Apparently they don't. Whilst hunting around various sites trying to find the best SNG value one thing stood out EVERYWHERE. The words TURBO and SPEED. These seem to be the only games filling. I mean, I can understand it at $50-100, but even at $200 & $500 for example on Party Poker a regular paced SNG will rarely fill. On Betfair people are playing $200, $300 & $500 short handed turbos (just sick), but try and ever start a $400 regular structured sixpak and you'll be sat twiddling your thumbs. It's the same everywhere.
Why? Can people not even sit down for 35-40 minutes to play a SNG now? Do they have to try and squeeze in crapshoots in 15-25 minutes instead? The players who play the higher stakes are generally pros and grind them all day long, so why not play a game where the skill can outlast the luck a little more, especially at $500.
Don't get me wrong, I DO play turbos, speeds, thunders, whatever you want to call them. But they are a small supplement to my playing online. They don't represent a significant ROI and they actually suit my style. But do I want to sit there playing them all day, everyday? Fuck no. I mean, if that's all you can play how can you even have the patience to then hit an online MTT, nevermind a slow-structured clock live in a casino? It's totally negative on the mind in the short and long term. However I am now forced to play the majority of my SNGs in this format, because I can't be arsed waiting 90 minutes for a game to fill, I just keep it a little smaller i.e. on Crypto I play £90, £120 and £200 sixpaks. If I'm forced to play turbos, I'll hit the £50s. But I am beginning to get really frustrated with it all especially after 350 games of bullshit 74o pushes hitting approx. 90% of the time over the course of a week. It is incredibly infuriating to continually make the correct reads, generally play excellent poker and get a big stick shoved up your arse for the trouble, but I guess I'm used to it (not the stick part). But perhaps therein lies the answer of why speed SNGs are so popular these days as they present the best chance of the weaker player to win (although the weak player probably doesn't know they're dead money in a regular structure). However personally I feel it's just impatience and the "give it to me, give it to me now and quickly" mentality. But what winning players don't realise is they could make the same, probably more playing half the games in less time in regular structured single table tournaments, the only people who win are the corporate suits gobbling up the rake in double quick time, especially the sad sacks at PP and Stars who don't give rakeback. Ho-hum.
And yes you may have guessed, I am running REALLY bad, but I could have given you the shortest odds ever on that being the case after the horror that was Las Vegas, Sod's Law and all that.
Toodle pip
JPK
PS Updated links, check out Azimut's it's a good laugh. I've also deleted the timewasters who didn't reciprocate. To receive you must give chums.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Back Home
Well I'm finally "back" after my travels, I'm not including the week or so lag inbetween Thailand and Vegas. I was planning to go back to Thailand but I've changed my mind, opting to stay at home and grind for a short while.
Vegas was a HUGE waste of time, and as you have probably gathered in previous posts I am not a lover of the place. Remember the Million Dollar Man in the WWF? "Everybodies got a price, HAHAHAHAHA".. well that basically follows suit in Vegas. It's about the dolla dolla baby and unless you're spending a 4 figure sum, you ain't nuthin', in fact, you're just a bit of something.
People out there are not in touch with reality. I was by the pool when I saw a girl, who couldn't be older than 14 walking with her Dad with a t-shirt that said HARD SEX on it. That really says it all. That aside, I had the best time of the trip chilling out in the 120 degree weather by the pool, unfortunately you have to walk through the casino to get to it, and therefore my swimming trips were very sparse.
I'm going to visit my friend in Florida, because it's the same thing but no casinos, and no "Million Dollar Man attitude". I imagine it's more my scene.
Ah, anyway, poker. WSOP was an abomination as I was completely coolered but what can you do in such a large field. I mean, look at who won, this guy Jerry Wang makes Moneymaker look like Phil Ivey. Nice finish for Skalie though, $1.25 million. Probably enough to buy half a house in Chorley, but property prices in England is a whole different subject I don't want to get into.
I'll be taking a break from the live circuit. I've decided it's -EV for me. Playing large buyin events, on the road in hotels and restaurants, as opposed to low cost home living whilst grinding doesn't make sense. I plan to go to the Caribbean in November, but apart from that I have no plans. I may try some WSOPE qualifiers, but I imagine it will be one of the toughest fields tournament poker has ever seen.
So, in short, you'll probably see far more updates here than in the past few months, because I'm actually going to be around. Gotta make a living.
Best
JPK
Vegas was a HUGE waste of time, and as you have probably gathered in previous posts I am not a lover of the place. Remember the Million Dollar Man in the WWF? "Everybodies got a price, HAHAHAHAHA".. well that basically follows suit in Vegas. It's about the dolla dolla baby and unless you're spending a 4 figure sum, you ain't nuthin', in fact, you're just a bit of something.
People out there are not in touch with reality. I was by the pool when I saw a girl, who couldn't be older than 14 walking with her Dad with a t-shirt that said HARD SEX on it. That really says it all. That aside, I had the best time of the trip chilling out in the 120 degree weather by the pool, unfortunately you have to walk through the casino to get to it, and therefore my swimming trips were very sparse.
I'm going to visit my friend in Florida, because it's the same thing but no casinos, and no "Million Dollar Man attitude". I imagine it's more my scene.
Ah, anyway, poker. WSOP was an abomination as I was completely coolered but what can you do in such a large field. I mean, look at who won, this guy Jerry Wang makes Moneymaker look like Phil Ivey. Nice finish for Skalie though, $1.25 million. Probably enough to buy half a house in Chorley, but property prices in England is a whole different subject I don't want to get into.
I'll be taking a break from the live circuit. I've decided it's -EV for me. Playing large buyin events, on the road in hotels and restaurants, as opposed to low cost home living whilst grinding doesn't make sense. I plan to go to the Caribbean in November, but apart from that I have no plans. I may try some WSOPE qualifiers, but I imagine it will be one of the toughest fields tournament poker has ever seen.
So, in short, you'll probably see far more updates here than in the past few months, because I'm actually going to be around. Gotta make a living.
Best
JPK
Monday, July 16, 2007
Jon "Skalie" Kalmar
Jon Kalmar, from Chorley, a mere 10 minutes from me in Preston has made the FT of the WSOP ME just shy of being the chip leader with over $20 million in chips.
Seat 1 - Jon Kalmar - 20.32 million
Seat 2 - Lee Childs - 13.24 million
Seat 3 - Philip Hilm - 22.07 million
Seat 4 - Jerry Yang - 8.45 million
Seat 5 - Raymond Rahme - 16.32 million
Seat 6 - Tuan Lam - 21.315 million
Seat 7 - Alex Kravchenko - 6.57 million
Seat 8 - Lee Watkinson - 9.925 million
Seat 9 - Hevad 'Rain' Khan - 9.205 million
And the prizepool they're playing for:
1st - $8,250,000
2nd - $4,840,981
3rd - $3,048,025
4th - $1,852,721
5th - $1,255,069
6th - $956,243
7th - $705,229
8th - $585,934
9th - $525,934
Having played with Jon a few times I am pretty sure he is AT LEAST taking home a 7 figure sum. I am certain he will make it shorthanded to the final 3 but you never know what can happen in these things. I wish him all the best and if he becomes world champion it would be great for the game. I remember last November in Sheffield as we finished for the day in our £300 event (the final table was to be played the next day). He offered to drive me home out of his way even though it was 5am, and pick me up again just a few hours later to come back at an inconvienience to himself. We ended up chopping 1st and 2nd (he won) and everytime he's seen me since has always had time to say hello. It does feel rather strange for some reason that a few months ago in Walsall I saw him placing £1 bets on roulette, and now he's about to take down the big one!
Well if he wins $8.25 million I'll have more than enough time to say hello back!!!! Not that I didn't before of course..
GL!
JPK
Seat 1 - Jon Kalmar - 20.32 million
Seat 2 - Lee Childs - 13.24 million
Seat 3 - Philip Hilm - 22.07 million
Seat 4 - Jerry Yang - 8.45 million
Seat 5 - Raymond Rahme - 16.32 million
Seat 6 - Tuan Lam - 21.315 million
Seat 7 - Alex Kravchenko - 6.57 million
Seat 8 - Lee Watkinson - 9.925 million
Seat 9 - Hevad 'Rain' Khan - 9.205 million
And the prizepool they're playing for:
1st - $8,250,000
2nd - $4,840,981
3rd - $3,048,025
4th - $1,852,721
5th - $1,255,069
6th - $956,243
7th - $705,229
8th - $585,934
9th - $525,934
Having played with Jon a few times I am pretty sure he is AT LEAST taking home a 7 figure sum. I am certain he will make it shorthanded to the final 3 but you never know what can happen in these things. I wish him all the best and if he becomes world champion it would be great for the game. I remember last November in Sheffield as we finished for the day in our £300 event (the final table was to be played the next day). He offered to drive me home out of his way even though it was 5am, and pick me up again just a few hours later to come back at an inconvienience to himself. We ended up chopping 1st and 2nd (he won) and everytime he's seen me since has always had time to say hello. It does feel rather strange for some reason that a few months ago in Walsall I saw him placing £1 bets on roulette, and now he's about to take down the big one!
Well if he wins $8.25 million I'll have more than enough time to say hello back!!!! Not that I didn't before of course..
GL!
JPK
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
WSOP & Vegas, go pluck yerselves
I can honestly say I've never been in a more loathesome place in my entire life. It's understandable why people come to Vegas out of sheer curiosity, but for the life of me I don't know why anyone would come back.
There's two class of people here: hillbillies (yeehaws or whatever the fuck you wanna call those southern pricks who all think they're Doyle Brunson and wear a stetson like they're the fucking sheriff of Las Vegas Blvd.) & posers. There's no inbetween, seriously. The amount of arrogance in the air is quite something, and I thought I was bad for it.
People don't even try here, they just expect a tip, even cab drivers. Yeah that's right, take me 1/2 mile, charge me $10 and expect a tip on top. All the while trying to pimp me whatever you have to pimp. My ride to the Rio cost $10.40 one day. I gave a $20. He was shocked when I asked for change. 100% tip, why not?
Or, if you want to go to a nightclub (which are just full of aforementioned posers, I don't count the girls because I'm sure the majority are hookers), why not tip the doorman $100 to skip the que that never gets shorter. Once you get in there, it's a dance floor surrounded by tables, of which you need to buy two bottles of spirits plus a table charge to be able to sit at (circa $1000 if you get the cheap stuff). No other seats in the house, obviously. Oh, don't forget to grease the manager on the way out too!
Everybody has to eat, and it's no different here. A burger and fries will set you back about $15, only £7.50. Oh, plus tax of course. They don't include tax in prices here, it just creeps up on you unannounced when they bring the bill. Tipping waitresses is so disproportionate here too. If your order comes to say, $40 and you give a $50 you're expected to leave it all. Only 20% tip eh. That's why the skirts are arse length and the boobs are popping out.
Don't get me the fuck started on blackjack. That shit is so rigged I don't even want to discuss it. I believe it should be outlawed as it's nothing short of highway robbery.
Oh, the WSOP? They announced the prize pool on my day 1 (the last one). Circa $63 million. Big round of applause. "But AFFFFFTEEEERRRRRRRRRRR deductions the final pool iiiiiis $58 million!". Big whoop. What.. the.. fuck. Are these the dumbest people in the world We just collectively got robbed of $5 million and you're cheering?
Seriously, the whole thing is bullshit, a total scam. A media frenzy that WE fucking pay for! Where does that $5 million go? To the guys putting up the million and one fucking adverts? The sponsors, who paid I don't know how many millions to be a part of it? Why not throw a few bucks to ESPN, who draw ratings and TV sponsorship? Let's not forget the restaurants, bars and casinos in the Rio. Don't even mention the bullshit "convention" which had about a zillion stalls.
The main event tickets stated it was a $9400+600 buyin and not the advertised $10,000+0. Considering the ridiculous amount of money all involved make out of this tournament, you'd think they'd for once not undercut us, the people who PAY to enter their tournaments and make their TV shows. They don't put any money in the damn prize pool, they FUCKING TAKE IT!!!! That goes for all you fuckers, EPT, WPT et al.
Right, I can't be arsed anymore, I've got it off my chest now I'm off to the pool, to see the fat guy with their supermodel girlfriends.
And yes, I'm ever so slightly bitter about life now.
JPK
There's two class of people here: hillbillies (yeehaws or whatever the fuck you wanna call those southern pricks who all think they're Doyle Brunson and wear a stetson like they're the fucking sheriff of Las Vegas Blvd.) & posers. There's no inbetween, seriously. The amount of arrogance in the air is quite something, and I thought I was bad for it.
People don't even try here, they just expect a tip, even cab drivers. Yeah that's right, take me 1/2 mile, charge me $10 and expect a tip on top. All the while trying to pimp me whatever you have to pimp. My ride to the Rio cost $10.40 one day. I gave a $20. He was shocked when I asked for change. 100% tip, why not?
Or, if you want to go to a nightclub (which are just full of aforementioned posers, I don't count the girls because I'm sure the majority are hookers), why not tip the doorman $100 to skip the que that never gets shorter. Once you get in there, it's a dance floor surrounded by tables, of which you need to buy two bottles of spirits plus a table charge to be able to sit at (circa $1000 if you get the cheap stuff). No other seats in the house, obviously. Oh, don't forget to grease the manager on the way out too!
Everybody has to eat, and it's no different here. A burger and fries will set you back about $15, only £7.50. Oh, plus tax of course. They don't include tax in prices here, it just creeps up on you unannounced when they bring the bill. Tipping waitresses is so disproportionate here too. If your order comes to say, $40 and you give a $50 you're expected to leave it all. Only 20% tip eh. That's why the skirts are arse length and the boobs are popping out.
Don't get me the fuck started on blackjack. That shit is so rigged I don't even want to discuss it. I believe it should be outlawed as it's nothing short of highway robbery.
Oh, the WSOP? They announced the prize pool on my day 1 (the last one). Circa $63 million. Big round of applause. "But AFFFFFTEEEERRRRRRRRRRR deductions the final pool iiiiiis $58 million!". Big whoop. What.. the.. fuck. Are these the dumbest people in the world We just collectively got robbed of $5 million and you're cheering?
Seriously, the whole thing is bullshit, a total scam. A media frenzy that WE fucking pay for! Where does that $5 million go? To the guys putting up the million and one fucking adverts? The sponsors, who paid I don't know how many millions to be a part of it? Why not throw a few bucks to ESPN, who draw ratings and TV sponsorship? Let's not forget the restaurants, bars and casinos in the Rio. Don't even mention the bullshit "convention" which had about a zillion stalls.
The main event tickets stated it was a $9400+600 buyin and not the advertised $10,000+0. Considering the ridiculous amount of money all involved make out of this tournament, you'd think they'd for once not undercut us, the people who PAY to enter their tournaments and make their TV shows. They don't put any money in the damn prize pool, they FUCKING TAKE IT!!!! That goes for all you fuckers, EPT, WPT et al.
Right, I can't be arsed anymore, I've got it off my chest now I'm off to the pool, to see the fat guy with their supermodel girlfriends.
And yes, I'm ever so slightly bitter about life now.
JPK
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Back from the dead; Off to Vegas!
Sorry for so long between posts - I've spent the past couple of months abroad, and had very little to do with poker except from online and I've not had anything interesting to really talk about. I've had a lot of near misses in 2007 and generally not a great time online profit-wise (five figure sterling profit months are a little harder to comeby nowadays), just enough, and a lot of it was to do with my attitude and approach to the game i.e. my work ethic was dogshit.
However, I continue to write for Betfair Poker, in a series of columns entitled "Life of a Poker Pro" which you can read at http://poker.betfair.com in the news & views section.
I am jetting off to Vegas tomorrow, I get in at around 2pm at the Luxor, so I'm going to take a stab at the final super sats to see if I can cheap seat my way into the main event. I'd rather avoid shelling out $10k.
However the structure for the main event looks rather appealing at 120 minute clock and $20k starting stack, 50-100 opening blinds. I will have to have a think on the plane about how to approach this tournament. It's 2 weeks long so you can't win it on day 1, however if you fall far behind it will be quite hard to keep up, and with the flat structure the book says you should be quite aggressive. The flip side is out of 8000+ entrants, a significant amount would probably be better served giving rides to people on Blackpool beach so being LAG isn't wise either.
For anyone that knows me who will be in Vegas, drop me a line on jonathanfarrer at aol dot com and we can exchange bad beat stories. Or maybe not
Best,
JPK
However, I continue to write for Betfair Poker, in a series of columns entitled "Life of a Poker Pro" which you can read at http://poker.betfair.com in the news & views section.
I am jetting off to Vegas tomorrow, I get in at around 2pm at the Luxor, so I'm going to take a stab at the final super sats to see if I can cheap seat my way into the main event. I'd rather avoid shelling out $10k.
However the structure for the main event looks rather appealing at 120 minute clock and $20k starting stack, 50-100 opening blinds. I will have to have a think on the plane about how to approach this tournament. It's 2 weeks long so you can't win it on day 1, however if you fall far behind it will be quite hard to keep up, and with the flat structure the book says you should be quite aggressive. The flip side is out of 8000+ entrants, a significant amount would probably be better served giving rides to people on Blackpool beach so being LAG isn't wise either.
For anyone that knows me who will be in Vegas, drop me a line on jonathanfarrer at aol dot com and we can exchange bad beat stories. Or maybe not
Best,
JPK
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