PokerStars rebuy glitches

So now I've played about 250 rebuys on Stars and usually play a set of 8 where I could have up to 5 going at the same time if everything goes well. I often play a couple sng's at the same time to keep me busy. I found a number of small issues with the PokerStars software that will hopefully get addressed in upcoming releases. Here is what I sent to PokerStars:

I know some of this has been discussed multiple times on different forums (p5, 2+2) but I thought I would try and outline an area of software implementation that isn't working as well as it could and suggest possible solutions.

I often multi-table rebuy tournaments and really have a problem with the manner in which I have to interact with the software in order to rebuy when my stack reaches the point where a rebuy is possible. Quite often I end up playing hands with a low stack because I was unable to rebuy during the very very small window where the software allows it.

There are a few quirks in the rebuy process. The best way for me to explain is with examples:

Start with the assumption that the original stack is 1000 chips, and you are allowed to rebuy once your stack is at or below 1000 chips.

example 1) I start a hand with a stack of 1100 chips. I lead out 100 chips, somebody shoves, and I fold. The hand continues with other players in it. For some reason I cannot rebuy during this time. I only have 1000 chips as I have folded out of the hand in progress. Next hand I am dealt AA but I only have 1000 chips....TILT !!!. Please allow me to rebuy once I am out of the hand if my stack is low enough to allow it.

example 2) I have the auto dbl rebuy option selected so I feel that if my stack ever hits 0, I should start the next hand with 2000 chips. I start a hand with 900 chips because I missed an opportunity to rebuy so I'm already semi-tilted. I use the lobby to rebuy while the hand is in play. This is allowed because I started the hand with a rebuy eligable amount of chips. Then during the hand my flush draw misses and I bust out. What then happens is that I start the next hand with 1000 chips instead of 2000. Please respect the dbl-rebuy option in this scenerio.

example 3) This is a small thing but would be helpful for multi-tablers. I am currently playing 6-8 tables and a new rebuy tournament that I have pre-registered for begins. By the time I notice that I am in it it is my turn to act in the first hand. I have not added the extra chips and there are 4 ppl already allin each with 2000 chips and I am staring at 78 suited. So I shove and win 5000 chips when if I had rebought in time I would be sitting pretty with 10K. Please add the ability when registering for a rebuy to pre-select that you would like to start with the max chips at dbl cost.

example 4) The rebuy period ends and the tournament is on break. Please allow me to addon as soon as my hand is over (while the message that the break will start as soon as the current hands are finished is on) So many times as I am waiting for that message to end other tables will pop up and I will miss my chance to addon. I effectively have no way of knowing if I have added on or not. Remember I am multi-tabling. I often try adding on multiple times to some tables and not at all on others. If you added a pop-up box with the options to rebuy,addon (if eligible), addon, or do not addon. Then completing that dialogue would be enough to know that window has been taken care of.

I would like to ask again if you could add a new option for rebuys where if selected you would always rebuy once your stack was eligable. That would reduce so much frustration for those that would like it as we could just keep playing.

I'll keep playing them regardless but these changes would help me do so without hair falling into my green tea.

Annual TLB at VP247

VP247 is a skin of Absolute and is where I played most of my poker over the last two years. I quit there once it was obvious that their execs were as crooked as they come. I have no faith that the culture of greed changed any when they were caught. The 'punishment' did not look at all like a deterrent to me. Their volume didn't appear to suffer. They basically got away with it.

Anyhow my volume managed to put me in the top 20 on their annual TLB list and they had a 5K freeroll for their top 100. 63 players signed up and 63 got paid...lol $18 for signing up.

I managed to make the FT and came in 6th for $225 after calling a UTG players allin with AQ. We both had about 8BB's so I figured I had his range crushed and didn't mind at all taking a race. He turned over KJ off and flopped a K for the win. I really should have abused the weak tighties a little more. My fault for not having a bigger stack. I was in 1st when the FT began, but got chipped away. 1st took over 1K, not bad for a freeroll with 63 players in it.

So now I have $240 on VP, and another $350 on AP. Not sure what to do with it. Thinking about using it to take shots at bigger games since the play there is terrible in comparison with Stars.

My first MTT

I had wanted to find the motivation/time to play a few MTT's and just haven't done it. Yesterday I logged on at 7:30pm and played the $20 satty into the nightly 50K ($55) at the same time I played a few sng's because I had a bunch of T$ in my account. I won the satty and then quit for the night. At 11:00pm I turn off the TV and hit my pillow when the thought hits me. I forgot to unregister for the 50K!!!

I get up and logon and the first break is on. I have 2500 chips (start with 3k) the field is down to 900 from 1500. I decide to play it to cash. No way am I staying up to 6:00am to the bitter end and 180 players cash. I dbled up a couple times during the next hour and was sitting at 12K at the next break, if I could hang on another hour I would cash ($110) and it would be worth my while. My table was particularly tight and I was in 2nd place with the only laggy player (and CL) to my left. It was easy to glide to the cash. Once there I busted with KK to AQ aipf.

Not the way I wanted to do it, but I finally played my first MTT on Stars.

Slow start to the New Year

I've played very little so far this year. I decided to play a few satty's while waiting for a response on an 'appliance fix-it' forum. My washing machine is acting up. Hopefully I can get some good advice, it's worked for me a couple other times. I end up finding the faulty part and getting instructions on how to replace it then pick the part up at a local store. I save a few bucks and avoid the over priced service call that doesn't fix the issue.

Anyhow, I shipped 2 of 3 tonight. I lost the freezeout thinking I was in the rebuy period. I ended up calling an all-in with a flush draw without the odds to do so. I was shocked when I couldn't rebuy... Oh well. $50.5 in and $110 out. Not bad for 90 minutes work while carrying on 2 MSN conversations, answering multiple emails, researching a ski vacation, researching my washing machine issue, and drinking a few rye and cokes.

I'm now railing my bud Joe_Dirt who is pwning an MTT on Stars right now. Take it down Joe!

Day late and and $4 short

I had intended on playing a little more during the break but with the extra noise in the house and other opportunities I didn't play much at all. I had a goal of breaking the 2K barrier before 2008 and was sitting around $1850 on Dec 31. I decided to play for 3 hours on Jan 1 to see how I did so from 5:30pm to 8:30pm I played and ended up $4 short of 2K.

I'm not much for New Years resolutions so I'll pass on making up goals today. I intend on grinding up a bit more this week, making my initial deposit withdrawal, and then playing the next level soon. It was a grind to replace the BR without just depositing it but I think it's worth it to test yourself and get some experience on a new site.

The ugly side

Up to this post on Stars I have run pretty well. I take my share of bad beats as well as sucking out a number of times. Normally these even out over just a few days. Lately it's been really ugly for me. It just seems that if there is a card or runner/runner combination that can take me from a dominating lead to a horrible beat it happens. I have lost $500 over the last few days. Here is my graph now:






I found this one match quite 'amusing'. Losing AA in two consecutive hands. I know what you're thinking, what a card rack for getting AA twice in a row.



The 5th hand of the tournament and first I entered with blinds of 15/30 there were two early limper's. I raised to 150. A late position guy re-raised to 270 and that took out the limper's. I shove my AA and he calls with AQ offsuit. Ship the str8 to the donk. This left me with 265 chips which I open shoved next hand after getting AA again. K7 soooooted calls me and ships the flush. My parting words were: "I suck"



My goal of hitting 2K before Jan 1 is at risk now. I need to turn it around quickly. Luckily I made $100 playing the satellites last night to keep my Stars account above $1500. If it gets any worse I might be forced to drop levels.

Sharkscope graph

I guess I should post my results so far. I'm doing well ROI wise. I have now started at the $16 sng level now playing 6-8 tables. That way I have close to $100 on the site at a time and would expect to earn $20+ per hour at that rate playing that level. I am watching RPT videos on MTT play and feel I am ready to play them. I want to have 100 buyins behind me and due to the time it takes to play them I don't want to start at the lower levels. $3rebuy or $20FO is as low as I want to play and for that 2K is necessary in my opinion.

I have done well on the 180 man $4.40's on Stars that I have played. I have an unsustainable 460% roi after playing 20 of them. I have 5 Final tables 2 2nds, and 2 3rds but I have yet to win one. They take over 3 hours to play and I don't often find that much concurrent time.

I may play one of those $50FO tourneys that I satellite into soon. I have profited well satelliting into them but I have always unregistered and taken the cash to date. I think I should play one. I did well playing the AP 150K tourney after satelliting in, I didn't have the option to unregister at AP.

Here is my graph now after 2 months on Stars, it's certainly heading in the right direction: