8 replies to this topic

[DwayneWayne]

I'm looking for as much info as you guys got.....From ppl who's played or just happen to know. With all the smaller events in the weeks leading up to the Main Event, and almost all of the major sites giving away entries and now Stars offering your Stars $$ as a way to buy direct I was wondering what the structures look like.Specifically the $1500 events, nl and pl.Blinds? Time levels? Starting Stacks? How many days this will be? Where is it held?I am under the impression that everything is at the Rio? Is that correct?Thanks for what ever you can tell me....

[flintsword]

DwayneWayne said:

I'm looking for as much info as you guys got.....From ppl who's played or just happen to know.  With all the smaller events in the weeks leading up to the Main Event, and almost all of the major sites giving away entries and now Stars offering your Stars $$ as a way to buy direct I was wondering what the structures look like.Specifically the $1500 events, nl and pl.Blinds? Time levels? Starting Stacks? How many days this will be? Where is it held?I am under the impression that everything is at the Rio? Is that correct?Thanks for what ever you can tell me....

I have been playing satellites at the wsop for many years and it has changed a lot in those years. Gone is the second floor at Binions lost in a cloud of cigarette smoke. Today it is all computerized and sanitized. The wall clock gives you the level, the time to the break, and any other information you need while you are playing.If you want to play in the exact format, get a copy of the WILSON software for NL tournaments and plug in the same information.The wsop offical site is: www.worldseriesofpoker.comNow you can practice much the same way Mike McManus did (He used the Masque program back then) when he made it to the final table of the wsop. The HARPERS article called Fortune's Smile is quite a good read, IMO better than the book he wrote that followed it. The link for the article, a real classic, is:www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1111/is_1807_301/ai_68018764The Wilson Software is much, much better.I could load you down with all sorts of viewpoints, but really, why take that experience away from you? Access the Harrah's site on the wsop to get all the details of the events. Practice, then go there and play, maybe win. After you have experienced it, you can get some additional help.I will say one thing: You are going up a full level in poker.Everyone playing is *at least* as good as you are and probably better. This is neither Kansas nor Aunt Betty's card room and everyone at the wsop is out for blood, specifically yours. Take the time to go swimming (The Sahara pool is great) and get rest. A tired poker player is a poker player heading for the rail.Now that the doom and gloom about the players is done with, keep in mind they are all human and make mistakes. They all play their "A game" for a limited amount of time then revert into the brand X game that make them close kin of Salmon. Watch for changes. In brief: watch. Watch the players, their cards, everything. Smile and act cool under pressure. Ask a friend to watch you play, he will have comments.Avoid the all in craziness that seems to blossom like flowers in the desert after a rain. My first ever wsop event hand was AA. Sure enough, a really cocky guy went all in to pick up insignificant blinds on hand one. I called, won, and the player left muttering about his bad beat. Raise 3 to 4 times the BB unless circumstances dictate otherwise.Have fun and get better. Hope this diatribe helps.

[flintsword]

DwayneWayne said:

I'm looking for as much info as you guys got.....From ppl who's played or just happen to know.  With all the smaller events in the weeks leading up to the Main Event, and almost all of the major sites giving away entries and now Stars offering your Stars $$ as a way to buy direct I was wondering what the structures look like.Specifically the $1500 events, nl and pl.Blinds? Time levels? Starting Stacks? How many days this will be? Where is it held?I am under the impression that everything is at the Rio? Is that correct?Thanks for what ever you can tell me....

Here is the complete list of events and structures for the WSOP 2005:http://www.worldseri...er.com/wsop.aspGood luck and I hope this is enough info to get you rolling.

[jsmoov]

I am going to be in Vegas sometime durin g the WSOP. Are there satellites for the smaller buy-in preliminary tournaments and if so when do they take place? If there are satellites do the buy-in amounts vary depending on the amount of the actual preliminary tournament? Thanks for any help you could provide.

[flintsword]

jsmoov said:

I am going to be in Vegas sometime durin g the WSOP. Are there satellites for the smaller buy-in preliminary tournaments and if so when do they take place? If there are satellites do the buy-in amounts vary depending on the amount of the actual preliminary tournament? Thanks for any help you could provide.

There are satellites for most of the events with the possible exception of the more obscure games like Razz and HORSE. Part of the adventure of going to the WSOP for first timers is discovering the tournaments. One idea that is time-honoured: play in a satelitte while many of the best players are "in" a wsop event.The concept is you play in a event without as many dangerous players in the group of players.Although you are probably experienced in online poker, I'll add this for someone who may not be.The best satelittes are on the internet. Certainly there is good training for your trip out to the wsop on the online sites. All the sites have them and it is more a question of which site you are more comfortable with. I have spent time on a number of sites, and find that the largest one, PartyPoker, has Additionally, there are great (free) poker lessons just by watching the best players. Watching players such as Gamboholic "de-bone" players and win wsop entry after wsop entry on PartyPoker is amazing.The amounts you play in the actual salellites vary with the number of seats being awarded, the number of players, and available space. In the article "Fortune's Smile" by Jim McManus, he qualified through a one table, $1,000 + EF, single table tournament table. Most of the bigger multi-table satellites are $250 to $350 entry fee and it is a cattle drive, but fun. If you want to read "Fortune's Smile", here is the link. It is a great story:http://www.findartic...301/ai_68018764Keep in mind that everyone in these satelittes are - generally speaking - going to be good players, so any traditional "edge" you may enjoy in the games you play is going to be gone, so play great poker, relax, and enjoy the tournament.

[jsmoov]

Thanks for the advice. The article was a big help as well.

[VicRattlehead]

I'm going out to Vegas as well and would like to play in a satellite for the June 3rd $1,500 NL event. Does anyone have any information on satellites for this event? I can't find anything at all on the WSOP site.Thanks.

[jsmoov]

There isn't anything on the website on satellites. From what I gather there are satellites 1 day prior to the tourney so if you want to play in the June 3 $1,500 buy-in, there should be a satellite on June 2. I also understand that these satellites are 1-table. So for a $1,500 buy-in your cost would be $150+(whatever the entery fee is maybe another $30). 1 table of 10 winner take all and gets a seat at the following days event. This is what I understand but I am not 100% sure. I hope this helps and good luck!

[sharkycal]

I'm playing a few smaller events at the WSOP, but i dont know what the deadline to register is. If the event starts ar 12 PM, what is the deadline to register ?Thanks