MTT Satellites

Jumped on Full Tilt last night and for something different, tried to freebie satellite into a few tournaments. As I've noted before, my bankroll is non existant, so I figured I'd try my luck at getting one rolling for nothing. Of course, first I'd have to win a satellite, then cash in the tourney itself!

Oh well. Gotta aim high and allow for some trajectory!

Played 4 tourneys. 3 x 630 player turbo SnG and one other one. 300 odd players? Can't remember exactly!

Out of the four, I played very well in three. As most of you would know, the standard of play is abhorently low. In fact it's downright appalling! That's 90% of the problem for a player with half a clue. It's just too easy to be sucked out on by someone who shouldn't even be in a hand.

Part of 'my theory' of MTT poker (and there's really nothing new in this!) is to just play solid poker. Of course, the earlier you build a stack in a turbo event, the better, but to my way of thinking there's no need to go crazy. And that's what most of the donks on FT seem to think you have to do. Wrong! Three words ... PICK YOUR SPOTS. TAG poker all the way.

One tournament, very early ... my pocket Queens went down after a pre flop all-in. Shit happens. It's alright. Unless you spike another Lady, they're just soooo vulnerable.

The other tourneys I did really well and was (generally) happy with my play. I do like the structure of the turbo events. It puts the acid on players to make the most of their cards, and frankly, most of them can't and don't. It doesn't hurt that I got Big Slick (soooooted) in the first hand of one of the tourneys, so I quadrupled up instantly, but I still felt that I picked my spots really succesfully, using many of the tips I've read (thankyou Hoy) on blogs and other sites. Particularly in terms of stealing, weilding a big stack with feeling and playing small pocket pairs smart.

I did run pretty goooot too, which is handy, but it's never going to last the whole way thru. My use of mediocre cards to win the blinds tho still amazes me. I mean, once you're down to the last 200 of 600+ players (read - a lot of the donks are gone) it's such an effective play. That's where A9 - A5, K10 - K7 sooooted, suited connectors and decent offsuit connectors really come into play. You can still get away from them if need be, but they help maintain the action and create the table image that you're not to be fucked with. Thin the field pre .... see a flop ... and re-evaluate. And the bonus... they can hit you HARD, and when they do, you get paid off.

Anyway. To the point. I spent quite a bit of time as chip leader in two of the games. Up to 100k in chips in one and 80k in another. In the 'other' one, I was short stacked for ages, stayed patient, and then went mad about halfway thru, changing it up according to my stack size, got lucky a few times and built up to 70k.

I made the final table of the table where I had the 100+k Stack and finally went out in 8th. I was severely 'hurt' just prior to the final table when I had top two pair against a mediocre stack post flop, and while not exactly slowplaying it, maybe didn't kill the hand early enough. Another case of runner runner took me down to about 50k in chips. In fact I didn't 'fill up' after flopping two pair all night in any of the tournaments! Bloody frustrating! I then got killed With pocket Jacks which made trips on a paired board, and the other guy had a book. He was playing a hand which I never would've have been in there with, after I put in a hefty pre flop raise, but you get that. Still, it sux BALLZ!

The other two tourneys I made it into the top twenty. Once again a paired board was my undoing in one. I just don't (sometimes) give players credit for holding that 2, 3 or 4 when there's a couple on the board. Pocket threes did me in that instance. I'd definitely consider this a leak, and plan to plug it in the immediate future. Or maybe I just need to slow down at the pointy end. I'm sure I'll work it out.

The other tourney end game, I had to shove my pocket fives when short stacked. Called by one player with KJs and he spiked his card. Easy shove by me, easy call by the biggie. Too bad.

Fucking annoying to get so deep in three MTTs and not get the choccies. Still I proved to myself that I do have the potential to run deep in these things, and maybe, earn some $$$ down the track. Until I do though, according to Blinders, I'll be happily wasting my time!

Peace!