Satellite Hell Or...

Filed Under: Poker

How I Learned To Hate Sets

After a successful few days early this week in the cash games I decided to spend the last few days concentrating on getting my seats for the FTOPS. I wanted to play in three events and managed to qualify for event #1 after 3 attempts. At a total cost of $60.80 for a $216 seat I consider that a success.

Next on the agenda was event #6. Seven attempts and $147.60 later I'm still not qualified. I've come close twice but I need to decide at which point do I stop trying. Technically if I could qualify before reaching the actual cost of the event buy in, it would be a success. I have no plans to buy into any event directly unless I manage a decent cash in the first event. Since I have no plans to outlay the money I'm going to adopt a semi-flexible rule of spending up to half of an events actual buy in on satellites. If I can't qualify within that amount I won't play the event. With a buy in of $216 I've already surpassed the half way point. With that I'm giving up on this event.

My sights are now set on the Main Event. So far I've played in three satellites and spent $176 without success. The buy in for the main event is $535 so I've still got a few shots left.

Taking into consideration the value of the one I'm qualified for... I'm still in the hole $168.30. If I can't manage to get into the Main Event these attempts will be a bitter disappointment.

The sets I mentioned earlier... I ran into 7 of them yesterday when I had an overpair and we got all the chips in preflop. In one satellite my opponents outdrew me 3 times within five hands to send me packing. It was truly a statistical nightmare.