ACR/BCP Venom Series

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ozrock

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Anyone else playing in the ACR/Blackchip Venom step tournaments? Last week, every step started with 10,000 in chips, 10 minute blinds, there was actually time to think. Now this week, starting chip stack 250,000, 2 minute blinds.
What is the logic behind increasing the chip stacks to 250,000 with only 2 minute blinds? Now they are playing like shove fest's. Takes the fun out of it.

Thoughts?
 
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bellicoso

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I noticed the change, and I thought it was to prepare you for the initial stack in the Venom itself, which is also 250k from what I understand. With the levels increasing so fast, I think that's to clear the games out within the two hour window between each initial game (1 of 6). I've made it to step 3 so far and it gets a little less crazy as you go forward. Keep playing through, you might just make it. :)
 
This Fish Chums

This Fish Chums

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I think it's to reduce the "I won 15,000 chips now I can sit out my way to the tickets" strategy. Not saying you can't still do that, but it's a whole lot harder now.
 
VMVarga

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I have a question about the change.

It now just says "15+1.50 ticket" instead of saying ticket to the next step and providing a link to click on. Does that mean that if you save the ticket you can enter into any 15+1.50 buy in tournament, or is the ticket still only good for the next step sat to the venom?
 
This Fish Chums

This Fish Chums

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I have a question about the change.

It now just says "15+1.50 ticket" instead of saying ticket to the next step and providing a link to click on. Does that mean that if you save the ticket you can enter into any 15+1.50 buy in tournament, or is the ticket still only good for the next step sat to the venom?

I thought of that too, but if you look closely it is a $15 + 1.51 ticket. That extra 1 cent makes it ineligible for any normal $15 + 1.50 tournaments.
 
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ozrock

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I noticed the change, and I thought it was to prepare you for the initial stack in the Venom itself, which is also 250k from what I understand. With the levels increasing so fast, I think that's to clear the games out within the two hour window between each initial game (1 of 6). I've made it to step 3 so far and it gets a little less crazy as you go forward. Keep playing through, you might just make it. :)


After I posted yesterday, I thought about it again, and agree with you on the part about speeding up the tournaments. Makes sense in order to get through them. Before they added an extra step, last week, I was getting to steps 3 and 4 but got greedy a few times and shot myself in the foot. Have a ticket for step 3 waiting to be played. We'll see what happens :)
 
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ozrock

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I think it's to reduce the "I won 15,000 chips now I can sit out my way to the tickets" strategy. Not saying you can't still do that, but it's a whole lot harder now.


Good point. Half the seats were empty last week when it was the other format. Now, I've noticed that most of the players are present from the beginning.
 
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ozrock

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I thought of that too, but if you look closely it is a $15 + 1.51 ticket. That extra 1 cent makes it ineligible for any normal $15 + 1.50 tournaments.


Didn't notice that. Good point. The other thing I noticed too is now they are awarding money for the bubble in step 2. Before it wasn't this way until step 3.
 
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canabero

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last week i reached step 4 and i was close to next step. it was a very soft field. sadly since last week i don't enough time to play this games.
 
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Just got done placing 85th in 1/5. First I have played since the change. I think it is pretty cool that you can work through them faster now, although I don't quite recall getting any award for the pay bubble last time I made it to 3-4, maybe this is just my memory failing me LOL. Anyways gl out there I'm sure one of us will make it to play with the big boys on sunday!
 
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last week i reached step 4 and i was close to next step. it was a very soft field. sadly since last week i don't enough time to play this games.
It sucks that you can't just win a ticket without being auto regd into the next game without the ability to unreg.

I got to stage 4 a couple of times and I was all pokered out by the time we got to the 4th stage.

:(
 
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My opinion

The step change was necessary because you could get to next step on the tournament with the ten thousand buy-in by just sitting out. You could get through the first two steps then the third step was one win then the next step. The people wouldn't even earn there money playing poker.
 
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It sucks that you can't just win a ticket without being auto regd into the next game without the ability to unreg.

I got to stage 4 a couple of times and I was all pokered out by the time we got to the 4th stage.

:(

I don't know if you noticed yet but now you have to reg every time you win a step .I'm collecting seats so i can pt at least 2 bullets
in each game. glgl
 
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bellicoso

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For the record, you can still hit a certain number of chips and sit out. I hit about 3.3 million and took a knee during step 1/6. I was in 3rd out of 256 when I decided to just wait it out. The initial field was about 800 players. Finished in 33rd place with about 2.1 million chips, so I could probably do it for cheaper next time. :)
 
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For the record, you can still hit a certain number of chips and sit out. I hit about 3.3 million and took a knee during step 1/6. I was in 3rd out of 256 when I decided to just wait it out. The initial field was about 800 players. Finished in 33rd place with about 2.1 million chips, so I could probably do it for cheaper next time. :)
The m-ratio, or reduced m-ratio, gives good information on how many chips you need to survive/reach itm, or where you stand.
 
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bellicoso

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The m-ratio, or reduced m-ratio, gives good information on how many chips you need to survive/reach itm, or where you stand.


What is this m-ratio you speak of, and what is the magic therein? :)
 
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when you reach level 3 and then 4 it seems quite preordained. twice at level three could not get one decent hand, even registering at the very start. The third time, I came in at end and made it to level 4. Different game entirely as some players entered with own cash.
 
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bellicoso

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when you reach level 3 and then 4 it seems quite preordained. twice at level three could not get one decent hand, even registering at the very start. The third time, I came in at end and made it to level 4. Different game entirely as some players entered with own cash.


I was destined to die on 3/6... the internets went out right in the middle of the game. I had no juice for two days. Back to 1/6 for me! :)
 
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Bertie Wooster

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step/format changes

First of all...the whole "step 0" thing was confusing as hell.
The new 250K stack with ultra-turbo (2 or 3 min) blinds... a previous poster mentioned it was to "clear out" the satties in less than 2 hrs...I agree...people were getting stacks and then just stalling...makes for very boring (and not really poker) games.

These new formats, well, I wouldn't call it poker either, but they do move right along. I think these step tourneys are a great opportunity for a beginner/free roller to get into a massive tournament for free.

One hazard is that a beginner will learn some really really bad habits in these things.

My advice is to play them, shove early, get a stack and cruise to the next level if you can. I've been trying to build up a few tickets for each level, then taking a couple of stabs.

I've made it to the $600 main satty once...but for FREE, I think this is pretty good stuff they are offering. It does take a massive time commitment.

Good luck!
 
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Bertie Wooster

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The m-ratio, or reduced m-ratio, gives good information on how many chips you need to survive/reach itm, or where you stand.

Yes...depending how early you get them...around 2 mil seems to be enough.
 
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Bertie Wooster

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M ratio over-simplified

What is this m-ratio you speak of, and what is the magic therein? :)


Basically, it's how many rounds at the current levels you can afford to play with the stack you have.

If you have 10,000 chips, and the blinds plus antes are $1000...you can play 10 rounds without winning a hand and still be alive.

With something like the Venom steps, the blinds escalate so quickly that I just look at the chip counts and see how many people are left for how many seats, and where am I in that pecking-order.

M ratio is a really useful tool, but you don't really want to overthink these mass-free roll hyper-turbo satties.
 
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Bertie Wooster

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It sucks that you can't just win a ticket without being auto regd into the next game without the ability to unreg.

I got to stage 4 a couple of times and I was all pokered out by the time we got to the 4th stage.

:(


AGREED! This was AWFUL. I would try to unregister before the thing started, but if there were enough auto-registered, it would start the tourney and you're screwed.

This was a terrific change they put in so you now get a ticket and can register when you want to.
 
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Bertie Wooster

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trudat

Anyone else playing in the ACR/Blackchip Venom step tournaments? Last week, every step started with 10,000 in chips, 10 minute blinds, there was actually time to think. Now this week, starting chip stack 250,000, 2 minute blinds.
What is the logic behind increasing the chip stacks to 250,000 with only 2 minute blinds? Now they are playing like shove fest's. Takes the fun out of it.

Thoughts?


Yes, it's not really poker, is it? That being said...they get over more quickly and you don't play 2 1/2 hours to get bubbled when someone calls your AK shove with 93 cuz they are bored, of course spiking a 3 on the river to send you to the rail.

They are not as "fun", true... but they demand less of a time commitment and are still a decent deal for a free shot at a Million $ tourney.

Honestly, the most important thing is reminding myself that this isn't poker over and over so I don't develop the habits inherent in these types of satties.
 
8bod8

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What is this m-ratio you speak of, and what is the magic therein? :)
The m-ratio and its derivatives roughly tell you how many rounds or hands you can play, based onn your stack an blind levels.
It is one of the main factors that determines the range you play.
After m-ratio, your range is affected by the other players and their stacks.
 
gon4iypes

gon4iypes

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What is this m-ratio you speak of, and what is the magic therein? :)

It refers to the size of your stack. We usually say we have so many Big Blinds...M refers to the cost of 1 orbit of the button...the antes and the big/small blinds. So if you have a stack with an M of say, 12, you have enough chips to be able to pay the antes and blinds for 12 orbits provided you fold all hands. It just gives you an idea of how much time you have before being blinded out. Dan Harrington started using it in the 1990's...he wrote 2 books that I just love, Harrington on Holdem 1 and 2. Some may say they are old and outdated. I don't think so. Worth reading for sure!!!
 
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