FULL TILT POKER BLOG

Posted by Editor | Filed under FTOPS, Me in online tourneys

When I play on Full Tilt, I find myself occasionally deal with (losing) players claiming the site is rigged: “I’ve lost three times today with aces.” “I saw you suck out twice in ten hands in the Ferguson last night Craig.” Etc. Etc. Etc. After spending more than three years demanding – and never receiving – documentation, I may have found a reason to agree with them.

With two days left in the WSOP, I won a $14 + $1 Super-Turbo tournament on Full Tilt. It was worth about $1,500, less than I spend on an average Sunday’s buy-ins, but the first time in a long time I won even that much. The day after they played down to the final table, with my car packed for the trip back to Scottsdale (except for my computer), I made the last three tables in the Sunday $1 Million Rush Guarantee. I drove home late that night, slept half the next day, and woke up in time to win the $24 + $2 $10,000 Guarantee Rush Turbo. After months of losing, it was my best week of the year, and fattened by Full Tilt account by $10k.

The next day, Full Tilt asked me to host an event in FTOPS XVII, and I got a load of the full schedule. My rush was just a set-up. Full Tilt probably gave me that money so I’d lose it back, with interest, in FTOPS XVII, which starts next Wednesday, August 4. I’m not feeding you a line here; this is an awesome collection of tournaments.

For FTOPS XVI, I didn’t have a lot of money in my account and was devoting it – fruitlessly – to WSOP satellites. It didn’t bother me much. I bought into a few events, satellited into some others, and thought, “same old FTOPS, there will be another one coming if I miss this one.”

Not so with FTOPS XVII. More events than ever – 34. Bigger guarantees than ever – $19 million. Even though I don’t really play PLO, stay away from some of the biggest buy-ins unless I have the bankroll, and am leery of rebuys, I can drop at least $7,000 here.

The schedule is diabolical, based on the confluence of the following: (1) Full Tilt’s growing non-US business has led to scheduling three events per day (after the opening event gets its own day); (2) I love rush tournaments, and they are gaining a foothold in FTOPS, with six events; (3) I also enjoy turbo tournaments, and feel responsible for agitating to get them into the schedule, and FTOPS XVII has an unprecedented FOUR turbo events; (4) I can’t turn down any large-pool limit or mixed event, and there are seven of them this time; (5) I’m addicted to super-turbos, and there will be three of those; and (6) they asked me to host the final-Sunday $240 + $16 NLHE-KO, which means I’ll probably be good for nearly $2,000 in buy-ins (and rebuys) on August 15. (The combination of reasons (2), (3), and (5) also means that it’s possible to score big without staring at the intimidating 10-12 hour grind of events this big.)

Here is the schedule:

Event #1 – WE, Aug 4 @ 21:00 ET – $200 + $16 NLHE – gotta play that one, right? $750k G, on a Wednesday night?

Event #2 – TH, Aug 5, @ 14:00 ET – $240 + $16 PLO-EOB-KO-Rush – I don’t really play PLO and practically NEVER play PLO-EOB, but with the KO factor and it being a Rush tourney, no one has any experience in this one. Still, I may save my strength (and money) and sleep in.

Event #3 – TH, Aug 5 @ 18:00 ET – $300 + $22 NLHE-Shootout-6 max-Turbo – seems like the elements of these tournaments are multiplying exponentially, but this is almost an automatic for me.

Event #4 – TH, Aug 5 @ 21:00 ET – $500 + $35 HORSE – of course I’m playing this.

Event #5 – FR, Aug 6 @ 14:00 ET – $200 + $16 NLHE (1+1 RB) – I seem to piss a lot of money away in rebuys but this one has limited liability, so I’ll probably play.

Event #6 – FR, Aug 6 @ 18:00 ET – $310 + $12 NLHE-Superturbo – I’ll be there, but those 300 starting chips are pretty expensive.

Event #7 – FR, Aug 6 @ 21:00 ET – $200 + $16 SEOB – I’m there, despite a guarantee of “only” $100k.

Event #8 – SA, Aug 7 @ 14:00 ET – $500 + $35 PLO-6 max – I’ll stay in bed. You PLO folks are going to have to find another way to get my money, like in the 25-30 events I WILL play.

Event #9 – SA, Aug 7 @ 16:00 ET – $100 + $9 NLHE-rebuy – Unlimited rebuys, but they are “only” $100 each, right? Besides, it’ll be the middle of Saturday afternoon by then and it’ll be more than 12 hours since I’ve played an FTOPS event.

Event #10 – SA, Aug 7 @ 18:00 ET – $200 + $16 NLHE-Turbo-Rush – Turbo AND Rush? It’s like host Erica Schoenberg is one of Homer’s sirens and I’m Ulysses, lured to the call.

Event #11 – SU, Aug 8 @ 14:00 ET – $120 + $9 NLHE-KO – Fellow Full Tilt Friend Lacey Jones is hosting and, because I’ll be hosting the KO event the following Sunday, it may be the only time in my life I’ll have TWO things in common with Ms. Jones. I’ll be there.

Event #12 – SU, Aug 8 @ 16:00 ET – $500 + $35 NLHE-HU – I may skip this, believe it or not. My strength in heads-up poker is that I’m way better than everyone who’s NOT super-good. With this buy-in, I don’t know if I can count on enough lousy players.

Event #13 – SU, Aug 8 @ 18:00 ET – $300 + $22 NLHE – This is the traditional Sunday afternoon FTOPS event, in which I’ve never cashed but will keep trying.

Event #14 – MO, Aug 9 @ 14:00 ET – $200 + $16 OEOB – Limit poker? Let me at it!

Event #15 – MO, Aug 9 @ 18:00 ET – $300 + $22 PLO-Turbo-Rush – If I could, as a disinterested observer, bet on such a thing, I’d bet I lasted longer in an NLHE Superturbo than in an PLO Turbo Rush. Pass.

Event #16 – MO, Aug 9 @ 21:00 ET – $1,000 + $60 NLHE – This is the traditional Monday night $1k FTOPS. If it’s been a good FTOPS for me so far, I’ll play to parlay (or lose) my gains. If it’s been a bad FTOPS, I’ll probably, at the last minute, decide “I’m due” and play.

Event #17 – TU, Aug 10 @ 14:00 ET – $200 + $16 PLO-PLHE – Once again, an opportunity to sleep in, or visit my family.

Event #18 – TU, Aug 10 @ 18:00 ET – $200 + $16 NLHE-Turbo – I’m there.

Event #19 – TU, Aug 10 @ 21:00 ET – $500 + $35 NLHE-Shootout – I love the shootouts. I’m probably more likely to play this one than the $300 + $22 6-max turbo. I do well in this format and one of the reasons is some players who are good at a full table play too tight short-handed. That’s less likely to be the case in a 6-max tourney.

Event #20 – WE, Aug 11 @ 14:00 ET – $200 + $16 7-Game Mix – If I’m ambulatory, I’m playing this one.

Event #21 – WE, Aug 11 @ 18:00 ET – $207 + $9 NLHE-Super Turbo-Rush – This game was made for me!

Event #22 – WE, Aug 11 @ 21:00 ET – $300 + $22 NLHE-Rebuy – I’ll probably stay away from this one. This is really a $1k tournament, so if I’m balking at that, I should skip this.

Event #23 – TH, Aug 12 @ 14:00 ET – $300 + $22 PLO-HU – Pass.

Event #24 – TH, Aug 12 @ 18:00 ET – $200 + $16 NLHE – Cashout – I don’t know if this format is really making it on Full Tilt. Full Tilt has hit a lot of homeruns with its innovative formats, but I’m not a fan of the Cashouts. But it’s poker, so if I’m around, I’ll play.  

Event #25 – TH, Aug 12 @ 21:00 ET – $200 + $16 Stud – I’ll play.

Event #26 – FR, Aug 13 @ 14:00 ET – $200 + $16 NLHE 6 max – I’ll play.

Event #27 – FR, Aug 13 @ 18:00 ET – $200 + $16 LHE Rush – This is LIMIT hold ‘em in the Rush format. I can’t wait for this one.

Event #28 – FR, Aug 13 @ 21:00 ET – $300 + $22 Razz – Can’t wait.

Event #29 – SA, Aug 14 @ 14:00 ET – $2,000 + $100 NLHE 6-max 2-day – Probably too rich for me, but, if nothing else, I’ll hang around to watch Gavin Smith’s pro chat.

Event #30 – SA, Aug 14 @ 16:00 ET – $100 + $9 PLO-Rebuy – This is starting to look like a good day for me to do something else.

Event #31 – SA, Aug 14 @ 21:00 ET – $515 + $20 NLHE-Super Turbo-KO – Wow, $535 for 300 chips. I think I hear my mommy calling, or something.

Event #32 – SU, Aug 15 @ 14:00 ET – $240 + $16 NLHE-KO-6-max – This is the one I’m hosting.

Event #33 – SU, Aug 15 @ 16:00 ET – $150 + $13 NLHE-Rush-Rebuy – I just have to figure out a way to keep this one under a grand.

Main Event – SU, Aug 15 @ 18:00 ET – $600 + $40 NLHE – $3 million guarantee? This will be GIGANTIC.

I assume you can understand, based on my potential participation in FTOPS XVII, why I haven’t made any plans (other than to play poker) for the ten grand I won in the last two weeks on Full Tilt. If past performance is any indicator, that money will soon be back in circulation.

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2 Responses to “FTOPS XVII is Going to be SICK – #1124”

1. Cameron Says:
   August 1st, 2010 at 2:01 am

   FTP always puts on an awesome series, can’t wait as always good luck MC!

2. Lacey Jones Says:
   August 6th, 2010 at 3:19 am

   You’re right this FTOPS is going to rock! Great playing w you in the HORSE and I’ll see ya sunday!
   ~LJ

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