Celtic Poker Tour - Have they got better?

Fatboydim

CPT had a tourney in Castlebar last weekend. As usual people attended in their dozens. I stayed away preferring a sedate 50FO in the castle casino. Later players who were playing at the CPT turned up and it seemed to be the usual sorry tale of poor TD's making bad decisions, questionable prize pool, crapshoot structure and self deal misery.

With Betfair involvement I would have thought things would have improved. I have always stayed away from CPT events because of their reputation as mickey takers. So my report is second hand, but from trusted sources - But it made me wonder if any Boardsies had dipped there toes in the water so to speak. Have CPT cleaned up their act?

mdwexford

No

Degag

Fatboydim wrote: »

CPT had a tourney in Castlebar last weekend. As usual people attended in their dozens. I stayed away preferring a sedate 50FO in the castle casino. Later players who were playing at the CPT turned up and it seemed to be the usual sorry tale of poor TD's making bad decisions, questionable prize pool, crapshoot structure and self deal misery.

With Betfair involvement I would have thought things would have improved. I have always stayed away from CPT events because of their reputation as mickey takers. So my report is second hand, but from trusted sources - But it made me wonder if any Boardsies had dipped there toes in the water so to speak. Have CPT cleaned up their act?

Hmmm, i've played in 3 cpt events albeit nearly 2 years ago, and as a result receive their promotional text messages... what i have noticed is that they come far less often to my area than before and they seem to advertise bigger buy ins than they previously did. This leads me to believe that they are on a downturn of sorts.

SIDESHOW BOBs

yes len , i played one in midelton recently, crap structure , ****e rulings etc on the plus side you get a breed of played indigenous to cpt appallingly bad in most cases, super if highly raked cash games and probably the best set of tournament chips in history.

each to their own , the same guys follow them around the country, the cpt cult if you like,

they are happy, they wouldn't go to a cas for love nor money and a rag will always be the nuts:D

Bandara

reason they get away with it I think is that pretty much all their players play it for a fun night out for €50 and don't understand about % payouts or rake etc.. Also they play in a good few areas where there might not be card clubs in the region.

Hitman Actual

Hammertime wrote: »

reason they get away with it I think is that pretty much all their players play it for a fun night out for €50 and don't understand about % payouts or rake etc..

From what I know of their players, it's often not for a fun night; a lot of them actually think they are poker legends! You're right about the payout thing though, all they see is "€X000 guaranteed", and think they are getting good value.

semibluff

whats the point of flogging a dead horse, we know what they are like. we know they get away with it, and they know that they get slated here. yet they continue to do so and we continue to moan about it. let your feet do the talking as regards attending their events, let your friends know why they are getting ripped off, so apart from that theres not much else can be done

connie147

I dont know if theyve cleaned up their act or not. I do know players from Kerry that travel all over the country to play in their games(often 5 of them sit into a car in Tralee and drive 3hrs to play a CPT event). I have never tried to advise them otherwise as I believe its everybody's own choice. But I do know some mutual friends who have tried explaining about structures, dealers, 100% pay-outs etc etc,but it just falls on deaf ears. Even though my club has an excellent name (thank god) for running well structured,fully dealer dealt and 100% payout tourneys, these same lads have never been inside the door to play(which is their right of course). But they do know all about us and chose not to play. I dont think it matters how much they are screwed over by the CPT, they treat it like a siege mentality. Its great for the CPT though, but I do think if the CPT regulars eventually get to play a properly structured game,it would open their eyes a bit.

Scummyscousers

connie147 wrote: »

I dont know if theyve cleaned up their act or not. I do know players from Kerry that travel all over the country to play in their games(often 5 of them sit into a car in Tralee and drive 3hrs to play a CPT event). I have never tried to advise them otherwise as I believe its everybody's own choice. But I do know some mutual friends who have tried explaining about structures, dealers, 100% pay-outs etc etc,but it just falls on deaf ears. Even though my club has an excellent name (thank god) for running well structured,fully dealer dealt and 100% payout tourneys, these same lads have never been inside the door to play(which is their right of course). But they do know all about us and chose not to play. I dont think it matters how much they are screwed over by the CPT, they treat it like a siege mentality. Its great for the CPT though, but I do think if the CPT regulars eventually get to play a properly structured game,it would open their eyes a bit.

I'd say they dont care about proper structures as the are simply gambers and as any bookie will tell you, gamblers are mostly on the neg side of odds, so why would they care. When players learn more about how to play poker, the gamble seems less attractive and the structure becomes more attractive, however the out and out gambler will still take the bad odds. CPT caters for these lads and are no worse than any bookie on the planet.

Fatboydim

Well the shame of it is that in rural areas there isn't really any competition against them. When they come to Mayo they get the numbers. Pub players mostly. But even some of the better players attend. One respected player that I know who has just moved back to Mayo from the US was somewhat concerned about mechanics. With groups of players following CPT around I wonder if this is a genuine issue? Hands per hour at self deal tourneys is also a problem. What they seem to do well is advertise.

I just hoped Betfair involvement might have had a positive effect.

Fatboydim

Scummyscousers wrote: »

I'd say they dont care about proper structures as the are simply gambers and as any bookie will tell you, gamblers are mostly on the neg side of odds, so why would they care. When players learn more about how to play poker, the gamble seems less attractive and the structure becomes more attractive, however the out and out gambler will still take the bad odds. CPT caters for these lads and are no worse than any bookie on the planet.

While I think you're right here most gamblers I know will do all they can to get the best price on a nag - if they can get 100/30 instead of 3/1 they'll go out of their way to get it. So why they haven't copped on I do not know.

connie147

Fatboydim wrote: »

Well the shame of it is that in rural areas there isn't really any competition against them. When they come to Mayo they get the numbers. Pub players mostly. But even some of the better players attend. One respected player that I know who has just moved back to Mayo from the US was somewhat concerned about mechanics. With groups of players following CPT around I wonder if this is a genuine issue? Hands per hour at self deal tourneys is also a problem. What they seem to do well is advertise.

I just hoped Betfair involvement might have had a positive effect.

Well a very well respected TD (who post on boards) has told me on several occassions that he knows people who are mechanics and who travel specifically to these CPT tourneys and have never been caught. Now I'm not naming names obviously, but sure its wide open for them with big prize pools and self dealt.

carfax

CPT, get the largest crowds out of any tournament organiser in the country (so I am told). I have just never been able to get my head around this.

At the time Betfair announced their sponsorship I thought they were making a huge mistake but obviously they are both still happy with how things are going.

carfax

Scummyscousers wrote: »

CPT caters for these lads and are no worse than any bookie on the planet.

:eek: All good Bookies go to heaven ya know

Macspower

carfax wrote: »

CPT, get the largest crowds out of any tournament organiser in the country (so I am told). I have just never been able to get my head around this.

At the time Betfair announced their sponsorship I thought they were making a huge mistake but obviously they are both still happy with how things are going.

Betfair are delighted I guess.... Access to all the CPT players to sign them up = action=rake=profit

dingle

A year or so ago I was at a Pokerevents €100 FO. At the break I was chatting to a guy who said that the upcoming CPT event (also a €100 FO) was much etter value as you had a chance at a much bigger prize for the same money. I tried to explain about the 100% payouts etc but a glazed kind of luck appeared in the guys eyes.

How can you compete against that kind of logic?

tipp86

played my second ever cpt friday night as it was on in my town cahir.i just hate your typical cpt player limp utg you raise your buton reraise from utg with there big pockets.Then some of there rules puzzel me eg.if you bet out of turn your bet doesnt stand and you can only call a bet or check new one for me.I promised myself it will be my last cpt.Anyone any thoughts on there upcoming 100,000 gtd has to be a lot of dead money since so many players won tickets playing 10 table 50 euro all in or fold for tickets and you cant buy tickets you have to win an event or one of these all in or folds.Cold have purchased one for 300 friday night with value been 500 but still could not bring myself to pay that into one of there events.

Macspower

I played my very first "big" tourney with CPT in Cahir House hotel a few years back and luckboxed my way into the money and won a ticket to their next event in wexford where I also cashed......

At tht time (204/2005 i think?) I thought it was all very good... big payout... nice tables... chips (instead of matchsticks) ...lol

when I discovered that they were creaming off the profits I decided not to go again..... I know the organisers well....... they know that we know but also know that their players dont...

from what I hear it's still the same.... last one I played was just after betfair came on board and I heard it had all got better but sadly not..... Chips were new and excellent... new betfair shirts for the walk around td's/dealers... 10k guaranteed..... nice I think...

The I get to final 2 tables out of 200+ players and there was a break and I 'm delighted that I have cashed only to find out that payout is to top 10 only and is 10k in total despite 200+ players at 100 + 50 +reg per head???? I question it with Mike/Dennis and am told that they guarantee 10k but have to take losses in other spots like they only had 4 tables in Sligo last week and had to pay out 10k.... I found out later that sligo had 300 players with a 10k payout as well.....
blind structure was worst I've ever seen after the break...

won't be playing again

Scummyscousers

Macspower wrote: »

I played my very first "big" tourney with CPT in Cahir House hotel a few years back and luckboxed my way into the money and won a ticket to their next event in wexford where I also cashed......

At tht time (204/2005 i think?) I thought it was all very good... big payout... nice tables... chips (instead of matchsticks) ...lol

when I discovered that they were creaming off the profits I decided not to go again..... I know the organisers well....... they know that we know but also know that their players dont...

from what I hear it's still the same.... last one I played was just after betfair came on board and I heard it had all got better but sadly not..... Chips were new and excellent... new betfair shirts for the walk around td's/dealers... 10k guaranteed..... nice I think...

The I get to final 2 tables out of 200+ players and there was a break and I 'm delighted that I have cashed only to find out that payout is to top 10 only and is 10k in total despite 200+ players at 100 + 50 +reg per head???? I question it with Mike/Dennis and am told that they guarantee 10k but have to take losses in other spots like they only had 4 tables in Sligo last week and had to pay out 10k.... I found out later that sligo had 300 players with a 10k payout as well.....
blind structure was worst I've ever seen after the break...

won't be playing again

:eek::eek:


hear the one about the kerrymen who travelled in carloads to a CPT event?

eh , I think thats the punchline.

mrflash

going on my experience of betfair poker and cpt, they are a good match. you would be well advised to stay away from both.

winstons pt

dingle wrote: »

A year or so ago I was at a Pokerevents €100 FO. At the break I was chatting to a guy who said that the upcoming CPT event (also a €100 FO) was much etter value as you had a chance at a much bigger prize for the same money. I tried to explain about the 100% payouts etc but a glazed kind of luck appeared in the guys eyes.

How can you compete against that kind of logic?

some people just dont understand, they see a nice poster with 10,000 gtd
they r blind, and these turnys r unfair to the poker player

aarymark

In a funny sort of way cpt are value for the kind of player they attract. Because judging by the posts here the better players stay away thus leaving the way clear for average joe to win a tourney with the turbo structure they have.Id bet the average cpts players roi is no worse playing cpt events than it would be playing better structured events because most of them are dead money in proper structered games anyway

eddiehead

I used to play these events when i was just starting to play(2-3 years ago), it didnt bother me at all then when i knew no better. As far as im concerned, the biggest problem with cpt's tournaments is simply that it just isnt a feasible concept. Running around the country guaranteeing massive prizepools, which in turn requires a massive field. So they set up shop at about 7pm any given saturday or sunday and expect to dispose of 200+ players by about 2am that night,
it doesnt help that all these events have rebuys also. It simply cant be done, no matter how much they fiddle with the structure, it will ALWAYS be a crapshoot. Im from carlow myself so there arent many other tournaments to play, also i know some of the organisers and employees of cpt, having said that i still wouldnt touch these events with a barge pole! The players just have no concept of value or what a good MTT really is.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS lol

eoin-dubh

CPT guarantee 10k prizepool.........so when there's 142 runners in a 100+20 f/o they keep their word and pay only 10k prizefund.......and then they throw in fantastic spot prizes for best hands/bad beats like pro chipsets and tins of biscuits.......and the best bit is they always provide dealers for the last 3 tables..............
become a mormon and join the CPT sect..........great VFM

BIG-SLICK-POKER

eoin-dubh wrote: »

CPT guarantee 10k prizepool.........so when there's 142 runners in a 100+20 f/o they keep their word and pay only 10k prizefund.......and then they throw in fantastic spot prizes for best hands/bad beats like pro chipsets and tins of biscuits.......and the best bit is they always provide dealers for the last 3 tables..............
become a mormon and join the CPT sect..........great VFM

Your on some buzz this morning Eoin .

Macspower

eoin-dubh wrote: »

CPT guarantee 10k prizepool.........so when there's 142 runners in a 100+20 f/o they keep their word and pay only 10k prizefund.......and then they throw in fantastic spot prizes for best hands/bad beats like pro chipsets and tins of biscuits.......and the best bit is they always provide dealers for the last 3 tables..............
become a mormon and join the CPT sect..........great VFM

Actually better again now.... they've made it 100fo+ 50 (double chance) so 50% better value now..

actually talking to a guy that played in their recent big one in carlow and he was sayign that the structure was excellent for the 2 day event... he came back on day 2 with 4 tables left and had a 35k stack with the blinds at 500/1k and was all praise for the event..... and he would "know" is what surprises me

gondorf

Came second in Carlow side event last Sunday.

No complaints... lol.

horsebokks

gondorf wrote: »

Came second in Carlow side event last Sunday.

No complaints... lol.

;)he's some player:D

gondorf

Aaaah cheers cheers

Coillte_Bhoy

eoin-dubh wrote: »

CPT guarantee 10k prizepool.........so when there's 142 runners in a 100+20 f/o they keep their word and pay only 10k prizefund.......and then they throw in fantastic spot prizes for best hands/bad beats like pro chipsets and tins of biscuits.......and the best bit is they always provide dealers for the last 3 tables..............
become a mormon and join the CPT sect..........great VFM

Far be it for me to try and defend CPT but they usually pay out more than 10K if the numbers are high. I don't play their tournaments for many of the reasons already outlined in this thread but the 10K is MINIMUM guaranteed.

kincsem

connie147 wrote: »

Well a very well respected TD (who post on boards) has told me on several occassions that he knows people who are mechanics and who travel specifically to these CPT tourneys and have never been caught. Now I'm not naming names obviously, but sure its wide open for them with big prize pools and self dealt.

I was at an event outside Dublin about two years ago (not CPT, not a casino, not a card club). There was an informal draw poker cash game running while players were waiting for the tourney to start. The dealer won with a pair of aces. There was no blank / cut card. I saw that the bottom card was an ace before he dealt. There was hundreds in the pot on each hand.