Yeah before this hot run I lost like 12 out of 13 allins or something. I only need to make some side income - and poker might not even be my only source of that. Also I’ll have to play cash and probably even limit in these podunk towns.

I played limit in mesquite a few months ago. Dude kept calling to the river and getting there - over and over. I finally bluffed him with air and showed when he folded river to one bet. That was fun. But I still lost on the night.

Should be interesting.

I binked $7k at the Gardens $175 tourney last night. Chopping the final table at these things probably gives up some edge. But it really helps reduce variance.

I was chipleader with 30bbs about to be 20bbs on the next level. But if we had played I could easily finish 9th.

So assuming everyone wants to chop the FT at these (4-handed is the lowest I've ever heard one get and usually the whole FT chops) - then the real bubble then becomes 10th to 9th.

Some of the regs seem to get that and tighten way up. Some don't. I had a guy call me with 88 to bust 11th when I shoved KJo UTG 6 handed at 25k/50k+50a. I had 750k chips or so. He had 600k-ish. He won like $890, but 600k at the final table chop is worth $3000. But I probably make the same call because 88 too pretty.

And then again if he wins it's probably worth $6k. Maybe it was a good call. Lol $5k flippaments.

Congrats. Chopping probably gives up a pretty fair amount, especially considering your experience at STTs, but it'd be a lot of social pressure if everyone else wants to do it.

I did refuse to chop with SFB when I won the toughest single table tournament in history (:P Bones), but I was sure his chopping negotiation skills were so much better than mine that I was better off not playing that game with him.

Ok - checked ICMIZER (which I'm still trying to figure out). I guess it's a good call by straight ICM if I'm on any kind of reasonable range. I'm still very interested in how the very likely final table chop creating an artificial bubble plays into that.

Yeah. But I'd have had to turn about to be 20BBs into first place to get better money in this one. Either that or get to 4-handed or w/e and chop for between 2nd and 1st money.

Either of those seem like something you could run bad at for years - given the infrequency of getting to final tables with > $5k for first.

Also at least the people at my table when we were down to 2 tables were playing back at my bullying attempts pretty hard. They didn't seem scared enough to take advantage of in a big way.

I think mainly for me I wanted to bink this first big live tourney and not finish 8th or 9th. That would have been crushing. Now that I've got one under my belt, I'll be a little more open to playing the FT.

With blinds at 25k/50k+50k BB ante about to go up to 50k/75k + 75k BB ante (although at Hollywood Park the ante is half at the FT - not sure if Gardens has reduced ante) - the biggest indicator of if you should want to chop might be your position draw at the FT. If the blinds are about it hit you - suggest a chop. If you start in the button - turn down a chop.

MTTs do create weird situations where you are essentially likely playing WAY above your bankroll not even taking into consideration that you'll never see anything close to the long run.

I've never been at a final table wanting to chop the whole table. Most I've chopped is with 3 remaining. I'd probably say no unless the chop was somehow skewed in my favor. To chip chop I'd have to feel everyone else was playing just as well as me, unlikely given your description of the games.

Yeah - weird. Maybe it's an LA thing.

At least my table was shoving over my minraises pretty wide. There's not much you can do with 20BBs and calling someone with 50% of your chips or more, w/o a monster, is disaster. You're mostly just looking for spots to open shove.

At least 3 of the players at my table seemed to know how to shove properly. I'd estimate my edge is negligible vs. them. There was one woman playing way too tight and one dude who seemed a little tight. No reads on the other table - I had played with none of them previously.

And like I said I think 225k of blinds and antes about to hit you could easily eat up any edge you might have. Remember these are big blind ante. It's brutal. On the flip side starting the FT on the button is a huge advantage. Definitely an angle to wait until you see the position draw to decide to push for a chop.

Also mostly I know myself. If I finished 8th or 9th last night would bug me for a long long time - especially if I was the one that refused to chop. Not worth whatever edge I might have imo. Now that I have one big live one under my belt - maybe I'll say let's play it down a little more - depending on the feel of the table.

Looks like Sippin is @ the Main Event ($1,100) of the Cardplayer Poker Tour Bike Final Table (9 left) with $136k up top. Gogogo!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ8MM0wRKH4

Nice! You could also buy in to that for $4300 Sunday for about 60BBs. Which is weird because they said it's a one day tourney. I wonder how far they played down yesterday?

Doesn't look like any of the Global Poker dudes I played in the Friday late night tourney made it.

The grey hoodie guy on the left seems familiar.

​So what would happen if all the players wanted to chop here like they always do in the $150 tourneys final table?

Crazy hand 3-handed. Blinds 100/200+200a. Pete has ~5M, Chris has 3M. CL has $9M.

Pete limps SB with T4cc, Chris checks BB with K4o.

Flop A22 two spades. Pete Checks. Chris bets $200k, Pete makes it $600k. Chris calls.

Turn 2h. Pete checks. Chris bets 200k. Pete snap shoves for 2x pot. Chris tanks and finally makes a gutsy call.

But river comes A and they chop. Chris, who was CL forever, is not happy.

That hand was awesome. Still not sure how Chris called me down with A high on a 3 flush 4 straight. He's a hell of a player. My first live tournament with a buyin above $50 lol. Thrilled with the result even though my play at the FT was nitty and sketchy.

Damn I thought you were an MTT baller now. Did you come in just for this?

I was at the Bike playing the depressing late night tourney with some kids with Global Poker hoodies who were all entered into the $1100 the next day. Sadly I did not see any of them at the FT.

So, how much did you lose?

sippin holla balla

The Bike is about 30 mins from Disneyland and I have a 5 year old so it worked out perfectly as a working family vacation. Global put 30 players into the event and it seemed like they all had a blast. I'm not MTT baller at all but I am tempted to become one now.

Let's just say I needed the winnings to cover Disneyland entrance + a few churros.

Good job sippin, was railing until I couldn't. There was an AQ hand in the blinds vs a late raise I was surprised you flatted but when you're dealing with big money inching up the ladder things get tough. And you're a better player than me.

Also, I miss you. I'll never forget that night in the NY, NY piano bar when my now wife said you and Kevin could come to our room and watch. I think you watching the ME final table live that year prepared you for this.

My tribute to your home country below.

Yeah sippin - I kinda remember the hand where you tried that big bluff and got snapped off. What was it exactly? Wasn't it BvB?

Looking excellent! I miss that trip, had such a blast with you guys. I basically swore off MTT's for 10 years when Darvin Moon 70/30'd Begs. Looking back kind of wish I hadn't.

That AQ hand was 25BB vs a HJ open. Felt like a reasonable calling range to my shove was like 88, AQ+. Because I felt I couldn't get called by worse, and I could still play post vs hands that I dominate call was good. Laddering was a consideration too since any $ I made laddering has real utility for me in my life at the moment.

Chris opened Ac9x on the button, I defended Qx9c in the BB. Flop was 7c6c4c and went check check. Chris had taken some trappy lines out of position but I was 90% certain he was going to play straightforward here with his value, so figured a turn probe and river bet would be effective most of the time. Turn was a 7 and I bet about 60% pot. He thought a while and called. I figured his range was a lot of A high and broadways with K/Q/J of clubs types, as well as some pot controlled 6x hands. River was an offsuit 8 and I bet something like 35-40% pot. I felt like that would have been reasonable sizing with most of my value considering his line and perceived range, and my only bluffs are really T9-K9, JT-KJ. I think he just soul read me and wrecked me.

There was another weak river bluff I made vs Vycheslav where I should have bet turn and river and only bet river and got called. Let the pressure get to me there instead of just doing what I thought was right. Valuable lessons all the way along though that I'm hopeful I can use to my advantage in the future.

Well done sippin!

Well done sippin!

Suzzer, assuming theyre using ICM to do the chops, that overvalues small stacks and undervalues larger stacks. Assuming Im not one of the weaker players at the table, Id never chop with an average or above stack. And even if youre below average, I wouldnt chop if 1 or two guys were super short. Short stack jams are gonna get called and checked down postflop a decent bit of the time.

People are going to be making absolutely atrocious ICM plays in spots like this, even with shallow stacks. Youre giving up a ton of value chopping that early i feel like. If you get any pushback for not wanting to chop I wouldnt bring up the value aspect of it. Bring up how you care about the win more than the cash, or that youre backed and your backer doesnt allow you to chop.

If youre one of the larger stacks and people are pushing to chop, ask for a chip chop (assigning equity based on what pct of chips in play the stack is, not ICM). People have actually chopped for more than 1st place before.

Lol no one's backed at my local $150 tourney - they'd look at me like I was from Mars.

Yeah I get it and it might work when I'm up to $1k buyin somewhere. But right now I'm playing this as much to get out of the house, not eat and not drink - as much as I'm playing it for profit. So I'm cool with chopping if they all want to chop. I know I'm leaving some money on the table and I'm ok with that.

I've busted 6th when I was 2nd in chips. The drive home felt not good. I'm also ok with leaving a little money on the table to avoid painful variance like that.

omg yes

Lacky I take it from the post you not doing the correctional gig anymore? Corrections maybe a a Canadian term.

I am still a correctional officer. I play part time. It's an easy job with good benefits, so no complaints really.

Its tons easier going through downturns in poker when it's all just extra money. It's still frustrating, but it isn't devastating or soul sucking.