Matrix

Matrix's at Full Tilt are very interesting games. I have only played a couple of these tournaments and have just about broke even. Although I have only played a couple I have watched many. I like these tournaments because it should reward the best player and not just the lucky players. I also like the action it provides. Over the ones I have played I thought they were really fun. The down sides I think are the great amount of time they take and the payouts. If you do get first in the whole tourney it doesn't even pay for your buy in. Usually you will not win more than two games so you only make like two times the buy in on sometimes over an hour of play. Any one else play these and liked these?

i joined ftp not too long ago and 99% of the time i only play matrix. i like the fact that it automatically starts with 4 tables and you'll quickly find out the 3-4 idiots at the table. it's nearly impossible to lose the entire buy in. you are most likely to get at least some of it back.

The Matrix tourneys are fun if you like to multi table STT's, but as far as the time invested versus the payout expected, they are garbage. A regular STT will pay out more (or at least the same) for far less play. Why play and try to win 4 tables for the same prize that you'd get on one table? Dosn't make much sense to me. Just like super turbos, these games look good for the player who dosn't have much in their bankroll, but, IMO they are just another money making endavour for FT. I've played a few of these tourneys. In one particular, I won 2 tables, busted early in two and got less than my buy-in back. That's an hour and $5 of my life I want back.

If you want my advice, don't play these, they're a waste of time and money.

i played a matrix torney last night it was fun helps to improve your game i recon and you can get a quick intake on how your opponents play but i wouldent play them that often i would rather play a normal torney/sng much better but the matrix torneys are fun to play

Matrix are very quick paced and require full focus and help sharpen you attention.

I never really worked out with these tournaments, whether I should take the red pill or the blue pill

I feel that you're looking at it wrong.

Playing a $5 Matrix game is like playing 5 $1 games (4 tables, and 1 points game). So of course winning one table pays only 1/5th what a $5 table does.

What sets it apart from multi-tabling regular tournaments is that you're playing against the same people at every table. If you have a better-than-average ability to read your opponents and learn/exploit their tendencies then playing the same people at each table is a good thing.

Ok, I'm tired of hearing the misconception that winning all 4 tables will only get you the same prize as winning a one table sng of the same type. In fact, if you win all 4 tables you scoop the entire prize pool. Meaning if you buy into a $10 + 1, 9-man sng and take first in all you win the entire prize pool of $90. Here are my results for my matrix endeavours, though a very small sample size. I've played 7, $10 + 1's and have won a total of $145.80.
I can't complain about doubling my investment and can play with a bit more of my bankroll due to the low variance of the game type. So my opinion would be that if you want to get more money from them you have to play at higher stakes, but overall its very hard not to have profit.

bingo

Yeah, these tournaments also keep you from completely losing out after one bad break. I've finished last on a table and still profited overall.

Ok, I understand that, but what I'm saying is this: IF you win all four tables it pays off well. But if you don't, it dosn't. From a purlely bankroll padding prespective, yes, in this scenario it makes sense. But it is easier to play one table against 8 other opponents than four, and if you win that one table, you win nearly as much as you would win if you won all four Matrix tables. You speak of low variance, but how is four tables versus one lower variance. I just don't see it. One table against 8 opponents, IMO, is far lower variance than 4 tables of the same 8 opponents. Or is my math wrong?

One more thing I would like to add. All players have certain plays and tendancies in their arsenal, so while you are being better than average at reading everyone else, they are also watching you, therefore if you make a certain type of play at one table, you really can't pull it off again at another since your opponents have all seen it. Would it not make more sense to open four different SNG's (for example, take your $10 and open 4 $2 STT's) so if you make a tricky play, or whatnot at one table, the other three will have no knowledge of it. If you are (and by you, I don't mean you personally but but people in general) better than average at reading players and tendancies, four seperate tables should give you an advantege as you can use your play effictively more than once.

What I see here is an ego thing. Poker players usually have big ego's ( myself included) and think that they can crush four tables of the same opponents due to pure skill. I believe in the long run, that the Matrix tourneys are, if not a losing format, break even at best.

Of course this all my opinion, and if you feel you can really, profitably, beat the same opponents four times, by all means go for it. But I really don't think it is as good as it seems. And lastly, I fully understand the subtle differences between a Matrix tourney and four seperate SNG's, but let's all not foeget that Full TIlt is in the biz to make money, and the best way to make money off us players is to pander to our ego's. Hence the creation of the Matrix tourneys. Disagree if you will, just don't insult my intelligence by telling me that I'm looking at it wrong. I'm just looking at it differently.

Erm... no. You don't scoop the entire prize pool - you win the entire Matrix prize pool. Sticking with the $10+1 example, that means you win $18 (not $90) on top of the $36 (4 * $9) you get for finishing first on each table.

That's $9 more than you get for finishing first in a regular $10+1 SnG. Whether you crush all four tables in a Matrix SnG often enough to make that pay better than just playing regular SnGs is a question only you can answer.

Basically what I was saying, only with the math to back it up. Good post.

I like,too. But you need be quick and quick thinking because of 4 tables..
The main point is surviving in the table so early part of the tournament play tight..

I can't say that I am a big fan of the Matrix style SnGs. I always feel pressured into calling peoples all-ins mid game trying to pick up some much needed KO points. This makes me feel like I'm not playing the game I wanna play, but I play overly aggressive, make some bad All-ins and then end up hunkering down in two of the games to make sure I scrape my Buy-in back. I would much rather play some normal Sngs and play them how I want to.

I love them. Most of the time i break even but its well worth the money. The horse games drive me crazy. It's so hard to concentrate when you have 4 tables limit raising you all at once.

for anyone interested cardrunners have series exclusive for full tilts matrix sngs.