Tuesday, September 30, 2008

PokerStars Promo - Million Dollar Men

The final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event has been rescheduled to Nov 9-10. Several months after the 9 players reached the final table. They have their reasons which I don't really want to talk about right now.

What I am going to talk about is the promotion that PokerStars is having which includes 6 out of the 9 players in the final table. The 6 players are representing PokerStars in the WSOP Main Event tournament. Each of them are guaranteed $900,670 and they all have the chance to win first place and $9,119,517. Which is why they're called the Million Dollar Men. (Except if they finished 9th; they'd be a thousand-aire)

The main selling point of this promo is that 3 lucky online players will get the chance to play a single-table tournament against these people.

1st level - freeroll tournaments daily from Sep 27 to Oct 17 at 11:10, 14:10, 17:10, 20:10 and 23:10 eastern time. Top 300 players advance to the weekly final.

2nd level - tournaments will be on Oct 4, 11 and 18 at 15:10 eastern time. Top 1000 players advance to the finals and $15, 1001st to 2000th get $10, and 2001st to 3000th get $5.

3rd level - tournament will be on Oct 25 at 15:10 eastern time. Top 3 of this tournament will play against the Million Dollar Men in an STT. But everyone from 4th to 1000th places will get some cash prizes as well.

Main Event - STT tournament will be on Nov 1 at 15:10 eastern time. 1st place gets $100,000, 2nd $50,000, 3rd $25,000 and the rest of the table gets $10,000.

I've been playing the freerolls and the best finish I had was 700+ out of 15000 registrants. I'm still trying to get that 2nd level seat.

There are other promotions in PokerStars which include the Million Dollar Men but the freerolls are what I'm interested in. Actually, it's the only promotion I can join. If you're interested in reading about the details for these promotions, please visit the PokerStars website.

Monday, September 29, 2008

FPT5 seat tally

While I'm waiting for the Million Dollar Men Freeroll Qualifier to start, I looked at the list of players who won a seat to the Filipino Poker Tour 5.

There are now 38 players on the list who've already won in the satellites. There will be the last $25 qualifier on Oct 2, 8pm. I expect that there will be more players there and they'll give out 3 seats. On that same date, there will be the phase 2 tournament for the winners of the phase 1 freeroll this week. That tournament guarantees 1 seats. There are no other tournaments announced in PokerStars for the FPT 5. Which means it'll total to approximately 55 seats from PokerStars. This is still dependent on how many actually register for the $25 tournament.

55 is a lot of seats from a sponsor. The probability of having a PokerStars sponsored winner is big. Especially because these 55 people had to win their way to the tournament and have proven they have the skills.

That's it, MDM freeroll is starting. Until next time...

Sunday, September 28, 2008

FPT5 pre-tournament update

I just realized that the Filipino Poker Tour 5 is just a week away and I still don't have my seat. I will no longer be able to play the freerolls because I was moved to the graveyard shift again. (But at least I get to play the Million Dollar Men freerolls instead.)

I'm still hoping that the sponsors are going to have a super-satellite of sorts and give out multiple FPT5 seats. PokerStars promised a minimum of 80 seats to this event but the list of online qualifiers only show 26 so far.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

APPT Seoul 2008 - Day 2

The Seoul leg of the Asia-Pacific Poker Tour is now down to 16 players after the second day. All 16 players are in the money and guaranteed to take home at least $4,006.

Sadly, the Philippine poker community doesn't have a representative in the list of finalists. Rainier Salazar busted out on day 2 when he pushed on his SB with AQ. BB called with A6. Flop peels off a 6 and no help comes on the turn and river.

Rainier, we were all rooting for you. We'll get them next time.

Friday, September 26, 2008

APPT Seoul 2008 - Day 1

Day 1 of the Asia-Pacific Poker Tour 2008 Soeul leg has just concluded. There are 83 players left out of the 165 entries.

I checked the list and I was only able to recognize 1 Filipino left standing. Rainier Salazar is currently 11th in chips and stands a very good chance of getting deep into the tournament.

Rainier, you can do this buddy. Don't forget the basics; AA good, 72 bad. When faced with a difficult decision, just think what I would do and do the opposite.

For live updates for this tournament, please check this link, http://www.pokernews.com/live-reporting/2008-appt-seoul/main-event/

Thursday, September 25, 2008

FPT 5 seat for sale

My friend is selling his seat for the FPT 5. He's waiting for a reasnable offer.

If you're planning to buy-in directly to the FPT 5 main event, just leave a comment here and I'll relay the message to him.

You can also buy the seat for me if you're willing to stake me. I really don't mind... Terms are 60 you / 40 me of net profit.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Don't you just hate Jacks?

I just finished playing the phase 2 tournaments. 1 for the APPT Seoul and the other was a $25 qualifier for the FPT5.

APPT Seoul phase 2
I finished 39th place out of 231 entries. I went all-in on the flop with my top pair Jack and kicker Ace. Villain had AA. Only the 2 remaining Jacks would help. No luck.

$25 Qualifier
I finished 4th out of 11 entries. I had the shortest stack. Pushed all-in with QQ. Villain had JJ. Flop 87T rainbow. Turn 9. Villain had a made straight. I had a gutshot straight with the 2 remaining Jacks. To add insult to injury, river is a Queen.

If I would've won any of the hands above, I would've had a very good chance. Instead, I won nothing and my dreams of being able to play in APPT Seoul and/or the FPT5 are shattered. I didn't even get a consolation prize. My chances of being able to play in a big tournament are getting smaller and smaller.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

My Bankroll Update

Today I woke up and thought I'm going to play higher stakes. I usually play $1.10 buyin 45-player SNGs but today I'd play $4.40 buyin 180-player SNG. Bad idea. I ended up losing $8.80 for the 2 SNGs which brings my bankroll to $16.27.

That's right. I have a bankroll now. A small one but a bankroll nonetheless. I had Ranier77 transfer $23 to my account. It was up and down for a few days which was why I wanted to play the bigger table. Swings at the micro stakes are so small that it's almost not worth the effort. I'm aiming to be able to play at the bigger tables.

I also want to practice for the Sunday tournaments. The structure of the 180 player SNG is similar to the phase 2 tournaments on Sunday and I really want the APPT Seoul and FPT5 seats.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Road to APPT Seoul

I've gotten a total of 3 seats from the APPT satellite phase 1. These seats are for the 2nd phase satellites. The first 2 tournaments had already finished with me empty handed. I still have 1 phase 2 tournament scheduled for this coming Sunday. I plan to keep playing the phase 1 satellite and maybe get another seat and limit the field a bit.

I want that seat. I want to go to Seoul, Korea. And I want the chance to finally be able to play in an APPT event.

Monday, September 15, 2008

The Road to FPT5

Since Sept 11, 2008, I've been trying to get my hands on a seat for the Filipino Poker Tour 5.

I've played most the freeroll tournaments winning none of them. I was even called a donkey by a player after he kept checking his trips and I kept betting. Then after that hand, I kept going all-in every hand. For his information, it doesn't count as being a donkey if you bet first. At least I think it doesn't. Anyway, I was really sleepy and the satellite phase 1 will only give 10 phase 2 seats out of the 170+/- who joined. Too much work for a 1st level satellite.

I've played a $3 qualifier and finished 4th out of 7.

I've joined another satellite which doesn't get quorum.

I've listened to Lil' Joey's radio program for the first time in my life because I heard there a seat given there. (They start giving the seats out next week I think)

I may need to rethink this whole thing. I've been trying to hard that it's frustrating. The thing is, I want to play because it is a live deep stack tournament and I know I can go deep in that tournament but I just don't have the stake. (Certain circumstances require me to put my money elsewhere. We don't need to talk about them here.)

Friday, September 12, 2008

Neil Arce wins Metro75

I just saw the Metro's official website and found out that Neil Arce won the Metro75. It is a minor win compared to his other accomplishments but it just shows how versatile he is and that his skills as a poker player are above the others. Neil has placed in the money in the WSOP which very few Filipinos can boast of. He won the Filipino Poker Tour 3. And he just won the Metro75. He must be one of the most accomplished poker players in the Philippines today.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Filipino Poker Tour 5 - rescheduled

According to Ms. Sabs of PokerStars, the Filipino Poker Tour 5 has been rescheduled for October 4-5. Probably to make way for APPT Seoul which scheduled for September 26-28. I'm not really sure, I'm just guessing.

It just means we have more time to get those seats. There are several ways of getting seats for this tournament:
Metro 500 - Php 500 buy-in tournament every MWF 2pm at the Metro. Top 2 places get a seat for FPT 5.
Metro 75 - Php 3,000 buy-in tournament every Wednesday night at the Metro.
Metro Bounty Tournament - Every Sunday night at the Metro
PokerStars freerolls - Phase 1 nightly from Sept 11 - Oct 1, 8pm and 10pm. Predetermined number of winners advance to phase 2 every Sunday at 8pm.
PokerStars $3 qualifier - Phase 1 nightly from Sept 11 - Oct 1, 9pm. Winners get seats for $22 qualifier.
PokerStars $22 qualifier - Phase 2 every Sunday at 9pm.


I have my eyes on playing those freerolls. A total of 80 seats are guaranteed from the online tournaments alone. If you don't have a PokerStars account, click on the banner on the right.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Broke.

I'm broke. I have $0.04 in PokerStars and 0 FPP. I need to win some freerolls.

Friday, September 5, 2008

My PokerStars Username

I play in PokerStars under the name abaddon_ross. Abaddon is a name i picked up from the Bible, Revelation 9:11. No, I don't read the Bible. I was looking for a cool name and I chanced upon it in Google. Apparently, it's not as cool as I thought it was. But I got stuck with it. Don't ask me how to pronounce it because I don't even know.

Anyway, if you see me online, say hi to me. :)

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Filipino Poker Tour 5 - coming soon


Here's something to look forward to. The tournament's going to be on Sept 27 & 28, 2008. Only 10k+1k buy-in and they guaranteed 2million. I'm guessing that because of the low buy-in, they may probably exceed the guarantee.