| 22 May | Ultra lucky short stacksPosted by PokerBarney on 5:00PM, 22nd May 2006Permalink |  Send to a friend |  RSS feed |
Virgin (along with pretty much every other poker site out there) is running WSOP 2006 satellites. There is a daily MTT for $6+$1 with one in 10 going through to the weekly MTT, where 1 in 10 go through to the grand final for the seats.
So I buy in.. as do 65 other people. Made it down to the final table since the standard of play wasn't great. I was holding steady in about 6-7th place, so looking good for the money (top 6 paid a seat, 7th paid $2 less than the price of a seat). The two shortest stacks go all in - and both win, leaving me as the shortest stack. I eventually finished 9th, which paid nothing.
Paradise run a $40,000 guaranteed tonight at 8pm, with MTT satellites for $3. I bought in and fought off 98 other runners with a total of 150+ rebuys and add-ons. Down to the final 36 after the first break, with top 20 earning a $30 seat. I've got 18,000 chips and am placed 4th. Unfortunately, I decided this was enough to start pushing people around, and began raising. I tried to steal with Qs6s, but the big blind re-raised all in for another single blind. I was priced in and called, and lost. Down to 10,000.
Couple of hands later I'm on the big blind, and the same player goes in again, about a single raise. I know he's been pushing with junk, and I've got a suited king so I call. I've got K4, he's got K8. Down to 6,000... and then the ultra lucky short stack comes into play. He's down to 150 and can barely afford the ante. Two hands later, after cracking AA and AK he's got 5,500. Again, I bubble in 22nd.
I read in WPT magazine that loosening up around the bubble was a good thing, and would lead to higher finishes. It seems to me though, that it depends on what sort of tourney you're playing.
When it comes to standard MTTs where the prize money is a lot higher for the final table and last few places, as apposed to satellites where the top 20 all pay the same, this strategy would probably eventually lead to higher returns. However, I think it's a mistake to apply the same in satellites.
I was 4th, and could've check folded to the money. Easily. I played like a rock against some mental players (rebuys huh?), then gave it all away in 2 stupid hands. It makes me so mad! But I know I played terribly in those few hands, and made a huge mistake risking that much so frivolously. I suppose it's all a learning curve though, and I know not to make the same mistake again.
So, Virgin satellite - bubbled. Paradise satellite - bubbled. Pacific satellite - made it! I finished 2nd and claimed $37, with the buy in for the $25,000 main event (NOT A REBUY!!) being $35+$3. As far as I'm concerned, that's a seat :)
In summary then - in normal MTTs, loosen up and go for the big win. In satellites, play it safe and qualify. If you're ultra short stacked, don't worry because you'll almost always win. Especially if you go in with the worst hand. And if you're on the bubble, take more chances - but not stupid ones like me.
Bookmarks
If you enjoyed reading this post, please share it with others at these social bookmarking sites:
Del.icio.us | 
Digg | 
Furl | 
Reddit | 
Yahoo!
Blogmarks | 
FeedMeLinks | 
Shadows | 
Ma.gnolia
Scuttle | 
Simpy | 
Smarking | 
Spurl
