The WSOP satellites are running now and that has caught my interest. Not sure to what extent but I'm thinking about it.
Oh and I'm waiting on my first Stars cheque!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
PokerStars Support disagreement
I have had no complaints at all with support at Stars. They have investigated obvious collusion for me and refunded me buyins based on their findings. They have answered my emails promptly and with relevant responses.
I recently had a disagreement with them. I was playing in a 180 man tournament and was in 2nd place with 20 people remaining. Stars had technical issues and the game froze. They had an announcement on their site regarding the issues they were having and had stopped any further games from starting. I emailed them asking what was up and they quickly responded that they were having issues. I eventually signed off expecting to get a reimbursement of some sort. Next day I asked them about the tournament in question because I had not received anything for it yet I did for another game I was playing at the time.
A few emails later after they sent me the HH for the game I noticed that they restarted the game 2 hours after it froze. A few people reconnected but the majority were sitting out. The game ended, I blinded out in 6th place for less money then if they had done a chip/chop as they did in the other game that froze on me at the same time.
Once I had that information I just knew they would make it right. Nope, they said the game completed and that no further compensation was warranted. Crazy. It eventually got resolved and I had an email conversation with 'Scotty' that posts for Stars on 2+2 and P5's sometimes. He admitted that it was not handled correctly and that he would let the PokerRoom manager know.
Full thread: http://www.pocketfives.com/E9E42BA0-08E1-4485-95AD-7441591E74C9.aspx
I recently had a disagreement with them. I was playing in a 180 man tournament and was in 2nd place with 20 people remaining. Stars had technical issues and the game froze. They had an announcement on their site regarding the issues they were having and had stopped any further games from starting. I emailed them asking what was up and they quickly responded that they were having issues. I eventually signed off expecting to get a reimbursement of some sort. Next day I asked them about the tournament in question because I had not received anything for it yet I did for another game I was playing at the time.
A few emails later after they sent me the HH for the game I noticed that they restarted the game 2 hours after it froze. A few people reconnected but the majority were sitting out. The game ended, I blinded out in 6th place for less money then if they had done a chip/chop as they did in the other game that froze on me at the same time.
Once I had that information I just knew they would make it right. Nope, they said the game completed and that no further compensation was warranted. Crazy. It eventually got resolved and I had an email conversation with 'Scotty' that posts for Stars on 2+2 and P5's sometimes. He admitted that it was not handled correctly and that he would let the PokerRoom manager know.
Full thread: http://www.pocketfives.com/E9E42BA0-08E1-4485-95AD-7441591E74C9.aspx
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