My daily mini-step performance

[Skip Brutale]

I'm going to let you guys in on it even if you dont care.

Today I started off at step 1 and won the tournament. In step 2 I got a 5th place finish, netting me another entry into step 2. 2nd time is a charm as I won the tournament, gaining entry into step 3. Step 3 was more of my maid hands getting paid and me drawing out on people as I finished 1st and look forward to squaring off onto a step 4 tommarow when I will be at the top of the game mentaly.

Check back!

[applejuicekid]

good luck!

[Skip Brutale]

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good luck!

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From the sounds of it Ill be lucky to even be around when a step 4 or 5 starts /images/graemlins/frown.gif.

[Skip Brutale]

Alright I roared into the step 4 and while 3-handed one guy had 1/2 a big blind left. Not to be phased he doubled up 4 times then I broke, getting a damn 3rd that was only good enough for another step 4 entry.

That tournament saw alot of cold cards and I eventually busted in 4th, again good enough for another step 4 entry.

There was lightning and thunder outside and I was afraid I'd lose internet connection. Plus for some reason I felt kind of tired and not really in my A game so I decided to just play a step 1. I do nothing until moving in with TT vs. 77 during 25/50 with a shoddy 500 chips to double up. Then I do some more of nothing until we are 6-handed at 50/100, I push from mp3 with AT and the bb has KK. Giving me a damn 4 dollars.

[Scuba Chuck]

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Step 3 was more of my maid hands

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I'd like to hear more about these!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[bones]

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Step 3 was more of my maid hands


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I'd like to hear more about these!!

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http://www.pinkparrot.com.au/bronze4/media/2ab_copy.jpg

[tshort]

A couple months ago, I ran some simulations with mock finish distributions for the mini-steps. Even with very generous placing distributions, I found a good player could make about $4/hr buying in at mini-step 1s and exhausting through free-rolls.

My placing distributions could have been incorrect. I hope you do better than I could predict.

[Skip Brutale]

I entered that step 1 that I had 4 towards and won it, so I now have an entry into a step 2 and a step 4.

Also out of 8 tournaments entered so far I've finished first in 4. Hell of a starting run.

ugh, what a disheartening 3rd place. I hope you get it this time around...

[Skip Brutale]

Today I entered that step 4 I keep re-qualifying for and I was able to win it. At the final 3 one guy was a decent chipleader and kind of running over us, but my opponent for 2nd had about 1000 less than me. He wound up moving in from the button with JQ and I called from my BB with A7, thanksfully my hand held up.

I doubled up early with 99 from my bb, hitting a set and breaking A9. I kept on rolling until I think around bb 150 or 200 when I called an all-in with AJ and my opponent held AT, that set me up real nice.

I probably wont enter the step 5 today because my roomates band is playing later tonight, and even if I dont go there will be distractions of people coming over here and loud music and stuff. Im pretty surprised I already qualified for step 5. I figured I'd be dinking along in the steps for a long time but I've qualified in 7 tournaments.

Wish me luck!

[Skip Brutale]

My roomate was still home today when I woke up so I decided to enter a step 2 that I had a freeroll for. I finished a dissapointing 6th, which looped me back to step 1.

After he left for work it was time; I let the dog out, got some water, locked the door, and entered a step 5. The players directly to my left and right seemed very agressive and somewhat loose so I wound up having to fold a few hands early and this got my chip stack down in the 800's before I adjusted.

A blind steal during 25/50 and a blind defense with QJs brought me back up around 1000. During 50/100 I believe we were 7 handed and I had 900'ish chips and moved in from MP2 with QKs, I was called by the button with AKs but I was able to flop a straight.

Going into the tournament I felt like the step 5 players are probably as good as me if not better so I will probably need to get lucky to do anything. But I also feel that I play well enough that if I get lucky once I can compete for 1st.

Well I felt more confident after this, not just because my stack doubled, but because I'd gotten lucky and felt like I could really compete now. I started getting a couple A's short-handed, a few of my my steals were called but I bluffed the flops and took them all down.

Pretty soon we were 5-handed, then 4-handed, then 3-handed. I had a bad feeling 3-handed like I would finish 3rd. I was lowest on chips and felt confident in my playing ability but just felt bad, like how I felt good about my chances of finishing nicely after the QK hand.

2nd had about 1500 more than me, and the chip leader pushed from his sb when I had A8 in my bb. I felt like if I start folding Aces with mid-kickers I'm just going to get grinded down and I wasnt ready to submit yet.

I called and was dissapointed when he showed 44. As I kind of anticipated, no help came and I finished in 3rd, good for 500 dollars. I seriously needed this money. I dont have a job and only have 80 dollars in my bank account outside of the 100 I have in online poker. I wouldnt have been able to make my rent or car payments without this.

I was of course dissapointed to lose a coinflip there. You always feel like if you win that and double up, become the chip leader, you can work the bubble and everything and finish 1st. 2000 would have been real nice. But I did win with a dominated hand earlier so I cant complain about losing a coinflip. Also the fact that I entered the step 1 3 days ago makes the step 5 seem less big and important to me than if I was working for a long time to reach it.

Well Im very happy with the results of my step 5, I feel like I can play just as well as most of the guys at that level and hope my step 1 freeroll will send me back there again soon.

[Scuba Chuck]

skip, I think many here would be interested to hear more about the level of competition, and the difference in style of play at the mini-step table.

Also, how many sharks did you sense were at the table vs the common folk?

[Skip Brutale]

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skip, I think many here would be interested to hear more about the level of competition, and the difference in style of play at the mini-step table.

Also, how many sharks did you sense were at the table vs the common folk?

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Well I noticed at step 4 and 5 you see alot of mini-raising. Its kind of strange because mini-raising comes from people who suck at the low levels, and people who are good at the higher ones. I dont do it, but alot of people do.

Everyone is just pretty solid at step 5. The guys I thought were too loose or too agressive were still very dangerous and far from donators. As for the shark aspect, given the prize structure payout (5th and 4th getting less than the entry fee) I'm not sure how many people would be tempted to buy directly in. I think most people probably won their way there, but they had to at least be decent to do that.

[Skip Brutale]

I played that step 1 I qualified for today. While 3-handed the chip leader seemed to get disconnected, I called a push with A8 and my opponent showed JJ but I hit aces to cripple him.

I went ahead and entered the step 2 and got a real cold stretch of cards, forcing me to finish on the bubble in 3rd. Also we went into 50/100 without a single player knocked out, pretty crazy for step 2.

[se2schul]

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I seriously needed this money. I dont have a job and only have 80 dollars in my bank account outside of the 100 I have in online poker. I wouldnt have been able to make my rent or car payments without this.

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Maybe it's just me, but this sounds exceedingly irresponsible. I'd get a crappy job at McDonalds to ensure that I could pay the bills and then play poker at a level that couldn't lead to my financial ruin, yet still supplement my income from a crappy job.

Good luck.

[Scuba Chuck]

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As for the shark aspect, given the prize structure payout (5th and 4th getting less than the entry fee) I'm not sure how many people would be tempted to buy directly in. I think most people probably won their way there, but they had to at least be decent to do that.


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I'm pretty certain this information is incorrect. And I hope you can see why.

good for you

[Skip Brutale]

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As for the shark aspect, given the prize structure payout (5th and 4th getting less than the entry fee) I'm not sure how many people would be tempted to buy directly in. I think most people probably won their way there, but they had to at least be decent to do that.


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I'm pretty certain this information is incorrect. And I hope you can see why.

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If I saw why, then I'd be holding a different opinion wouldnt I. Do you see why?

Now if you want to enlighten me instead of posting vague rude responses be my guest (dont bother if you are going to tell me their roi is high enough vs. step 5 "fish" to make up for the friendly payout structure).

[kong98]

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If I saw why, then I'd be holding a different opinion wouldnt I. Do you see why?

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nh /images/graemlins/grin.gif

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If I saw why, then I'd be holding a different opinion wouldnt I. Do you see why?

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nh /images/graemlins/grin.gif

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That was a pretty good comeback.

Skip, scuba is trying to say that many of the people you played against did directly buy-in. It's widely known that the steps are a waste of time, the only way for them to be profitable is to buy-in directly or into step 4. So for you to make it all the way up the ladder is pretty impressive. If you watch some of the step 5's (mini and normal) you'll see alot of the same faces.

[Ogre]

i took 3rd in a step 5 regular from the first step PWNED!!!

[hoterdoc]

i am new to these PP step, and mini steps, as opposed to the usual plain SNG's I usually play on pokerroom.
please elaborate on why they are a waste of time.
i have been bouncing back and forth between III/IV, for a couple days now.
is it just that cashing in a regular SNG is more time efficient?

I seem to be liking getting more play for that original step I buy-in,
thus more bang for my buck=more practice.
thoughts?
doc