Ontario tournaments have been the best ever, with the addition of low-rake, high Patience Factor tournaments at Casino Rama, Western Fair, Georgian Downs and Mohawk (& hopefully Woodbine soon).
Ontario 1/2 is still better than the horrible 1/2 games in California where everybody has to buy-in MICRO stacked. After reading the analysis in 2+2 of the unbeatable low limit games in California, I tried out the 1/2 games at the Commerce, etc. to confirm, then quickly moved to the 2/5 table at The Bike for the rest of my (winning) sessions. I'm hoping that any forumers who play 1/2 electronic will contradict me that there are not so many short-stacks as the few tables I have tried so far.
Ontario 2/5+ is fine and is what I plan to play when I'm not playing the juicy tournaments.
Who tries to make real money at 1/2 anywhere other than the deep games in AB? I don't understand all the analysis of short stacked 1/2 games...why would you ever sit in them when there are soft 5/5 games? Unless things have changed dramatically in the past 5 years 5/5 is probably super soft in any live setting. Just find deep games, have an appropriate bankroll and buy in for the max...ez game.
If 5/5 was such a super soft ez game, every forumer would have "thrown everything away and gone pro" years ago grinding at least $2,000/week. Instead, the 5/5 game died at Fallsview several years ago with almost all the former 5/5 regs giving up or dropping down. The only 5/5 game left in the GTA may be Woodbine on weekends.
why would you ever sit in them when there are soft 5/5 games? Unless things have changed dramatically in the past 5 years 5/5 is probably super soft in any live setting. Just find deep games, have an appropriate bankroll and buy in for the max...ez game.
If 5/5 was such a super soft ez game, every forumer would have "thrown everything away and gone pro" years ago grinding at least $2,000/week. Instead, the 5/5 game died at Fallsview several years ago with almost all the former 5/5 regs giving up or dropping down. The only 5/5 game left in the GTA may be Woodbine on weekends.
I guess things have dramatically changed since I lived there...pretty sad sounding poker scene these days.
I wouldn't grind 5/5 for a living for that amount of money.
Not all forumers are capable of beating live 5/5 in the long run.
Has any active forumer been playing the sold-out Sunday tournaments at Mohawk? When I went there on a weeknight, there were more electronic roulette players than poker players (NONE!), so I asked them why don't they run tournaments on weekdays. It seems they listened:
Daily electronic poker tournaments are now offered at OLG Slots at Mohawk Racetrack. You can play $100 poker tournaments or choose from a variety of buy-ins with Sit & Go tournaments.
Click here for more details: [ Mohawk Racetrack ]
Hopefully there will be enough savvy players there like BigBob so that we'll be able to request any of the lower-rake buy-ins such as $75+$5, $220+$10, $170+$10, $150+$10 Deep Stack or $110+$10 Deep Stack instead of the worst value $90+$10 with the highest 10% rake. Just like with the $10 raked SNGs at Woodbine, it is much better to have almost 2 1/2 times more money in the prize pool than the last-resort $100 for the same rake.
Has any active forumer been playing the sold-out Sunday tournaments at Mohawk? When I went there on a weeknight, there were more electronic roulette players than poker players (NONE!), so I asked them why don't they run tournaments on weekdays. It seems they listened:
Hopefully there will be enough savvy players there like BigBob so that we'll be able to request any of the lower-rake buy-ins such as $75+$5, $220+$10, $170+$10, $150+$10 Deep Stack or $110+$10 Deep Stack instead of the worst value $90+$10 with the highest 10% rake. Just like with the $10 raked SNGs at Woodbine, it is much better to have almost 2 1/2 times more money in the prize pool than the last-resort $100 for the same rake.
I've been meaning to, but Sunday's were tricky for me... I will check out this new schedule.
To BIGBOB, DrTyore, bigslik77, etc., are you interested in playing a $75+$5 tournament at Mohawk this Saturday at 4 PM? Since last Saturday's worst value $90+$10 barely run, we can phone to request to run the $75+$5 instead with lower buy-in and more beatable rake. We can phone 905-854-4053 (x240) or 1-800-732-2230 at around 2 PM on Saturday to tell them that there are at least four of us who want to play a $75+$5 MTT. If they refuse, then plan B would be to play a cash game at Woodbine or Fallsview.
Here are my plans for this Saturday, November 2:
1) Play a $75+$5 to $540+$20 SNG at Woodbine by noon.
2) Play a $75+$5 MTT (or $220+$10) at Mohawk at 4 PM.
3) Play cash game at Fallsview.
Had cleared my sched to play the $125 Deepstack at Brantford today, but when I called to register last night they told me it was sold out.
Looks like I'll now have to play the $100 at Mohawk today.
Sigh!
Anybody know the registration process for these tourneys?
It best to be there an hour before, maybe 45min - just go to the cage and tell them you want to reg for the tourney. You need a players card, too. So leave time to get that if you don't have one already.
Had cleared my sched to play the $125 Deepstack at Brantford today, but when I called to register last night they told me it was sold out.
That $100+$25 Deep Stack seems to be very popular as players kept talking about it in the other casinos I was playing this week. I was playing 2/5 at Woodbine, where a reg said there were only 5 seats left when he bought his seat.
Looks like I'll now have to play the $100 at Mohawk today.
Sigh!
Anybody know the registration process for these tourneys?
Be at Mohawk early as the second time I tried to play there, the MTT sold out one hour early and I had to drive to my "Plan B" of Woodbine. A couple of players already pre-registered last night after our MTT with BigBob & Gottaget. After poor BigBob was eliminated on the bubble with his flopped top set that got sucked out on with runner-runner, some :fish: banged the table, threw his stylus at the screen & screamed, "Electronic poker is rigged!"
That $100+$25 Deep Stack seems to be very popular as players kept talking about it in the other casinos I was playing this week. I was playing 2/5 at Woodbine, where a reg said there were only 5 seats left when he bought his seat.
Yeah, I was very surprised that it sold out so early, but its such a good value for casual players that I shouldn't be. Normally you can get seats an hour before. Gift shop told me it sold out Saturday morning. Crazy! What really sucks is that the next Sunday Deepstack is not until the 24th and it's the $550, which will be a much tougher field. Thank goodness for RF Satellites.
Be at Mohawk early as the second time I tried to play there, the MTT sold out one hour early and I had to drive to my "Plan B" of Woodbine. A couple of players already pre-registered last night after our MTT with BigBob & Gottaget. After poor BigBob was eliminated on the bubble with his flopped top set that got sucked out on with runner-runner, some :fish: banged the table, threw his stylus at the screen & screamed, "Electronic poker is rigged!"
That's way too much hassle for a rigged game, IMO. >:D
Unfortunately, I can't make it to your early Friday night satellites, so I may be stuck playing the high-rake crapshoots at Fallsview coming up soon.
That's way too much hassle for a rigged game, IMO. >:D
As poker-savvy Gottaget and I discussed at Mohawk, its MTTs are better value than Brantford's $100+$25, which has a hard-to-beat rake of 20%. BigBob, Gottaget, djgolfcan, pkrfce9, waltsfriend, bigslik77, etc. & I get to see a lot more hands (per hour) with the excellent electronic format at Mohawk compared to live "rigged" dealers, especially when the antes and all-ins start and the money gets closer.
After following my suggestion to add another MTT day (Saturdays 4 PM), the great news is that Mohawk will implement another one of my suggestions by increasing the prize pool while keeping rake the same $10. So the Sunday sold-out tournaments will improve to $110+$10, with $2,200 prize pool and 8% rake compared to the $1800 pool & 10% rake currently. :cool2: Mohawk may even have $220+$10 (4% rake), $150+$10 or $170+$10 MTTs later if enough of us request it.
Value is a matter of perspective. As a casual player/hobbyist, getting 6 or 8 hours of poker tournament enjoyment (with real cards and chips and dealers) for $125 is a far better value than a 3 hour video game session for $120.
From a financial perspective, I consider the tournament structure and strength of field before I worry about the rake, unless it's exorbitantly high (> 30%) or low (< 10%). For example, there is more value (to me) in the $100 + $25 Deepstack than the $500 + $50 Deepstack, as the field will likely be significanly weaker, which will greatly increase my chances of cashing, as opposed to the $550 where I'd be completely out of my league.
Also, larger fields suit my game better, so I'd be at a disadvantage playing in a 1 or 2 table tournament, further offsetting the gain of lower rake.
As for more hands per hour, I see no advantage in that as everyone is in the same boat.
So, in sum, what I'm saying is, rake isn't everything.
As a casual player/hobbyist, getting 6 or 8 hours of poker tournament enjoyment (with real cards and chips and dealers) for $125 is a far better value than a 3 hour video game session for $120.
Fair enough. FYI, yesterday's Mohawk $90+$10 MTT took over four hours to finish even though there were only 14 players, so that is a LOT of hands BigBob, Gottaget & I got to play. I wouldn't be surprised if I got to play as much poker in that Mohawk $100 tourney that I got to play in the Rama $300 tourney that I won.
... as opposed to the $550 where I'd be completely out of my league.
Most of the forumers I've had the pleasure of playing with are better than the average player I see in these casino tournaments. Wetts1012 & I kept giving each other WTF looks even in the $330 Deep Stack final table as there were so many "how NOT to play poker" moments. I guess I should be happy that that I'm more likely to see :fish: in the many sold-out tournaments I play than a decent forumer.
As for more hands per hour, I see no advantage in that as everyone is in the same boat.
The reason good players like a Deep Stack tourney is that we get to see a lot more hands; the more hands we get to play in an hour or in a blind level, the better. That is why good players like auto-shufflers instead of slow dealers, and hate players who delay the game by forgetting their ante/blinds every hand or Hollywooding whenever its their turn to act.
and hate players who delay the game by forgetting their ante/blinds every hand or Hollywooding whenever its their turn to act.
I've remedied this somewhat for Brantford games. I have taken Negreanu's stance, I'll give each player one tank, after that, depending on blind level length, they have 90 seconds to decide, then I'm calling the clock.
One of the nicest things about the Mowhawk tourney (and other electronic games) is that you have (I believe) one minute to act and no one has to call clock etc. That, combined with the fast deal, lets you see many hands per 20 min blind.
Yes, the time limit is 45 seconds. I know a hack if I ever need more time, but I've only used it once when my heads-up opponent wanted to make a deal so I stopped the timer while we finalized the deal; I showed him how to quickly end the tourney, then the first-place money was auto-loaded into my account.
One of the nicest things about the Mowhawk tourney (and other electronic games) is that you have (I believe) one minute to act and no one has to call clock etc. That, combined with the fast deal, lets you see many hands per 20 min blind.
Yes, the time limit is 45 seconds. I know a hack if I ever need more time, but I've only used it once when my heads-up opponent wanted to make a deal so I stopped the timer while we finalized the deal; I showed him how to quickly end the tourney, then the first-place money was auto-loaded into my account.
sounds classy.... please tell me you paid him out what ever deal you cut?
Of course, just like I paid out BigBob last week. All the forumers I've dealt with know I'm not going to run away with their money. Speaking of which....
Of course, just like I paid out BigBob last week. All the forumers I've dealt with know I'm not going to run away with their money. Speaking of which....
Well done. I read your statement kind of open ended like you played some angle to get the first place money in your account.
I don't understand your point in the original post that I questioned, what are you trying to say that the money ended up in your account? It sounded like you might have hustled him, I asked, you answered.
Bragging about it would be as smart as doing it in my opinion. If that makes me stupid, ok.
You call me a troll and some how have a read on my poker ability, this from the self appointed forum... what was the title you gave yourself? I see you edited that part of the post out, does that mean you stepped down? good idea if you did, I know I've learned enough about you to know that the spewing you do and later edit out on most of your posts is not what I am looking for here. Seems you don't have the shoulders to be asked a question directly related to a post you make. Take care.
Comments
Ontario 1/2 is still better than the horrible 1/2 games in California where everybody has to buy-in MICRO stacked. After reading the analysis in 2+2 of the unbeatable low limit games in California, I tried out the 1/2 games at the Commerce, etc. to confirm, then quickly moved to the 2/5 table at The Bike for the rest of my (winning) sessions. I'm hoping that any forumers who play 1/2 electronic will contradict me that there are not so many short-stacks as the few tables I have tried so far.
Ontario 2/5+ is fine and is what I plan to play when I'm not playing the juicy tournaments.
Then garphs.
I guess things have dramatically changed since I lived there...pretty sad sounding poker scene these days.
I wouldn't grind 5/5 for a living for that amount of money.
Not all forumers are capable of beating live 5/5 in the long run.
I've been meaning to, but Sunday's were tricky for me... I will check out this new schedule.
Mark
Here are my plans for this Saturday, November 2:
1) Play a $75+$5 to $540+$20 SNG at Woodbine by noon.
2) Play a $75+$5 MTT (or $220+$10) at Mohawk at 4 PM.
3) Play cash game at Fallsview.
Mark
Looks like I'll now have to play the $100 at Mohawk today.
Sigh!
Looks like I'll now have to play the $100 at Mohawk today.
Sigh!
Anybody know the registration process for these tourneys?
It best to be there an hour before, maybe 45min - just go to the cage and tell them you want to reg for the tourney. You need a players card, too. So leave time to get that if you don't have one already.
Be at Mohawk early as the second time I tried to play there, the MTT sold out one hour early and I had to drive to my "Plan B" of Woodbine. A couple of players already pre-registered last night after our MTT with BigBob & Gottaget. After poor BigBob was eliminated on the bubble with his flopped top set that got sucked out on with runner-runner, some :fish: banged the table, threw his stylus at the screen & screamed, "Electronic poker is rigged!"
Yeah, I was very surprised that it sold out so early, but its such a good value for casual players that I shouldn't be. Normally you can get seats an hour before. Gift shop told me it sold out Saturday morning. Crazy! What really sucks is that the next Sunday Deepstack is not until the 24th and it's the $550, which will be a much tougher field. Thank goodness for RF Satellites.
http://www.pokerforum.ca/f60/80-brantford-rf-satellite-2-a-31206/
That's way too much hassle for a rigged game, IMO. >:D
After following my suggestion to add another MTT day (Saturdays 4 PM), the great news is that Mohawk will implement another one of my suggestions by increasing the prize pool while keeping rake the same $10. So the Sunday sold-out tournaments will improve to $110+$10, with $2,200 prize pool and 8% rake compared to the $1800 pool & 10% rake currently. :cool2: Mohawk may even have $220+$10 (4% rake), $150+$10 or $170+$10 MTTs later if enough of us request it.
From a financial perspective, I consider the tournament structure and strength of field before I worry about the rake, unless it's exorbitantly high (> 30%) or low (< 10%). For example, there is more value (to me) in the $100 + $25 Deepstack than the $500 + $50 Deepstack, as the field will likely be significanly weaker, which will greatly increase my chances of cashing, as opposed to the $550 where I'd be completely out of my league.
Also, larger fields suit my game better, so I'd be at a disadvantage playing in a 1 or 2 table tournament, further offsetting the gain of lower rake.
As for more hands per hour, I see no advantage in that as everyone is in the same boat.
So, in sum, what I'm saying is, rake isn't everything.
Most of the forumers I've had the pleasure of playing with are better than the average player I see in these casino tournaments. Wetts1012 & I kept giving each other WTF looks
I've remedied this somewhat for Brantford games. I have taken Negreanu's stance, I'll give each player one tank, after that, depending on blind level length, they have 90 seconds to decide, then I'm calling the clock.
sounds classy.... please tell me you paid him out what ever deal you cut?
Well done. I read your statement kind of open ended like you played some angle to get the first place money in your account.
and BF would brag about that in a public forum because?
About as smart as playing that angle.
Bragging about it would be as smart as doing it in my opinion. If that makes me stupid, ok.