Has any forum member forked over $90 at Fallsview AND won the Step 1 satellite? Last weekend, I helped organize a rake-free home game using the WPT blinds and structure. One of the players went to Fallsview the next day and won the $640 satellite seat on his first try!
The other player that went won a total of four $640 seats! He is considering selling his seats, so PM me if you want to buy a $640 seat at a discount. Fallsview's seat receipts are very cheap-looking, but at least they are transferable.
Ahhh, Blondefish. You run a $9 super-satellite into the $90 Fallsview, that you can't win, using a blind structure that you've been nothing but negative about, then complain about a "cheap" looking voucher that you'll never have. Do you really think that real poker players care at all what their re-buy voucher looks like? Oh, wait, ask one....
For those that do play, here have been the average satellite times for completion:
$90 - 60-90 minutes (single table)
$160 - 90-120 minutes (single table
$640 - 3-4 hours (two tables)
$1200 - 4-5 hours (single table)
Actually, I made it to the money in ALL the WPT simulation tournaments I organized, except for the first Step 2 simulation. In the last Step 2 simulation I ran where the participants decided to change the payout to winner-take-all, I won all the money!
Many forum members have smartly chosen to skip the 19-24% rake of Fallsview's Step 1 satellites. Last night, over 25 members played in a rake-free home game where we all get a share in the two $640 satellite seat winners, plus we saved more than $400 from Fallsview's rake!
Anyway, pokermojo, thanks for the average duration information. Hopefully, you and Fallsview will be more open to candid feedback so that you can make improvements in the future. The second step satellites are much better than the initial satellites. I look forward to playing them, along with my friends and forum winners. See you there!
that you can't win
:
here have been the average satellite times for completion:
$90   - 60-90 minutes  (single table)
$160  - 90-120 minutes (single table
$640  - 3-4 hours     (two tables)
$1200 - 4-5 hours      (single table)
Thanks Whitehorse. I have simply made observations and tried to support big-time poker in Canada, Ontario especially. I have not slammed Fallsview, nor supported them, simply made corrections and tried to show the ignorance of some. The WPT is the largest poker event that we are eligible to have in Canada as there are no Harrah's properties in Canada. Uneducated and flippant comments will certainly not help things.....
Whitehorse, you are correct. While at Fallsview Casino, I would occasionally railbird the $73+17 satellites. One lasted for only 40 minutes. Another was down to heads up after only 30 minutes. A heads up match may occasionally last for awhile, but most of the players were forced out by level #4 when the blinds/antes more than double.
The bingo structure forced a lot of bad poker. For example, a player with A-K made a big raise pre-flop, a guy called with 8-6 "because they were sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooted" :fish: and sucked out against a couple of other players. This bingo player went on to win the bingo-fest.
Judging by the winning voucher numbers I have seen, there seems to have been at least 90 different satellites (1/2/A/B) played at Fallsview as of Tuesday. Even though a player card is required to claim a voucher and all the identifying information is recorded along with the voucher number, it seems that you are out of luck if your voucher is lost or stolen so some players have opted not to collect their voucher out of the casino yet. The entry "is valid until 12pm October 23."
I watched the conclusion of both of my sattellites and timed them both to finish in 50 minutes. I have a hard time imagining the $90 buy ins lasting 90 minutes.
At least three of the $90 Step 1's has made it into the 8th round. I think pokermojo was giving a total time for the SNG, from drawing your seat card to completion, to give people an idea of the time requirement if they choose to play.
I played in the $160 last night. It's a crap shoot--with only 1,000 chips and 15 minute levels. You need to steal like a Katrina victim and hope to hit some flops. There were very few hands that even saw post-flop action. I was able to stay average with some well-timed continuatuon bets until the final five, and once we hit the 100-200 25a level, it became basically an all-in fest. I knocked a guy out when my pocket 6s held up against his A5. I managed to hit two pair JQ (the only flop I hit all game) vs. pocket 3's to get me into the final 3. Then once the blinds were 300-600 100a, it was rediculous. There was only 10k on the table, total, so pretty much everyone was shortstacked. I put a short-stacked guy all in with K8, and he called blind - Q5. Made trip Qs. Then against the same guy, I got all-in with AQ vs. pocket 3s again, and hit my ace on the river, but it gave the other guy a straight. That pretty much crippled me, and I finished 3rd with nothing to show for it.
The competition level - I don't know how you can even gauge it? There is so little skill involved here. The guy who won was totally pretending he didn't know anything about poker. Maybe he didn't - but I had a hard time believing he would drive all the way from Toronto and fork over $160 for this game. He was just acting like too much of a novice - and then he tells me later that he developed the Tru Poker web site. In any case, he won and was a very average player at best. Plus you have to deal with people laughing and goofing off - which is fine by me - but just don;t waste time. I was getting pretty frustrated with guys ordering drinks and flirting with the waitress when it was their turn to act and the clock was ticking.
But hey, if you get a nice run of cards and can qualify for the $1200 sat, then that's pretty dope. I think the key is to win some coin on the tables or playing in a ring game first, then play the Sat's with house money. I was able to win almost all my entry playing craps before the game began, too bad I got raped afterward playing blackjack.
In the end - I was pleased to see Fallsview has beepers now, and an electronic board to show where you are on the docket. No more having to stand around and wait, hoping you don't miss your name being called because some shit band is playing too loud music.
I played in the $160 last night. It's a crap shoot--with only 1,000 chips and 15 minute levels. You need to steal like a Katrina victim and hope to hit some flops.
BIGBOB and I went to Fallsview last night to check out the $640. satellites and play a little limit 2-5. We have been generally playing 1/2NL lately but went back to our roots for a relaxing evening for a change. I was up about $50. and Bob over a hundred, so good from that perspective. As for the satellites we watched the last 60 min of one that was running. At the 1 hr, 20 min mark which is when we picked it it was down to 1 full table. Looked to me like lots of very aggressive play pre flop and some really marginal pushes and calls. I think that a lot of the KW group would do very well in this. I think a good trap style would pay off handsomely here since it looked to me as if most were going into push mode way too early, ie with M's in the 7-8 range and cards like Q-7 suited. They got down to 2 handed at the 2 1/2 hr mark, about even, 20K chips apiece and blinds at level 8, 400-800 and 100 ante I believe. At this point they each had M's of about 15, so not sure why the all-in pushes. It went only about 6 or 7 hands with a push of pocket 6's called by A-J, the 6's held up. For me I have no problem folding a few small blinds or folds to all-in's to try and trap with a really big hand if we have this many chips left. I could see where one of these could go 3 1/2 hrs with mostly good players. If one did get to the 3 1/2 hr mark (level 14) blinds would be 2/4K with an ante of 500, which is about where I would expect it to end.
Steve, if you read this it may help you to watch the latter part of one of these before you play or if you like PM me and we can talk.
Steve here. Got the message. Thanks man. Some really good advice. I will be in touch Jeff before I go down. I like the idea of watching one or two first to see how they flowing that day and getting some suggestions.
Thanks for the report, compuease. What time did that $640 satellite run? Were there another 20 players signed up for the next one or was that the only satellite for that day? For the previous Friday, I wast told that players waited for hours and the first and only $640 satellite did not run until around 9 PM.
My friends and I want to go there next Friday to either use our $640 vouchers or play in the $330 Step 2 satellite at Casino Niagara.
I played the $160 one on Wednesday and the blind structure was pretty bad, the tournament lasted around 1-1.5 hours. I also played the $1200 one yesterday, that was actually a pretty good tournament. You start with $2500 chips, 30 min blind levels, a 10 minute break after 4th level. The whole tournament lasted a bit over 4 hours, although heads up play lasted for around 1.25 hours. Even heads up finished up at 300-600 blinds with 100 ante, and with $25,000 chips in play, there was definately a lot of room for post flop play.
Thanks for the report, compuease. What time did that $640 satellite run? Were there another 20 players signed up for the next one or was that the only satellite for that day? For the previous Friday, I wast told that players waited for hours and the first and only $640 satellite did not run until around 9 PM.
My friends and I want to go there next Friday to either use our $640 vouchers or play in the $330 Step 2 satellite at Casino Niagara.
BIGBOB and I went to Fallsview last night to check out the $640. satellites
They ran at least 3 this past Friday, I think each Friday from now on there will be multiples. One started at around 5 and the next at 9:30 or so. There was a waiting list as well.
Have you checked to see if this is even possible???
I was at Casino Niagara and confirmed that they have started their Step 1 satellites. I don't know if they had enough interested players to run the Step 2 $330 satellites on Friday/Saturday as there now seems to be for Fallsview's $640 and $1200 satellites.
I also played the $1200 one yesterday, that was actually a pretty good tournament. You start with $2500 chips, 30 min blind levels, a 10 minute break after 4th level. The whole tournament lasted a bit over 4 hours, although heads up play lasted for around 1.25 hours. Even heads up finished up at 300-600 blinds with 100 ante, and with $25,000 chips in play, there was definately a lot of room for post flop play.
Did you find that the play was very aggressive? I'm surprised the heads up finished at only level #7. I think with 25,000 chips in play, the average would be closer to level #10 $600/1200+200, or five hours.
Have you checked to see if this is even possible???
I was at Casino Niagara and confirmed that they have started their Step 1 satellites. I don't know if they had enough interested players to run the Step 2 $330 satellites on Friday/Saturday as there now seems to be for Fallsview's $640 and $1200 satellites.
I meant, did you inquire at Casino Niagara if they would let you use a $640 Step 2 voucher for the NAPC as your buyin for the $330 Step 2 for the CPO ??
Did you find that the play was very aggressive? I'm surprised the heads up finished at only level #7. I think with 25,000 chips in play, the average would be closer to level #10 $600/1200+200, or five hours.
Majority of the play was very tight passive for most players. There were a couple of loose passive guys that loved to limp and always wanted to see a flop. But everyone that played took the tournament really seriously, I mean it is for $10,300.
Has anyone been to niagra lately during the week to try these sats? I am interested in playing they $160 stage 1 tourneys, but I would need to take a day off work. So I would only go if I am almost guaranteed to be able to play.
Also does anyone know if there are any MTT super sats planned, and what the buy in will be?
On wednesday I was back at Fallsview trying my luck in the $160 sats. Second hand of the tourney I pick up my cards form the small blind and the Brokeback (KK) is staring back at me. I raise the limpers x3 and get two callers. Flops comes J93 two spades. I decide to slow play and reraise any bet all-in. One guy bets $250, the next guy goes all in (doh!), and now I have to call and pray he doesn't make his nut flush (he has A2). The other guy folds. Turn is a blank, and the river is the Ace of clubs. I'm crippled and bust out 40 minutes later after treading water a bit.
Luckily I won all my money back after - I got banged up a bit playing craps/blackjack waiting for the game to start - and broke even for the trip, minus gas from Mississauga.
I'll still play a few more games to try and qualify for the main event. I am surprised there isn't more interest in the satelittes though...It never seems too busy. Maybe it is going to pick up big time come October...?
Or could it be this event will be poorly attended? Anyone want to guess at what the number of entrants is for the main event? I have no idea... hopefully I'll be in there somewhere...
I asked the room manager - Handlebars Malone (or at least that is what he looks like to me) and he told me they played 5 $1,200 sats last Saturday. That's pretty solid I guess. But every time I go on Wednesday, they only ever have 1 table going at a time, when they have 2 set up for $160 sats.
I might check it out on Sunday... I am guessing this is a big day for $160 Step A's...
I went to Fallsview yesterday to play in the $160 satellite. Played all right won a few pots, lost some small ones. Got short stacked and maybe made a stand too early with my crappy A-10 sooooooted :fish: and ran into AQ . The competition on the table was pretty easy. Only a couple of solid players. A few loose players catching cards (I guess I was one of them since I was out 6th ). Starting stack of $1000 in chips 15 minute blinds with antes starting at a particular level. So you pretty much have to make a couple moves early to get your stack up before you get blinded down. But if you take a 1 big hit it's tough to recover. Good experience. I'll chalk it up to a learning experience if anything. If you do plan to go down to play on a Sunday get there early to register. It says registration starts at noon but by the time I got to the poker pit at 11:40am there was a line up and the first table had already been set. So I got on the second table. After that you probably have to wait for 2 or 3 tables to finish before you get called which means at least a 3 hour wait. They only run 2 tournaments at a time. 1 $90 satellite and 1 $160 satellite. The waiting list for the $160 satellite was longer than the $90 satellite.
Anyway after that I won my money back in roulette sooooo I'm ready to play again !!!!!Â
Myself and a friend are heading down tomorrow, hope to get into 1 or 2 of the $160 sats. Are there any rules concerning cell phone use during play? Are you allowed to keep notes as you play?
Comments
The other player that went won a total of four $640 seats!
For those that do play, here have been the average satellite times for completion:
$90 - 60-90 minutes (single table)
$160 - 90-120 minutes (single table
$640 - 3-4 hours (two tables)
$1200 - 4-5 hours (single table)
Many forum members have smartly chosen to skip the 19-24% rake of Fallsview's Step 1 satellites. Last night, over 25 members played in a rake-free home game where we all get a share in the two $640 satellite seat winners, plus we saved more than $400 from Fallsview's rake!
Anyway, pokermojo, thanks for the average duration information. Hopefully, you and Fallsview will be more open to candid feedback so that you can make improvements in the future. The second step satellites are much better than the initial satellites. I look forward to playing them, along with my friends and forum winners. See you there!
The bingo structure forced a lot of bad poker. For example, a player with A-K made a big raise pre-flop, a guy called with 8-6 "because they were sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooted" :fish: and sucked out against a couple of other players. This bingo player went on to win the bingo-fest.
Judging by the winning voucher numbers I have seen, there seems to have been at least 90 different satellites (1/2/A/B) played at Fallsview as of Tuesday. Even though a player card is required to claim a voucher and all the identifying information is recorded along with the voucher number, it seems that you are out of luck if your voucher is lost or stolen so some players have opted not to collect their voucher out of the casino yet. The entry "is valid until 12pm October 23."
The competition level - I don't know how you can even gauge it? There is so little skill involved here. The guy who won was totally pretending he didn't know anything about poker. Maybe he didn't - but I had a hard time believing he would drive all the way from Toronto and fork over $160 for this game. He was just acting like too much of a novice - and then he tells me later that he developed the Tru Poker web site. In any case, he won and was a very average player at best. Plus you have to deal with people laughing and goofing off - which is fine by me - but just don;t waste time. I was getting pretty frustrated with guys ordering drinks and flirting with the waitress when it was their turn to act and the clock was ticking.
But hey, if you get a nice run of cards and can qualify for the $1200 sat, then that's pretty dope. I think the key is to win some coin on the tables or playing in a ring game first, then play the Sat's with house money. I was able to win almost all my entry playing craps before the game began, too bad I got raped afterward playing blackjack.
In the end - I was pleased to see Fallsview has beepers now, and an electronic board to show where you are on the docket. No more having to stand around and wait, hoping you don't miss your name being called because some shit band is playing too loud music.
ROFLMAO.
best line ever.
In fact, I signed up after lurking on this board for a while just so I could say that.
Great stuff on this board!
Steve, if you read this it may help you to watch the latter part of one of these before you play or if you like PM me and we can talk.
My friends and I want to go there next Friday to either use our $640 vouchers or play in the $330 Step 2 satellite at Casino Niagara.
Have you checked to see if this is even possible???
I was at Casino Niagara and confirmed that they have started their Step 1 satellites. I don't know if they had enough interested players to run the Step 2 $330 satellites on Friday/Saturday as there now seems to be for Fallsview's $640 and $1200 satellites.
Did you find that the play was very aggressive? I'm surprised the heads up finished at only level #7. I think with 25,000 chips in play, the average would be closer to level #10 $600/1200+200, or five hours.
I meant, did you inquire at Casino Niagara if they would let you use a $640 Step 2 voucher for the NAPC as your buyin for the $330 Step 2 for the CPO ??
Majority of the play was very tight passive for most players. There were a couple of loose passive guys that loved to limp and always wanted to see a flop. But everyone that played took the tournament really seriously, I mean it is for $10,300.
Also does anyone know if there are any MTT super sats planned, and what the buy in will be?
Fallsview will not be hosting any other satellites than the ones currently running (as far as I have been informed!).
Luckily I won all my money back after - I got banged up a bit playing craps/blackjack waiting for the game to start - and broke even for the trip, minus gas from Mississauga.
I'll still play a few more games to try and qualify for the main event. I am surprised there isn't more interest in the satelittes though...It never seems too busy. Maybe it is going to pick up big time come October...?
Or could it be this event will be poorly attended? Anyone want to guess at what the number of entrants is for the main event? I have no idea... hopefully I'll be in there somewhere...
I might check it out on Sunday... I am guessing this is a big day for $160 Step A's...
Anyway after that I won my money back in roulette sooooo I'm ready to play again !!!!!Â