OLG Poker Tournament Winners
Although it is not as impressive as BlondeFish's win at Rama, but I won the bingofest $80 buy-in tournament at Brantford last night. With a $15 admin fee and a max of only 40 runners, this is clearly not the best tournament for skilled poker players, but I was happy to gamble for $80.
After I won and while I was waiting for my voucher I was talking to a couple of the dealers. I said that I wished in that situation you could give a tip directly to the dealers involved. With the top prize of $960, I really wasn't thinking about giving a significant amount anyway and it seemed meaningless when it would be split amongst all dealers for the night. Honestly the biggest deterrent for me to tip at all was I wasn't sure how to do it physically. Doing the math now, given the almost 19% rake, I can't feel too badly about not giving up more for a tip.
I was thinking it might be worth starting a thread to log any forumer's win at the currently many OLG tournaments happening. Perhaps it even warrants a sticky. Trip report to follow.
After I won and while I was waiting for my voucher I was talking to a couple of the dealers. I said that I wished in that situation you could give a tip directly to the dealers involved. With the top prize of $960, I really wasn't thinking about giving a significant amount anyway and it seemed meaningless when it would be split amongst all dealers for the night. Honestly the biggest deterrent for me to tip at all was I wasn't sure how to do it physically. Doing the math now, given the almost 19% rake, I can't feel too badly about not giving up more for a tip.
I was thinking it might be worth starting a thread to log any forumer's win at the currently many OLG tournaments happening. Perhaps it even warrants a sticky. Trip report to follow.
Comments
The first significant hand I had was at the $100/$200 level when I had about $9000 to start. UTG raised to $500. There was a bit of controversy to his raise, because he meant to raise to $600 but he did a string bet without announcing his raise. While they were discussing the bet amount, I looked down at pocket aces on the button. I think there were one or two callers of the raise, so I made it $1500 to go. Without too much hesitation the SB called the reraise, which was a bit of a surprise because he seemed like a tight player. The original raiser thought a bit and then called. I hate playing aces against more than one player, but I had no choice. The flop came down J33, which looked like a good board for me. The SB, who had a good sized stack, bet out about half the pot. The initial raiser tanked for a bit and then finally folded. I didn't really think the SB had jacks, so I pushed, SB called quickly. I wouldn't have been surprised to see the other two aces, but he had kings. The river bricked out and I more than doubled up.
This stack size allowed me to play tight aggressive poker for the next several blind levels. I didn't catch many hands but managed to increase my stack with aggressive flop betting and rarely having to show down. When we got to two tables, I had about $30000 in chips which was well above average. Unfortunately at this point I went a bit card dead, which is the wrong time with this structure.
Knowing that the closer we got to the final table, the more it would turn into a pushfest, I decided to raise in the cutoff with Q-10 diamonds. Unfortunately I got caught by a relatively short stack BB, when he pushed. I can't remember the exact blind levels, but I was getting close to 3:1 to call, and I thought as long as I had live cards, it was worth the chance. The BB turned over K-J clubs. The flop came down ace high with two diamonds, the turn was a queen and the river was a diamond. This got my stack up to over 50000.
I should mention that the play was painfully slow. In particular there were three young guys who I think came to the tournament together. It might have been their first live poker tournament, at least their first one at the casino. With eight players, we were getting less than an orbit per 20 minute blind level. They were slow to make decisions, and had trouble picking the right chips to make the bet. As much as some of us tried to encourage it, they would not just announce the amount. One of the dealers was pretty bad about counting the chips herself. She had trouble with paying off the big and/or all-in bets. She also had trouble calculating the raise amounts. I will say that the supervisors were good about stepping in to manage the countdowns of the all-in bets as the tournament progressed. At one point, an older regular called the clock during a hand where he was not involved. I normally wouldn't consider calling the clock, but I did appreciate it in this case. We had a bit of a discussion about this and the young kids actually responded well to the concern, and the pace of play did get a bit better.
I thought my tournament was basically over when we were down to about 12 players. There had been so much limping even as the blinds got higher, but I just could not catch any cards. I did get lucky once, when I was the BB and there were two limpers and the SB in the pot. I had K-2, and the flop came down A-K-2. I bet out, hoping that someone had an ace. Unfortunately nobody called, but at least I got a reprieve for a couple of orbits.
The bad beat story came with blinds at $1000/$2000/$300. Although I had over 50000 in chips at this point, with the slow play and having had no cards for awhile, I was feeling desperate given that I was losing over 10% of my stack on each orbit. A player at MP min raised. I looked down at Q-J in SB which was the best hand I had seen in a long time, so I called and we were heads up. The flop came down K-Q-J rainbow. I bet out $6000. The original raiser thought briefly and then pushed all-in for about $30000. I really didn't put him on a better hand than two pair. I was thinking probably A-K. I thought briefly, but decided to call. He turned over K-9 offsuit. I was hoping to dodge the K, 10, and 9, but a 9 hit on the river. this put me down to around $20000. If I had won that pot I would have had almost $100000 in chips, so I was very disappointed. I knew from then on I was going to need to get a lucky double up to get any further, and I didn't have much hope.
More in the next post ...
While we were at about 12 players there were two weird situations. The first was when it was folded around to the SB (my river villain). Someone joked about a chop but the SB flat called, then he said to BB (the clock caller) do you want to check it down. The BB agreed and immediately flipped over his cards. I objected to the situation and the supervisor came over to the table. While the situation was being discussed, the SB and BB did just check it down and the dealer dealt the board. The supervisor didn't penalize anyone, but he did make it clear that soft play in the tournament was unacceptable. Again, the young kid took the information well, and I give him credit for that.
The other issue was when I was SB. There was one limper and I had K-x suited, with a very short stack in BB. Knowing that these players limped in a lot of pots, I thought there was a good chance to see the flop by calling. I held my breath to see if BB would push when the BB's buddy at the table (river villain) said "If you are going to do it, now would be the time." I was pissed, and after the BB checked, I said to the guy that he can't be making comments like that. Again, to his credit, he took the advice well. It turned out that I missed the flop, and BB pushed.
We were at the final table when I finally got my double up. I think blinds were $3000/$6000, and I had about $50000 in chips, which as about average. There was a min raise in MP, and I had A-9 in BB. I pushed and the original raiser called with pocket 7s. I caught a 9 on the river, winning the critical race.
On the bubble there were two big stacks, and one short stack. I had about $60000, but blinds were $4000/$8000. I would have been happy to get ITM. The next big hand was one that didn't involve me. One big stack raised, and the other one called. I was hoping for a big collision, and I got it. The board came down 8 high with two clubs. Eventually both players were all-in on the flop, with the initial raiser having pocket 9's and the caller with K-J of clubs. A club hit on the turn and the winner had $5000 more than the second big stack. Now we were ITM with one monster stack and one small stack.
A few hands later, the small stack pushed UTG for about 20000. The big stack on the button thought briefly and called. SB folded and I looked down at pocket kings. I reshoved. The big stack thought for a bit and eventually folded. UTG had pocket 10s and my kings held. I was second in chips.
A few hands later, the small stack (river villain) minraised. I had K-Q suited and pushed. The small stack tanked, and said he knew it was a race. He finally called and turned over jacks. I was surprised it took so long for him to call, but I was happy to race. I hit another river with a king, and got my revenge for the earlier river by moving to heads up. At this point I had a bit of a chip lead.
Those who know me, know I hate heads up play. I offered a chop but the young kid balked. I said lets pay until 1:00 a.m. (about 15 minutes) and discuss it again. I think I won 5 of the first 7 hands. and had about a 2:1 chip lead at this point. On the button I looked down at A-4, and pushed. Unfortunately the other player hesitated, so I was worried I picked a bad time. He eventually called with pocket 5s. It turns out that I got lucky on the turn with an ace and took first place.
While we were waiting for our vouchers the second place player said he wished he had chopped when he had the chance, but he thought I just really wanted to leave by 1:00 so he figured he had an advantage. I said that I wasn't worried about the time, but that I just didn't like heads up play. Anyway, it worked out well for me.
Again, it wasn't a big win, but it had some interesting moments for me. I felt good about my play, especially given the nature of the tournament structure.
How many players were there? I know the Brantford structures, but I can't figure out how first place could be $960.
$80 buy-in - 40 runners.
I went over to the online Dark Side for many years where there is no tipping, but if I ever get a live 6-figure win, that is the way I'll do it too. By the way, floor supervisors/management (at least in Ontario) are not allowed to receive tips so one option is to invite them to your victory celebration after work. If I ever win big at Fallsview, I'll invite 13CARDS et al.
work on that heads up game. and hope you will need it.
I'm the guy that when the tournament computer went down, the TD went to ask me what should be the correct prize payouts to put back on the screen!
I can't remember the exact second place money, but it was over $700. Four places paid out with 4th about $350 I think. I actually like the bigger payouts for everyone ITM, especially when there is very little play at the final table.
Edit:
According to the OLG website, they have two paytables. This one used Paytable B, where 40 runners pays: 37% for 1st, 27% for 2nd, 22% for 3rd and 14% for 4th.
https://www.olgpoker.com/rules/Brantford_Poker%20Tournament%20R&R%27s%202013-2014%20Final1.pdf
Assistant TD
For the $60-$100 buy-in tourneys, including the $65+$15 waltsfriend played, payout table "A" is supposed to be used, i.e.,
1 - 43% - $1,118 (what waltsfriend should have received)
2 - 24% - $624
3 - 14% - $364
4 - 10% - $260
5 - 9% - $234
The casino's idea is to attract casual players to the lower buy-ins by having more payouts, while keeping the first prize extremely high. Payout table "B" is supposed to be used for the bigger buy-ins >= $120, such as last Sunday's Deep Stack with $40,000 prize pool. Anyway, it looks like they input the wrong table "B" for the tourney:
1 - 37% - $962 (what waltsfriend got)
2 - 27% - $702
3 - 22% - $572
4 - 14% - $362
Since I'm baaack playing the juicy live games regularly, I've gotten to know tournament structures like the palm of my hand.
Oh, wait...
Congrats on the win Walts Friend!
Get your extra money!
I was looking at the rules and regs this morning and there is no longer any information regarding what tournament buy-ins correspond to each payout table.
I posted in another thread on July 19 about the absence of the starting stacks (double-checked rules b4 posting) and the payout information was still complete.