Quest for Glory

[Kurn]

All us Klingons want is to do battle and either earn personal glory through victory or honorable death. Fits for poker, right?

This year's quest has begun. I'm halfway to the PCA as I just made it through the Step 3. The structure for these isn't bad as slightly adjusted SNG strategy minimizes the chance of going back to the very beginning. I'll post a rail call when I reach the step 6.

Tomorrow I'll play in the 1 PM Act II super down at Foxwoods. If that works out, I'll do an Act III super next weekend.

Details, as they say, to follow.

[MAYHEM45]

lol nerdaments

[VeryMoonFunk]

good luck man.

wish i could afford to join you...

maybe next year

[Windbreaker]

I wouldn't consider step 3 as half way through...the competition is much tougher in the higher steps... I would check the opr of registered players before you sit into steps 4/5. You can increase your ev significantly by avoiding some of best sng players out there.

[bunny]

Good Luck, Kurn!

[Invigilator]

Qapla'

[Kurn]

I think I understand implicitly that they get tougher as you go on. As for checking on stats of registered players, OPR gives you MTT stats, so Sharkscope would theoretically be better, although it is on the list of banned software on 'Stars. OPR at least will give me an idea of what stakes people usually play

[Windbreaker]

I'm not recommending sharkscope since is banned. All you really want to know is what stakes does the person usually play, and how well he does. I generalize a good MTT player is going to be a good SNG player. And a poor mtt, is a poor sng player. I realize this statement is not necessarily true....but neither are the results from either of the sites. Someone could be just running hot or cold.

[Talking Poker]

I just checked out these steps for the first time. They look pretty interesting. I may give them a whirl soon. I'll probably buy in to Step 3, as that looks like the best deal to me (Top 5 means you get another shot at the same step or advance), and you don't have to piss around at the lower steps.

I wish they had this for Australia, as that's where I really want to go this year.

[Windbreaker]

I got to step 6. Started from 2, and finished first or second in every step so far. Had luck on my side in several instances that didn't force me to repeat steps or knock me out. In the step 5 tourney, I lost all in with AK vs a slightly shorter stack - all in preflop, leaving me with 75 chips left, with 7 players left. I think the blinds were 50/100 at this point.

A few double/triple ups later....I ended up winning this step as well.

I've played in the 650 direct mtt, 175 double shootout, and now this step. Of all the methods, I think this might be the hardest. The 650 is probably the easiest, since there are a lot of players that don't understand correct strategy in the late game. The double shootout usually has enough poor players on the first table to make it +EV, but less than the 650, but the second table is pretty tough. For the steps, once you get to level 6, it's a one shot deal all or none, and a lot of the step 6's are filled with online pros that directly buy in at the higher levels...if you can get to step 6, it's pretty much going to be hard.

I don't know, but I think I'm going to wait for more of the lower buy in qualifiers to feed into the step 6 before I use the tourney ticket.

[Kurn]

Foxwoods Act II yesterday. 50 started, 5 places get the Act III seat.

My first table had a couple of solid players (local pros) and a few fairly clueless. Started with 3000 stacks and I had 10,100 at the first break which was right after our table broke.

2nd table was much tougher. 2 solid players from my first table and 3 more recognized solid players. After one orbit of 82o type hands, the blinds were at 200/400/a50 with 28 left. I have 9100 left which amounts to an M of 8.3. Average stack has an M of 4.5, so with 20 minute levels, we're in a situation where push/call ranges come into play.

2nd hand of this level, I'm in the BB. Folded to the SB who shoves for 1750, making it 1350 to call into a 2850 pot.

I look down and see A 9. Opponent is a solid player, so I figure I have his range dominated and call. He turns up T 3 The flop brings an A and a T, but the river brings another T and I'm down under 8K.

A few hands later I raise to 1200 from the CO with AQo, the BB shoves for 2500, I call. He has KK, and while the river paired my ace, there really was no suspense since he had flopped quads.

Next level, 300/600/a75, I'm in the BB with QJo, and CO shoves blind for 1950. I call. He turns up 42o and flops a 4.

I went out a few hands later with AJ vs AK. Bleh, but no complaints about how I played. These are fast tournies and I felt I made the correct plays in each case, just caught the wrong end of the probabilities.

I'll probably take one more shot next weekend.

[Kurn]

I don't pay for Sharkscope, but I do use the 5 free searches a day to check on players I see frequently. OPR is great for checking on whether a player is running hot or cold since you can search short term results as well as long term.

[sjay2k]

hmmm

[Talking Poker]

I bought into Step 3 earlier today and took it down.

It's a shame these aren't transferable, because once I get to Step 6, I'd rather sell my entry and play in a few of the $650 MTTs. I agree with Windbreaker and prefer those over these single (and two) table tourneys.