What do you think of PokerStars Battle of the Planets?

So, for those of you who are playing in this, what do you think of it, what are you playing/going for, how are you doing, etc, etc?

I really like this because it rewards play in the smaller SnG's, which is mostly what I play anyway. Previously, only 45+ player SnG's had a leader-board type reward system, but with BOP it goes all the way down to single table SnG's! Since I play about 90% 10 or 18 player SnG's, this was a nice addition for me.

Since it's start, I've been playing all Mars level (about 75% omaha-8 and 25% NLHE) in the hopes of getting 100 tournaments to get into the high orbit. At first, I thought it would be relatively easy to get top 50 on the low orbit board, but that hasn't been the case so far. My first two 20-blocks this week came in at 281 & 307... probably a good 150 points from a chance at even the 40th-50th slot. I am off to a good start in my 3rd block with about 90 points in only 4 tournaments. Still though, you really have to string some good results together that don't cross blocks, and that's the tricky part, for me at least. I had a stretch where I won 2, and cashed in 4 out of 7 tournaments, but it crossed blocks so I kind of lost out. By comparison, the 100-blocks in the high orbit would have far less of this occuring. Heck, for me I will likely only get one 100 block, so all or most of my placings will be contained in this block. By comparison, if I just keep at my current pace, I will hit about 1500 points for the high orbit, which should be good enough for at least the 40th - 50th ranking. Part of this is undoubtedly because not nearly as many players are going to be eligible for the high orbit. Heck, I feel like I've been playing almost non-stop since Sunday and I'm still not quite half way to that 100-mark.

Anyway, I'd be curious to hear how some of the rest of you are doing with this...

I read it, really didn't understand it, didn't feel like playing sngs anyway, so I'm sticking with cash games and taking advantage of their reload bonus.

I have read about it and I think the bonus is to low.......

Which is why it makes no sense to play above your limits to clear it. But if you were going to play anyway and get the amount of VPPs anyway, it makes sense to get free money. 20% is better than the 0% I'd get without taking advantage of the bonus.

the leader board = free money. So its a great idea and i might try for the 100 block leader board some time soon.

How long does the battle last for? Is it around for a few more weeks or is it ending soon?

The reload bonus portion of the BOP special ended yesterday (16th) but the small SnG Leadbaord are still going. I haven't seen a published ending date for them so I assume they will be going at least a few months as the top 10 from each weekly division leader get tickets to a monthly triple-shootout as well. Would really like to see them continue this long term. I'm sure it's worth it for them as long as they continue to see an overall increase in traffic spurred by these new boards. After all, they have it in place for 45+ SnG's, so why not smaller ones as well?

Had a 3rd straight good day yesterday (up $100 since Monday) and now am on pace for about 1600 high orbit points on the Mars board. If I can maintain that, I predict it may me good enough for somewhere around 25-35th place on the board.

The one thing that angers me about this promotion is that it doesn't include the 45 man sit n go's. These are what I have been playing lately (and doing very well at). I don't understand why they don't include them in the standings while they still include 27 person sit n go's.

Add me to the list of people who didn't understand a word of it.

rileyl... it's probably because SnG's with 45 and more participants are already part of PokerStars's regular tournament leader boards. However, the problem with that in the way that it exists now is that there are not really any divisions (as in the BOP system). Therefore, it's pretty much impossible to make any of those leader boards if you're playing mostly micro or low level tourneys.

In regard to the 27-person tourneys being included in the BOP structure... I think you actually have to go to mid level to even find any 27-man (maybe a few are in low but there are non at micro levels). Therefore, in the Mercury and Mars divisions, there's really only 18 people and lower. I would imagine that a pretty good % of the overall activity is whithin those 2 divisions, so effectively, the 27-man issue is almost mute.

Still, I do see a gap for the micro-level 45 and up tourneys. I think they should make a split for these (maybe $5.00 and under would have a seperate leader board).

Yah I know they're included in the overall tournament leaderboards but I have know chance of winning those playing my $3.25 buyins so like you said, it sucks that there is no leaderboard for me to work my way up.

The really crappy part is that over my last 20 SnG's I have had great success and would have been near the top of the Mars leaderboard.

I read the synopsis on it but cannot get my head round it, but hey its a good incentive to play sngs and it seems like a good thing so im all for it.

The leaderboard is a permanent fix

Last week, I played for a low orbit on the Mercury level and had 472 points, and finished 40th. Got $10 out of it. This week I have finished one 20 game block, and only had 185 or so, but I am going to put in another 20 sng's and try to up my score because the last block I was on a downswing. The leaderboard pays some good money for the higher finishes, and dont forget the 50k shootout tourney

I'll give it a shot at explaining it.

The different levels of buy-ins are the planets. We'll use Mercury for our example, which is for buy-ins between $1 and $2.99 I think. You earn points in your in the money finishes for sng's with between 6-30 players. Your points will go into either the low or high orbit. The low orbit is for low volume players, and you only have to complete 20 games to get a score to qualify for the low orbit leaderboard. You have 5 shots, or blocks to get your best 20 game score. After your 5 blocks on the low leaderboard, your total for all 100 games will be posted on the high orbit leaderboard, and you no longer qualify for the low orbit. The prizes are evenly distributed on both sides of the leaderboard, low and high orbits. I hope this helps, if you have any questions just ask me and I will try to help you out!

Mercury Division

The Mercury Division of Battle of the Planets covers the buy-ins from $1 up to $2.99. The total weekly prize pool of $3,000 is split evenly between the Low Orbit and High Orbit leader boards. This division pays out the top 100 places as follows:
Place Low Orbit Leader Board Prize Money ($) High Orbit Leader Board Prize Money ($)

Idk about your bankroll, but $150 is almost twice my current bankroll, and would make it look really nice

I think it's a pretty nice incentive for people that play sit and gos. I don't play enough to stand a chance of making it and I don't think I would make it to the top if I did play. That 50k shootout tournament at the end of the month would sure be nice to play in though.

Are you sure about this part:
"...and you no longer qualify for the low orbit"
I e-mailed support with this question and they told me that you could technical make the board on both orbits if your scores were good enough. At the very least, if they only allow you to be in 1 orbit, your best rank should take precedence. Nothing to worry about for me this week as far as low goes (unless I get really hot in my final block of 20), but I still have a decent shot at hitting the high orbit board for Mars. Went on a downswing yesterday and into this morning, but just won a 18-player O8 tourney so hoefully things are turning back in my favor.

From what I read and understood, after you have enough games for the high orbit you dont get your score posted in the low orbit anymore. Not 100% sure, but about 90%

Ok so if you play 100 games those go into a block for the high orbit, none of those games will count towards the lower orbit rankings.

If you play 120 games you will have 1 block for the high orbit and 1 block for the lower orbit.

If you have 199 games, you will have 1 block for the high orbit and 4 blocks for the lower orbit with 19 games counting for nothing.

If you have 200 games you will have 2 blocks for the high orbit board and none for the lower orbit.

Again from what I read, after you reach 100 no more games will be counted towards low orbit

From the FAQ on the PokerStars website.

So you can make both leaderboards in the same division meaning that you can have scores for both the high and low orbits. The five blocks that go into the high orbit scoreboard won't count towards the low orbit anymore. So to have a score in both orbits you will need to play at least 120 games.

Sorry about that then lol

is alright i guess but don't play much though, can get expensive

Well, I doubt I will be able to maintain high orbit pace week after week. I've got just 6 left to go today to hit 100, but I've been playing a ton this week! Unfortunately, my downswing continued into last night and I now pretty much have to place 1-2 in my final 6 to have any legitimate chance at the top 50 on the high board.

Still though, with my good streak earlier this week, I'm still up $70+ for the week, which I will take any day.

I usually like to play sng (mars level) and I thought I did fairly well at them. Since BOP started, I can't seem to get my game on track. I've been trying to find some weaknesses in my game and change them, so maybe these changes have been slowing me down--growing pains and all that. Anyway I like the idea leaderboards for these games. Another tool to find out how poorly I really do play! LOL.

^^ ditto

almost cleared mine!

BotP actually looked like a cool idea but I'm not gonna take time out from rings to play sngs for it.

I'd clear that many VPPs in a month or so doing what I do anyway so that bonus is pretty much completely free money for me too.

You have to run extremely well to place in that leaderboard... I usually play 6 max SNG's, and I would have to win all 20 games for a low orbit block to place well in it... The people who win those things will probably always be the ones who get a lucky upswing in the 27 players SNG's, and I can't be bothered to play those.

I only play one table at a time so am not gonna hold my breath and think I can win anything by making the leaderboard.GL to those who try tho.

They have a special section for you as well. It takes into account 20 games at time, so if you do well in that period, you can get free money too.

Yup... that has now become apparent to me (unfortunately). I was doing really well in spurts through my first 60 Mars SnG's... was on pace for like 1600+ which would have put me top 10, but my last 40 games completely tanked. Think I had a total of about 200 total in my last 40, which is absolutely pathetic. Just starting running bad and there was nothing I could do to stop it (still what I hate most about poker, btw). So, I ended up not getting close to cash on either board.

Problem now is that my downswing is still in full force... for the 5th straight day! Even went to Mercury level SnG's and ring games, but it's bad everywhere. Maybe I don't understand variance or something, cuz I just don't see how it's possible to go so cold over so many games/hands. I'd understand if I was playing 2 tourneys a day... you could just hit a small unluckly patch... but dozens of games in a row with a combination of crap cards and bad beats? Just seems highly agains the odds to me.

Gabry, ive been greak even at cash games for my last 100k hands and am just starting to go back upwards.

I was actually looking at the low orbit leaderboard and knew I had heard the name Inscore77 somewhere!

Congrats man, I 4-table the 10 man $1 dollar SnGs and wasn't close last week, after thinking it would be quite easy to get top 100 turns out I need quite a heater over the 20 games to get into top 250, lol.

i play the 6 buck 9 ppl sit n go turbo's i started last week and well i started off kicking some major arse but i got stupid and moved up to higher tbls and lost most of my funds back and didnt place in either orbit

the 9 persons mean you need to run like god. 45 points for 1st * 20 SNGs = 900 points if you win 20 9 person SNGs in a row.