"Official" Live at the Bike thread (9/15)

[Kevmath]

Tonight's show is scheduled to be a 200 min/max or 300 min/500 max "Ladies Night" game with pink chips included to winners of pots. Whomever wins the most pink chips will win some sort of prize. Last night's 50/100 NL "Whale Game" went well, and the guest commentators did do a good job overall working with Bart. I do have to wonder if including a $5000 max buyin really helps the game, maybe dropping it to 25/50 would work a bit better. www.liveatthebike.com will have all the action starting at 9pm ET thru midnight tonight.

[TomHimself]

the max buyin at 5k is ridiculous

[Kevmath]

I've found out from Bart, it's $40 min/max 1-2 NL Ladies only "tournament" with the pink action chips (paying $100-50-25 for top 3 spots). Guest commentating the first 30 minutes will be Mel Judah

[Kevmath]

I was wondering if this was a cash game.

[BarronVangorToth]

Here is an interesting gimmick to tonight regardless if this is a microlimit women's table...

Do you adjust your strategy knowing if you win the most hands, you get a bonus pot?

Obviously, if the bonus was, I don't know, a million dollars, you'd be correct to play effectively every hand.

With a $40 buy-in and a $100 prize (and 2nd and 3rd prizes as well) is it enough to really alter your strategy...?

The way I see it, the $100 is more of a gravy thing, rather than something that will alter action for those players figuring out their game plan. However, those that aren't necessarily that savvy, they will adjust their game, chasing when they shouldn't, going for that chip.

I imagine that when we get closer to midnight (9pm there) and if two ladies are on the "bubble" give-or-take a chip, then you'll see action (properly) altered.

Regardless, I'll be chiming in throughout the night as I have a house-full of Hungarians and I'm really burned out on family time with my visiting hordes of family.

Barron Vangor Toth
BarronVangorToth.com

[Kevmath]

They have done the "cash game tournament" gimmick in the past, with varying levels of buyins. Sometimes it works with people dropping lots of chips for some small prize, while others it was duller than the usual 200 game.

I hope you can chime in often BVT, because I've got a feeling this will be a rather dead thread tonight.

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
the max buyin at 5k is ridiculous

[/ QUOTE ]

Not necessarily. I only saw the broadcast for a few minutes but I did notice that some of the players rarely play no limit, despite being "whales". The buy-in and structure seemed to be a large version of the fixed buy-in games that have become overwhelmingly popular in LA. These structures make it easier for people not used to deep stack no limit to make the transition.

For example, a few years ago the smalest game had $2 and $3 blinds with a $100 buy-in. Generally you could add $100 if you had $50 and below. The next biggest game had $3 and $5 blinds with a $200 to $300 buy-in. Scaled up re-buy rules apply. Expect 50 to 70 games this size in LA any given evening (among the five major clubs).

Now we have fixed-buy NL games with $5 and $10 blinds and $400 or $500 buy-ins. On a typical night expect about seven games this size in Los Angeles. Note the Bike doesn't have this game (they do have an unrestricted buy game with these or bigger blinds) but they do have a game with two $5 blinds and a spread buy-in of $300 to $500.

Once again, keep in mind these structures make the limit players far more comfortable entering NL and eventually some of the players end up in deep buy games.

~ Rick

[Kevmath]

Rick, the fact that some of the players weren't proficient in NL games was mentioned a couple weeks ago, and I certainly understand that. However, wouldn't having the game be 25/50 work better with a 5k max buyin or do you think making the blinds 50/100 drive out some players who may do well at the higher limit NL games?

[BarronVangorToth]

I think if they REALLY wanted the action, though, the prize should be something like

1st: $500
2nd: $300
3rd: $200

Granted, I know they would "lose" money doing this ... but it would make the broadcast that much better and make for better TV as you would have a better reason to play more hands.

C'mon, Denny, ante up!

Barron Vangor Toth
BarronVangorToth.com

[Kevmath]

It seems they're gearing tonight's show towards the female/beginner player, which doesn't make the hardcore viewers too happy.

Speaking of TV, when do the shows air in the UK?