SE Last night.

eoghan104

Was anyone in at this last night? Its about the 4th time ive played the tournament and the play seems to be getting worse and worse!

Also the TD seems to have no idea whats going on. I was moved tables at one stage and he tried to put me 1 seat to the left of the big blind. I complained and he said " is it not closest to the blinds??". when i replied that the new player gets seated furthest from the button he shrugged and said "oh is that the way its done over here??". I thought this this was a bit ridiculous. Other small things made it very unproffessional aswell......... at the start they didnt have enough dealers for the 6 tables and one table had to self deal for a while!!!!!........ the tournament didnt start til 9:10........... after coming back from a long 20 min break we had to wait another 5 mins for the dealers to colour up!!! this is crazy IMO......... why such a long break if theyre gona wait until we get back to do that???!

What im asking is this........ does anyone agree with me that this is unacceptable for a casino which has a chance to be the premier poker spot in Ireland due to its lavish facilities, or am i just a moany arsehole because i got knocked out on a bad beat!!!:p

the only reason i keep going back is because the cash games are very soft but thats a completley new topic............:)

ianmc38

The €50 d/c on a Thursday is one of the best value tourneys in Dublin. Didn't know a table had to self deal. That's very unusual for the SE and its the first ive ever heard of a table having to self deal in there.

Chip race was done about 2 minutes after the break - Standard

And yes you are nitpicking to say the least.

Culchie

Maybe a dealer was late for work? It happens sometimes.

rag2gar

Not sure about nitpicking. He has a fair point.

Played on monday myself and two tables where self dealt and one of them had 10 players. Hardly ideal

eoghan104

Ian, hi how are you?

What constitutes a "good value" tournament in your opinion?

To me the double chance in question is definatley not! the starting stack is too small for the fast levels and add that to the fact they leave out the 150\300 level it turns into a crapshoot shortly after the break!

I dont think im nitpicking because the grievances ive aired are all very unproffesional imn my opinion! the TD didnt even know where to put someone whos been moved table and there was not enough dealers????? come on thats not acceptable!

EARMUFFS

rag2gar wrote:

Not sure about nitpicking. He has a fair point.

Played on monday myself and two tables where self dealt and one of them had 10 players. Hardly ideal

Haven't they changed cardroom manangers there lately? Maybe teething problems with the new regieme?

ionapaul

I was there last night and I also think the standards are not what they should be in the SE, with regard tournament management. I get the extremely strong suspicion that the SE management don't give a crap about the poker room, at least as far as tournaments go. Yes the food is mostly good and there are always wait staff around, but something seems a little off to me. I am not sure the €50 DC can be described as good value, unless the fact that the standard of play is so bad it more than makes up for the harsh blind structure! I'm going to continue to go, but I think they need to take a good look at the poker room and tighten up the management...they have often been short dealers for many tournaments in there, they always drum someone up from somewhere (usually downstairs) to fill in, but it always means delays and confusion, players sitting at the tables waiting for 10 minutes or more.

ianmc38

eoghan104 wrote:

Ian, hi how are you?

What constitutes a "good value" tournament in your opinion?

Low standard, cheap buy-in, 26 x buy-in for 1st place.

eoghan104 wrote:

To me the double chance in question is definatley not! the starting stack is too small for the fast levels

Do you think they should make the levels an hour long? Are half hour levels not good enough at 25/50, 50/100 and 75/150?

eoghan104 wrote:

and add that to the fact they leave out the 150\300 level it turns into a crapshoot shortly after the break!

They'll be changing the structure back to 2000 stack soon enough as all the regular players have all rightfully complained about the stack sizes. I agree the 150/300 is needed badly. The few times they had the 2000+2000 stack, the tourney was way better and had a lot more play in it.

In reality Paul why would the management give a fcuk about the poker room when that probably makes 0.5% of it's profits. Obviouly they should but when they're making a killing on the gaming floor, the poker room doesn't really get much attention

Culchie

I should have put a smiley after my first post.

From what I hear the Poker Manager is leaving very shortly as he isn't a happy bunny.

I think the poker room is a second class citizen to the gaming floor, and is being treated as such.

I'd agree that the starting stacks are small enough for a €50 tourney as well, and that missing blind level at 'moving point' in the tournament is a major flaw.

I've only played it 3 times (2 bubbles:rolleyes: ), but that's my reading of it.

It's missing the X factor that the Fitz has, that's for sure.
The Mayfair I think had great potential, pity it closed, just when things seemed to be taking off.

eoghan104

yeh the poker room is definatley not the no 1 priority which is a shame because its such a nice place. you cant really blame them though when you see the action they are taking on the gaming floor!

if it was to go back to a 2000 starting stack and they tighten up on the management a bit it has potential to be an excellent tournament!

Paul how did u get on last night? i read your blog and find it a great read so i was looking out for you last night but didnt see you. what table did u start on?

ionapaul

I think the 150/300 level would be more important than the change from 1500 to 2000 stack, but both would be good!

I was on table 4 and gone very very early, before the break. Honestly didn't feel like poker last night, don't know why I played, as I always play badly when I feel like that! Will put a report on my blog in any case.

eggie

Not a good value tourney and i dont play it. Starting stacks are too small, play a hand and if you dont win you have to wait for an all in, then you'll get called by anyone holding J high or better. Call for second stack and your already short stacked so its a wait and all in again to get raped on 4th and 5th street with somebody holding 5 7o with bottom pair on the flop.

Think it would be better as a freeze out, even with the 300 chips. Anymore chips would leave going on too long. The double chance structure encourages loose play on the first chip load as people take comfort in the fact that they can call for more chips and then play properly.

Culchie

eggie wrote:

Think it would be better as a freeze out, even with the 300 chips. Anymore chips would leave going on too long. The double chance structure encourages loose play on the first chip load as people take comfort in the fact that they can call for more chips and then play properly.

I hear this all the time about re-buy, double chance games. It is the same rules for everyone.
Sure it's not a freezeout, so you have to adapt your game to suit the tournament.


btw, I'd agree with you that a €50 freezeout would be a great addition to the mid week poker tournament schedule, but if you think about it, it's exactly the same. Sure some people are playing it differently (like a rebuy), but all said and done everyone has 3000 chips to play with.

You just need to adapt.

fixer

I always call for my 2nd stack straight away and play it as a freezeout. Easy to collect chips when everyone else is playing looser.

ditpoker

Culchie wrote:

Maybe a dealer was late for work? It happens sometimes.

i think this may be very true!

i played in this last night for the first time in a good while.
this used to be a fantastic tournament, and it works fine if there's max 30 players with top 4 or so getting paid. but with the higher numbers it just doesnt work. i also agree that the standard has plummitted in there (as my new signature will explain!). maybe im the bad poker player, but committing your whole stack on a flush draw AFTER the turn is bad play in my opinion. and the one thing that myself and my mate that played this (for teh record both myself and my mate have won this tournament so i think we're entitled to express an opinion! ) but the amount of times we were seeing flops with 6 or 7 players in the pot was crazy... i honestly cant remember any where else i have played a tournament where 6 or 7 see the flop on one occasion, never mind every second hand...

for me, i'll be playing oscar's game twice as often rather than this one. failing that i'll make the step up to their 75 game, but the 50 thursday game is off limits for me!

ianmc38

ditpoker wrote:

where 6 or 7 see the flop on one occasion, never mind every second hand...

Advice for life. never play a cash game in Dublin if that bothers you.

Also, try raising more preflop.

eoghan104

ian do you work for the SE or something? how can u say you think this tournament is any good and "good value"? any sort of a player can see its not!

ianmc38

eoghan104 wrote:

ian do you work for the SE or something? how can u say you think this tournament is any good and "good value"? any sort of a player can see its not!

I'm the marketing manager.

If you dont like it then say it to the floor manager. Explain your grievances and maybe they will listen and change things who knows. Olly did this before and it worked.

Culchie

I thought it was the PR Manager

Culchie

ditpoker wrote:

i think this may be very true!

I know it is Hard to get good staff nowadays.

I think the tourney is fair value, with a couple of tweaks, and better organisation it could be excellent.

If it started at 8.30 prompt, rather than 9.10 .... there's another 2 blind levels.

azzeretti

ianmc38 wrote:

Advice for life. never play a cash game in Dublin if that bothers you.

Also, try raising more preflop.

I mentioned this to you last night aswell, Ian. Way too much action pre-flop, regardless of the raises (mind you, I only watched a game for about 15 minutes, but it was, eh, different!)

In relation to the starting stack of 1500, why is everyone concerned with this? The Fitz on a Tuesday DC start with the same (well at least they used to when I played reguarly). The only real problem I have at the moment is the skipping of the a level, which, when its sorted will be fine.

Regarding the dealer last night - one dealer was late from college, hence, the self deal for the first 40 mins. These things happen, what can one do!?

ianmc38

azzeretti wrote:

I mentioned this to you last night aswell, Ian. Way too much action pre-flop, regardless of the raises (mind you, I only watched a game for about 15 minutes, but it was, eh, different!)

A good player adapts. If everyones going all-in before the flop, they'll be gone pretty quickly. Sit back and play premium hands only. I'd be more than happy on a table like that.

Unfortunately, I got quite a tricky table and went out with 3 left. AQ vs KJ - The flop of course brought a J.

On the upside (as always), i got my chips in when I was ahead.

De Deraco

i played last night went out 8th sfter i completely missplayed a hand on the bb. i think its a fine tourny bar the level they skip.
complainig about bad players and their style of play is ridiculous, as a poker player you have too adjust to your table, if you can't its your own shortcoming.

ianmc38

De Deraco wrote:

i played last night went out 8th sfter i completely missplayed a hand on the bb. i think its a fine tourny bar the level they skip.
complainig about bad players and their style of play is ridiculous, as a poker player you have too adjust to your table, if you can't its your own shortcoming.

What table were you on for the night?

De Deraco

table 3 seat 9, where was yourself ian.

eoghan104

de deraco,

i was on your table at the start and then got moved. remember were chatting over some chicken at the break!!!!

You did well at the start and managed to double up which gave u a good platform. i lost a couple of pots early (to you actually :mad: ) and therefore was on the backfoot for the whole tourney!!! thats my problem with it....... the early hands count for so much because of the small stacks. i know the fitz is the same stack but there is an earlybird bonus and a 10/25 starting level! plus they dont skip levels!

De Deraco

fitz got rid of 10-25 level as far as i know, but there is more play in the fitz game i think the 75-150 level skip is a nightmare. but i agree with you that if your raises such as Ak AQ dont hit a flop your up against as there little chance of players folding to continuation bets. such is poker though you got keep trying to get your chips in ahead. and in the long run over a couple of these tourneys you hopefully do better with odds on your side. sad thing is there is very little chance of doing well in this tourny if your getting cold cards, as the 200-400 jump is a killer. i still think this is a very winable tourny and decent value for a €50 game.

The chicken is great too.

JuliusFranco

eoghan104 wrote:

...Also the TD seems to have no idea whats going on. I was moved tables at one stage and he tried to put me 1 seat to the left of the big blind. I complained and he said " is it not closest to the blinds??". when i replied that the new player gets seated furthest from the button he shrugged and said "oh is that the way its done over here??". I thought this this was a bit ridiculous.....

in fairness to the TD, he was right here (originally)! Generally, when you get moved, you would have been BB next hand on your original table. You move from 'next on the BB' to the BB (or closest to the BB) on your new table. I know the Fitz does it differently, ie closest to the button,(so you might actually not have to pay a BB the whole tournament...and you don't even have to be at your seat to win a hand!:p --just messin)

that said, he should have known all this and not have been comprimised by some punter!

ollyk1

De Deraco wrote:

fitz got rid of 10-25 level as far as i know, but there is more play in the fitz game i think the 75-150 level skip is a nightmare. but i agree with you that if your raises such as Ak AQ dont hit a flop your up against as there little chance of players folding to continuation bets. such is poker though you got keep trying to get your chips in ahead. and in the long run over a couple of these tourneys you hopefully do better with odds on your side. sad thing is there is very little chance of doing well in this tourny if your getting cold cards, as the 200-400 jump is a killer. i still think this is a very winable tourny and decent value for a €50 game.

Fitz has a 25/25 level and then a 25/50 level which is pretty good. Plus the Fitz give you a specail chip so you know who has had their DC and who hasn't if/when you get moved tables. Plus the Fitz TD's and dealers are much better and player friendly.

On the other hand the SE is full of fish end of arguement.

5starpool

De Deraco wrote:

fitz got rid of 10-25 level as far as i know......

They hadn't about 2 weeks ago when I last played this......

eoghan104

JuliusFranco wrote:

in fairness to the TD, he was right here (originally)!

is that really the correct rule? i didnt realise! i was just going by what im used to at the fitz! why would the fitz do it differently to the correct rule!!!

De Deraco

5starpool wrote:

They hadn't about 2 weeks ago when I last played this......

You calling me a liar, maybe they haven't but on monday there was no 10-25 level and i am pretty sure last week it was the same in tuesdays tourny.
i'll have say your probably right dom as you must know which dealers are working each tourney by now:p .

5starpool

I haven't played Tuesdays much lately to be honest, only about once in the last 2 months, but that was the night of the Inter Milan last 16 2nd leg match, which i think was 14th March, and didn't notice they had got rid of them.

They never use them on Mondays....

stephenoleary

De Deraco wrote:

i played last night went out 8th sfter i completely missplayed a hand on the bb.

atta boy. What was the hand in the bb?
How'd you get on in college?