Hey guys, I'm Magnus Martin IRL - 'Giffordonian' on Poker Stars.
With the release of the 2012 WSOP schedule today, I've decided to go ahead and start an interest thread. I'm very excited about playing out in Vegas again this summer. I had a great time in 2011, playing my first WSOP - I think it will be great to have that experience behind me as I go for some big scores in 2012.
I have played professionally on Poker Stars since 2010. I started out by grinding $16-$60 PLO8 SNGs, earning leaderboard status on Shark Scope.
Giffordonian 10,634 $1 $14 9% $15,172 PokerStars
Playing hundreds of these games every week helped me understand ICM and appreciate the importance of aggression and exploiting particular situations.
As I progressed as a player I started getting more and more into cash games and have become a successful Omaha Hi-Lo CG player on Stars with consistent profits, mainly playing .50/1 and 1/2.
In 2011 I also played a bunch of live NLHE cash, which helped my game enormously, requiring deep thinking on many levels and tough decision-making post-flop. I had a very successful time in the CGs in Las Vegas.
My tournament experience is vast. I've played over 5000 MTTs on Stars and have been paying particular attention to NLHE MTTs throughout the last 6-12 months. I've discussed strategy with a lot of really strong NLHE MTT players: guys like 'betgo', 'bigdshaggyj', 'cashryders22', 'breakurface', 'ulduffer' and 'andrew23122' to name a few.
I've been extremely motivated and putting in a lot of hours playing MTTs this year. And I think my results are showing that the hard work is paying off.
Some of my best scores over recent months:
Jan 9 2012: 4/2365 Big $55 - $6918
Jan 4 2012: 2/66 $530 PLO8 - $6600
Jan 5 2012: 1/743 $55 NLHE - $6549
Nov 30 2011: 2/63 $530 PLO8 - $6300
Aug 22 2011: 1/639 $55 NLHE - $5252
Sep 08 2011: 7/558 $215 cubed PLO8 WCOOP - $4687
Sep 14 2011: 2/251 $109 NLHE - $3765
Nov 13 2011: 4/5788 $3r NLHE - $3299
Dec 19 2011: 7/137 $530 PLO - $2226
Dec 28 2011: 6/53 $530 PLO8 - $1458
Dec 18 2011: 27/218 $215r NLHE - $1388
Nov 21 2011: 2/48 $109 PLO8 - $1200
Jan 22 2012: 6/404 $75 NLHE - $1185
The vast majority of my biggest scores have come in the period after the 2011 WSOP. Playing and talking with top players has strengthened my game and taken my level of thinking to a new level. In the $5k PLO8 event last year I ran deep into day two, busting 80th with AAK5 - so I have experience of getting into a strong position - and expect to go further this time around.
My plan is to play a schedule of events in the second half of the Series. This will prevent me from burning out. I will go to Vegas a few days prior to the first WSOP event to play some smaller events as a warm-up for the big ones. I'm also going out to Cannes in March to play for a few days, which should be a great way to help prepare me for the live environment in summer. I'm very accustomed to putting in long sessions and will be training hard both physically and mentally so that I arrive at the WSOP in optimal shape to play really high-level poker.
This is not a definite schedule - but one that could work well. I welcome any thoughts on the choice of events, number of events, etc. I want investors to have as much input as possible into this - especially whether they have a preference to the Main Event being included.
Proposed schedule:
Event Date Game Buy-in
38 June 20 NLHE $1.5k
43 June 23 NLHE $1.5k
47 June 26 PLO8 $1.5k
53 June 30 NLHE $1.5k
58 July 3 PLO8 $3k
61 July 7-9 NLHE $10k (Main Event)
So this would make a total cost of $19k. Markup would probably be something like 1.25 for PLO8 events and 1.15 for NLHE events.
($5,625) + $4,500 x 1.15 ($5,175) = $10,800 (without the Main Event).
$4500 x 1.25 ($5,625) + $14500 x 1.15 ($16,675) = $22,300 (with the Main Event).
So 1% shares would cost $108 without the Main Event; $223 with the Main Event.
As a UK player, one major benefit of backing me would be that winnings would not be liable for taxation. I will most likely be accepting bookings on: Stars.com; Paypal; bank transfer.
As many of you will be aware I am a regular buyer/seller on the marketplace. I have had several very profitable packages on 2+2 and carried out transfers worth tens of thousands of dollars to scores of players/investors.
I invite questions/comments and - at this stage - welcome anyone to indicate if they would like to reserve shares.
very good package, this seller has bought and sold packages from and to me and is a good communicator. I would prefer with the main event but with a view to you not playing it if you don't feel fresh or don't feel your playing well enough before the event.
looks like a nice package, prob will take a few percentages
I probably prefer without the ME because of the price.
crushing live ftw, glgl
Quote:
Originally Posted by vegas2011
very good package, this seller has bought and sold packages from and to me and is a good communicator. I would prefer with the main event but with a view to you not playing it if you don't feel fresh or don't feel your playing well enough before the event.
may defo take a percentage nearer the time.
ty guys...yeah most definitely would not play it if I didn't feel 100% but would certainly love to play it if I feel good
Also thinking about adding some Venetian deepstack events (potentially as replacements for WSOP NLHE 1.5k events) as the structure is apparently a lot better. I might also be able to add some more PLO8 events once I have a clearly knowledge of tournament schedules throughout town in the summer.
Last edited by Giffordonian; 02-02-2012 at 09:54 AM.
3% prob
Mine is going up soon as well. Last minute packages are strange for wsop as alot of planning is needed to spend this much time and play ur best in vegas
3% prob
Mine is going up soon as well. Last minute packages are strange for wsop as alot of planning is needed to spend this much time and play ur best in vegas
exactly, so much planning to do - hoping the Venetian schedule goes up soon
Can you confirm: UK player wouldn't have to pay US taxes on the event? I have looked for confirmation of that, but haven't seen any definite answer. It's one of the major blockages to me backing someone for live play.
I wouldn't be too worried about Venetian/WSOP tournaments - I think either is fine.
I reserve judgement on the ME, but would probably be a 80% chance of taking the ME included package.
The US-UK tax treaty means that we are exempt from paying taxes on poker winnings, regardless of whether we are playing at home or abroad. Hopefully someone else can validate this.
