Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Since my initial attempt at this got hijacked by a spammer......

At what point would you prefer to take the money and not the seat in a larger event. As much as I'd love to play in a WSOP main event, I'd have to say that if I won a seat but was given the option to take the cash equivalent.....I'd be watching the event on ESPN with about $10,000 less owed on my house.

I think the Friday night Bellagio event is about my limit (willing to take the seat for a $1,000 event)....but any higher than that and the usefulness of that amount of cash would not be worth risking to get a huge amount if I cashed in the higher event.

And you???

(don't hijack it please.....just start your own for theat)

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

$$

I think if the offer was seat v. $$, I would take the money every time. (as long as it was equivalent in value)

If it was WSOP seat or $2000. I'd take the seat.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Since it is hypothetical, I'll say I'd have to be up 40k by the time it rolled around for the year. It's an arbitrary number, but to play in the big one, I'd risk 1/4 of my MTT earnings to date for the year.

In fact I'm at 7k on the year and if by some strange chance I can reach 40k by the week of the event (just a little off pace), I'm going to Vegas baby!!!

Of course I may also take a stab at a double shoot out or a super sat if I'm still running good.

-sloth

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

At this point in my playing career, I'd take the cash. There's no reason for me to think playing in a major tournament is even EV neutral compared to walking away with the money.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

I would definitely take the money and if time still permitted would make another attempt to qualify depending on how much I've already spent in already qualifying. I personally would rather use the money to play smaller buy ins like the PS 250/500K guarantee where i feel my chances are a bitter higher while my experience would not give me +EV in the big one.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Leaving aside the fact that $10k is about six times my entire bank roll at this point...

Since I'm almost exclusively an on-line player, I have to think that my ability to read other players is almost as bad as my ability to conceal my own emotions. Would Raymer notice if I said, "Sweet!" every time I picked up AA? I imagine so.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Go on take the money and run.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

I have yet to hear anyone say they would take the seat. I would take the cash as well (and play smaller tourneys) as my limit is prolly around the same $1k as yours for tournament entries.

Curious to see if ANYONE here on 2+2 would take the seat? On a side note - is it possible to get the cash without having to sell it to a third party (i.e. deregistering from the event online)?

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

It is interesting no one said they would take the seat. While $10K is a good amount of money, this is the premier event in the poker world.

Who knows, you get a good run of cards maybe you find yourself in the money. For me, it would probably take a great run of cards.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Since I treat poker as a hobby not a profession, I would take a seat. Since I am winning player, I don't need 10k for my bankroll, nor do I want to mix it in with my 'real money'. To have a chance to be known as the world champion and be set for life is rare. I know that it'll be -EV in terms of cash value, since I don't expect to be above average in that world-class field. However the non-cash EV is +++++++++++++++.
1. Play with best
2. Chance at being known as the best
3. Be on TV
4. Chance to be set for life
5. Have people on 2+2 tell you how dumb and lucky you are

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

[ QUOTE ]

1. Play with best


[/ QUOTE ]

If you don't get knocked out by a table of satellite winners on your first day.

[ QUOTE ]

2. Chance at being known as the best


[/ QUOTE ]

I consider neither Moneymaker or Fossilman as the best.

[ QUOTE ]

3. Be on TV


[/ QUOTE ]

Only if you get very deep, or are in a side shot recap of one of the more famous players.

[ QUOTE ]

4. Chance to be set for life


[/ QUOTE ]

... good point

[ QUOTE ]

5. Have people on 2+2 tell you how dumb and lucky you are

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't need 2+2 to validate me.


Well, looking over the EV of these points ... I would still take the money.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

To clarify my response to fit the question. I'm only going to play a satelite if I intend on playing in the main event. I will most likely play a satelite or 2. Of course for the past 6 weeks I have won a seat in the stars 250k or 500k and have yet to play in one, so take it for what it is worth.

I know the thread got hijacked originally by a spammer who said his site will give the option, but the big ones are not going to do this as it just does not make any sense for them from a marketing standpoint. They want as many horse in the race as possible. As it gets closer I'll start another "who here is going to play" thread as it seems to have been lucky for Greg, maybe it'll help one of you also.

-sloth

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

I take the seat because that is why I would play such a tourney in the first place.

Frenchie

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

lol, my thoughts exactly frenchie... Was kind of wondering why nobody else asked themselves that question.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

I'd go and it wouldn't be close. As the banner ads say "Greg Raymer turned $160...". So assuming I've only fronted $160 - I have a choice between an unforgettable experience (and let's not forget the missus), incredible bragging rights and the 2+2 location of "1765th in the 2005 WSOP" or a miniscule increase in my lifetime earnings that's frittered away in the inconsequential inanities of life. Life's too short, you've got to live & dream a little. Not...even...close.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Why not have a little of both? If you have friends that like to gamble, why not offer pieces of your action for a few hundred a pop so you get some money up front and get to play the WSOP. Actually both Raymer and MM sold at least some of their action, although I'm not sure of the specifics.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Something to keep in mind most of the promotions that will land you a seat, have non transferable seats. If for example you win a sat on Absolute Poker, you are playing or passing, no selling. Most of the B&M promotions are the same, win it you play it or forfit it.

Now almost all of the them... Win two and you can sell or cash the second seat... Which in and of its self could be a good +EV situation with all the people getting lottery ideas about the main and dumping money all over the place trying to get a seat.

The WSOP policy is no transfers/sales either. You pay, you play or dont, no one else can play it for you, i.e. proxy sale.

So if you are playing in sats thinking that you are going to sell the seat, most sites are not going to let that happen. So if you want to invest a few bucks, play, hit lighting in a bottle and win a seat, go and enjoy the experience. But if you can honestly say to yourself "I can win any tournament I enter", then by all means put your money up and get there, worst case you will have a 1/6600 change of hitting it big.

Now if some of these sites would start setting up sats for the other ~35 events, now that would be interesting! Personally I intend to play #16, and if I can get a cheap main seat, I will go enjoy the experience of the "big one" too. But I am not going to start playing every super sat for a main seat, $5-$25 bucks with some cash to be won at the final table, sure when the ideas strikes me right I will play it, or if by my regular play sets me up for one, great. Otherwise by roll goes to more positive EV situations.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

[ QUOTE ]
It is interesting no one said they would take the seat.


[/ QUOTE ]

I took the seat.

While the thread has been a hypothetical discussion, I actually had to make this very decision recently. I won an entry to the EPT finals in Monte Carlo worth $16,500. Although PokerStars does not give you the option of taking cash instead, I can transfer the package and have had several offers of cash. I am a small stakes on line player, and I realize only too well that my chances in Monte Carlo are slim. But I want to go for all the reasons that PokerGenius mentioned.

Hey, its an experience!

Suerte,
Jonathan

ps. Monte Carlo is filled with beautiful and rich ladies. So if I lose at the tables, who knows...I might win elsewhere! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Best response IMO
 

Actually, I love this idea. Although I'm not sure how much "backing" I could muster. I'd happily play in "the big one" while really owning only 10-20% of myself.

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

I think this is a compromise I could live with.

Unlike a few other posters here, I don't play for recognition, I don't play for thrill and I don't play the long shot (example: I never have nor ever will buy a lottery ticket). But, I do play sattelites for both the entry they offer (often selling it/deregistering if the stakes are too high or competition is too tough) and the experience of MTT'ng. Now, if I did decide to play in a WSOP sat, since you cannot sell/transfer the seat (according to popular wisdom) I like the idea of selling pieces of yourself to your gambling buddies. This way, everyone wins if you win (wouldn't it be nice if you AND 5 of your good friends were all millionairs?), and if you lose (which, considering the skill level AND luck needed to win, is pretty likely) - you still have some $$ to add to your bankroll/play side games.

Thanks for the suggestion - I may play a WSOP sat yet!

Re: Best response IMO
 

I would have to get at least 50%, sorry maybe I'm just a greedy bastard but placing is a lot of hard work and I'm not willing to sell more than 50% of anything I'm going to take the time to do.

-sloth

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

I would take the seat almost always. I could contrive situations where I would take the cash, but they would be unlikely. (For instance, if I had familial obligations, I would take the cash, but they would have to be unplanned since I would not be playing in a satelite for a tourney I knew I could not go to).

Re: Given the choice of $$ or seat.....
 

Take the seat. This is a hobby for me and the money won't change my life. When you look back at your life you remember the high points not a few bucks you had for a few moments before you spent it on something else. Of course if you need the money for something you feel is important then take the cash.