European Poker League Draw Tournament

Tom Bayes · #1 03-07-2005, 09:00 AM

I'm posting to let the draw players know that there is going to be a "big" draw tournament online on Sunday March 13th. The "European Poker League" is a series of 200 Euro buy-in events being run by 24h Poker. This Sunday's event is pot-limit draw-the event will be at 3PM Central time (so sometime in the evening for the Europeans).

For those who don't want to buy directly in, 24h is running two super-satellites a day for this event. They are both rebuy events-one is a 1.50 Euro and the other a 3 Euro. One 200Euro seat is guaranteed and as many seats as the prize pool allows are awarded-all ofthe leftover money goes to the next player. I qualified this weekend through the 3 Euro rebuy event-while there are some good players, the field is loaded with dead money who won't utilize rebuys properly. Unfortanately for North Americans with 9-5 jobs, the satellites are generally during our day time.

As of yesterday, there were 40 registered players. I'm guessing by the time the satellites are done and players buy-in directly, there will be between 80-100 players, so 1st place will be several thousand Euros. I'm currently the only American registered-I'd like to see a few more [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Since draw is such a dead game (at least in the US), I wonder if there is a B&M draw tournament being held anywhere this year with a bigger buy-in. If not, then I guess this is the "World Championship" [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

beset7 · #2 03-07-2005, 07:40 PM

This is pot-limit 5card draw high, correct? No 2-7 lowball?

I'm going to check this out. I haven't played any PL draw for a while [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Tom Bayes · #3 03-07-2005, 07:52 PM

Yep, this is draw for high, not lowball. 24h spreads 2-7 triple draw lowball, but hardly anyone ever plays. I think they have an occasional small buy-in triple draw lowball tourney, but I've never played one.

If you play and cash, remember who you heard about it from [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

beset7 · #4 03-07-2005, 09:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Yep, this is draw for high, not lowball. 24h spreads 2-7 triple draw lowball, but hardly anyone ever plays. I think they have an occasional small buy-in triple draw lowball tourney, but I've never played one.

If you play and cash, remember who you heard about it from [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I was hoping they had no limit 2-7 single draw lowball. No such luck I'm sure. hopefully I'll see you a the final table.

beset7 · #5 03-11-2005, 08:26 PM

I busted out ninth in that sattelite after being the chip leader the entire tourney, Tom. When those blinds get up 1000/2000 it turns into an all-in fest. I got sucked out four times in a row and missed a blind steal opp. and that was that! Oh well, I'll play one more tomorrow.

Beset7

Tom Bayes · #6 03-11-2005, 08:41 PM

Tough break. I checked in to sweat you at the end, but you were gone. I haven't played at 24h for too long, but I recognized most of the players in the top 10 or so in your satellite as very good players; looks like you were at a tough table. A lot of the weaker players sit on their hands and get killed when the blinds get big-not those guys!

beset7 · #7 03-11-2005, 08:46 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Tough break. I checked in to sweat you at the end, but you were gone. I haven't played at 24h for too long, but I recognized most of the players in the top 10 or so in your satellite as very good players; looks like you were at a tough table. A lot of the weaker players sit on their hands and get killed when the blinds get big-not those guys!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but the time it got down to about 14 or so it was all good players. No unraised pots, blind defense, etc. After I loss my chip lead and the blinds went up twice it was pretty much pick a hand and go all-in. Very aggressive play at my last table. It was fun. The first five levels or so were a cakewalk.

Tom Bayes · #8 03-13-2005, 09:08 PM

Oh, the € 200 draw poker event at 24h happened earlier today. We had 113 players and a first prize of over € 5300, with 17 spots paid. Unfortunately, I don't get to write a final table report or even cash. The structure was very good for 24h; we started with 5000 chips with 15 minute levels. Level 1 was 15/25. I had the bad luck of catching all my good hands in the first hour. I did well, was in the top 10 for a while, and finished the 1st hour with 7800 in 16th place of 102. Attrition was very low due to the deep stacks and the quality of play. We only lost 11 players in the first hour. Everyone who qualified in the satellites or directly bought in seemed to have a pretty solid game, unlike low buy-in draw events.

The second hour I got mostly bad cards and could never improve. The two times in the tourney I had a pat hand, I couldn't get any action. The player to my immediate left built a big stack getting some action with his big hands. He then turned into a big bully and made my life very difficult. The player to his left I had notes on from ring play as a big bluffer and I wanted to take advantage. But everytime I entered a pot, big stack would come over the top and I was forced to back down. I hoped to pick up a big hand (trips or better) like I was getting in hour 1. But they never came. I was getting pretty low and tried a move on the bluffer, but it was ill-advised and I ended hour 2 almost out, less than 1000 chips and in 40th place of 41. The end came quickly and anti-climatically in the 3rd hand of hour 3. I was all-in in the BB, had a low pair, failed to improve, and I go home in 38th.

The other American in the tourney got 16th and about 400 Euros. The big bully ended up 9th. The final table is being played as I type this. They are down to three players. I have notes on the Finnish player; he's probably the best online draw player I've faced. It was fun although I'm disappointed to not have a better showing.

beset7 · #9 03-13-2005, 10:31 PM

Thanks for the report tom. I went back to egg you on and you had just busted out. That was a tough field and short-stacked pot-limit play is all about getting hit by the deck. Good showing.

CalleN · #10 03-14-2005, 01:27 PM

Interesting report, I played the tournament as well. Had a good starting table, without players I recognize from the cashgames. Didnt happen much first hour, but I was lucky to get a lot of action on my good hands the second hour and was the chipleader for a long time until Kapten (a pro who is probably the best PL draw player in Sweden, has won Swe. Champ. several times) bullied his way to the top and was transfered to my table. [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] Things went pretty downhill from there, I made some serious mistakes but finished in 4th place finally.

One hand I would like to share: I was chipleader and it was 17-18 players left and only 16 would get paid. A short stack is in the big blind so I raise with KQTxx, quite sure he wont play unless he has Aces up or better. He thinks for a long time, calls and draw 1. For some reason I draw 2 to KQT instead of discarding the ten as well, and get J9 for a straight... Felt really sorry for him, finishing on the bubble.