Looks like I won't be playing the 7-game. Just an absolutely idiotic structure.

Wow, unlimited re-entry for event #1 up until the 9th level. I predict a bloodbath. Should be fun. O/U at 3200 entrants?

Imho portage is a perfect location, some nice new hotels that are literally right off I-90 and makes your commute very simple and fast. Both are pretty similar in how nice/safe they are as long as you aren't staying on the merriville/gary border. I would pick a hotel in portage right off I-90 but either way you should be fine. I'm not too familiar with the ILL parts that you are looking into staying.

I don't understand this. Because the blind levels aren't perfect? It's 1-hr levels. It's 20k starting chips. You can adapt to the structure - which is slow anyway - and play accordingly. I cashed in this event last year, and it was nice that the limit events were as significant - if not more so - than nlh/plo.

What? Limit rounds are way less significant. Look at WSOP 10-game for comparison:

http://www.wsop.com/pdfs/WSOPC/2010/11494-structure.pdf

The big bet games have a BB about half of the limit games. Without that 5/7 of the time you are playing for lower stakes. I don't even care about how quick it goes. They could start with the levels doubled for the limit games, just so long as it actually fits with the big bet games.

Oh wait. I did that backwards. I see what you're saying. I didn't really notice it as a problem last year though. It gives you more maneuverability in the limit games. And the limit pots aren't just raise. Fold fold fold. There's flops and there's play.

I'll be there for the entire thing despite the lack of reasonable nlhe tourneys.

this is the best run series i've been to

Completely disagree, any hotel in Indiana is skeezy. And if its half way decent, you realize you are in Indiana as soon as you step out the door. Oakbrook has a nice mall, some good restaurants and very nice affordable hotels.

Traffic for noon events wont be an issue. Give yourself 1.5 hours, take 88 to 290 to 90/94 towards Indiana and then Skyway. You will make it just fine, I live in a suburb west of Oakbrook and make it in less than one hour at that time.

Finally, ALWAYS preregister, so you never have to wait in line and even if you get stuck in traffic, you will be fine because of the good structure of these tourneys.

My two cents, if you want something a lot nice for the same price as a crappy indinana motel, do it.

If anyone is interested in staying right downtown Chicago within a 5 minute walk of the Horseshoe shuttle for a better rate than a hotel, PM me.

Some of you guys seriously need to grow a sack.

I can't confirm or deny the surroundings of the casino but I can say that if you aren't staying in chicago, it makes little to no sense to stay 30-45 mins away from the venue.. is it really that bad there?

Hampton Inn Munster
8936 Calumet Avenue,
Munster, Indiana, 46321
Phone 1-219-836-5555

It's right on the lake in a very industrial area. I didn't have any issues when there for the WSOP-C back in October, however, I typically don't venture out much at these events. With that being said, I plan on staying south about 30 minutes. I'm a rec. player on a budget, and $33 a night at a Super 8 wins.

I really wish they would change the name of Event 1 to what it really is...I like re-entry tournaments, until they start calling re-buy with rake tournaments re-entry. Unlimited Re-Entry = Unlimited Rebuy with Rake...

Completely right. Also important to note that in a re-entry each buy in counts as a separate entry, so more spots pay than in a rebuy.

Each time you enter or re-enter in these tournaments it is essentially a discrete decision. Say you initially enter at noon on day 1a when 800 player had registered, then you bust in 2 hours. Now there are 1000 entrants and you are 3 blind levels in. The decision of whether or not to re-enter at that point, is no different than if you had just arrived 2 hours late to the venue. The only exception is that if losing the initial 240 dipped your bankroll below the level that you would feel comfortable paying another 240.

Alright, probably going to be here for the 3k main and maybe the turbo on monday. looking forward to it

fwiw, on hotels.com you can get a room at ameristar for about $90/night. its about 10/15 min from the horseshoe

Does anyone know how many entries the 7 game got last year and how much first was??...or have a reasonable guess at either for this year?

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-tour...875284/results

112 entrants, 19k to first

Will they be taking registration over the phone with a credit card again this year? Only way I can commit to flying out for the HU event.

The only downtown shuttle I could find had 11:50 am as the first departure, which is obviously too late if you're playing events that start at noon. Is there one I missed?

There's lots of affordable hotels near 183rd and Harlem ave in Tinley Park, Illinois, just about 30 minutes from Horseshoe.

http://www.google.com/webhp?complete...iw=980&bih=542

(Copy/paste url if you need to)

You're all welcome.

Oak Brook is ridiculously far from Hammond. I live in Chicago's south suburbs and I still think Oak Brook is ridiculously far.

And I doubt any poker players are gonna be shopping at the mall during their stay, either. Chances are, they'll just be in and out.

Still not 100% sure if I'm going, but I booked a room in downtown Chicago from Mon 2/27 to Sat 3/02. If anyone is interested in chopping a room and a car, PM me. I was able to snatch up a room with 2 beds for $84/night + tax, so $488.90 for the duration.

They have the past two years so probably will again this year.