Joined: Oct '09
Location: Spain
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 2851
So I played the Monthly Million (Spring Million) on Party tonight.
1.527 players 200 = Bubble
Ended up 104th...... ....and still not happy not to have made final table...
The rundown:
This game is tough! Some over-agressive donks at the start (which I didn´t realise then), but once they get booted, the Real Poker begins. And it´s a mine-field for sure.
My goal was to reach the Bubble, plain and simple. I played kinda "scared poker" for the first 1-2 hours. Then I got some hands and went agressive, either that or I would have been blinded to oblivion. The blinds are 20 min., but that goes a lot faster than you would think.
At one point I was 11th, but it only takes 2-3 minutes before I´m back in 30th. It really goes that fast!
100 runners from the Bubble, I had to make a decision, either go for the Final Table, or play it safer for the Bubble. As my goal was the second, I lost some chips along the way untill we hit 200 runners. Then my cards really dried up, and as the agression in this type of game is huge, I couldn´t catch a break. Played careful for a while, but had to go for it as we were approaching the 100th. The blinds were huge.
Best cards I got for a long while were A10, and I went for it. Guy with KQ hit his Q on the River, and that was that!
Next time, my goal will be the final table, the Bubble is now history. On to the next challenge!
For those attemting the Monthly Million in the future, it is doable. You just need to be attentive all the way, because there are many a trappers out there in the Big tournaments! ...but they´re NOT unbeatable....
Joined: Feb '08
Location: Netherlands
Age: 52 (M)
Posts: 818
Great Job Jack, were following you for a while. I hope next time you are in such a good position you want play 'scared poker' anymore but go for the glory. Now you have some experience under your belt and your playing 'real poker' now, i hope you take on the next challenge. Nice post about the rundown, too bad the guy hit his Q on the river Still nice cashout, your bankroll is still growing and that opens up a lot of new opportunities....... And no they are definitly NOT unbeatable, and you"ll find donks and LAG-players at any level
Joined: Oct '09
Location: Spain
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 2851
Thanks Jeff!
I always did think that these guys had so many tricks up their sleeves that they could wipe you right out, but in fact...they don´t!
I think this will be a huge confidence booster for things to come. Kind of sorry I didn´t push for a win, but I made my decision, and learning is a step by step process, after all. So next time...
Joined: Feb '08
Location: Netherlands
Age: 52 (M)
Posts: 818
Nope they are just like you and me , some of them have bigger bankrolls and more experience, so they play more aggresive and don't care as much if they loose. I guess this result and your other great results last weeks plus your healthy bankroll shoud indeed boost your confidence. How about Scoop coming up on Stars? Once you play the bigger tournements you can get addicted to playing them
Joined: Jan '11
Location: United States
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 3361
Still very nice playing Island! Am I understanding you made the bubble or did I mis-read your thread. If so, did you place in the $$? Also, are there a lot of players trying to go Allin quite a bit or 3x/4x blinds on a lot of the hands? Only reason I ask is, this usually makes me play a little more leary then when players are just making min bets. Anyway sounds like your becoming a lot more confident and comfortable in the games your playing. This based on your thread about playing the $11 tournaments and such. I read that the other day when you posted. Good Luck Island, you helped me out when I asked a lot of questions when I first joined BRM. Missing the SnG's and hope they figure out how to address the U.S. scandal.
nice 1 jack! I outta get some tourney coaching from you soon....i wanna beef up on tourney play and put more focus on it....gonna stop cash for a while....guide me!haha
Joined: Apr '11
Location: Romania
Age: 35 (M)
Posts: 6669
Nice run IslandJack! Too bad you just finished in the 104th place considering at one moment you were actually on the 11th place. I always said on this big tournaments you also need to have a lot of luck not only to play good and to know the mtt poker strategy. From what i can tell you played very good but it's obvious that on so many hands played you can get a bad beat. Thats the reason why i also plan to play at the tournament from full tilt poker with multi entries possibilities, many people says is wrong but i really love the idea just for this reason. You can play perfectly but you can always get a bag beat and bust out of the tournament. As stated above place 104 was in the money or you just won more experience?
Joined: Feb '11
Location: Canada
Age: 57 (M)
Posts: 753
Nice one Jack. I didn't get to play, we lost our power last night. So I didn't get to play any of the 5 tourneys I was registered for, pisses me off.............................................
Joined: Oct '09
Location: Spain
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 2851
Posted by Greenmohave: Still very nice playing Island! Am I understanding you made the bubble or did I mis-read your thread. If so, did you place in the $$? Also, are there a lot of players trying to go Allin quite a bit or 3x/4x blinds on a lot of the hands? Only reason I ask is, this usually makes me play a little more leary then when players are just making min bets. Anyway sounds like your becoming a lot more confident and comfortable in the games your playing. This based on your thread about playing the $11 tournaments and such. I read that the other day when you posted. Good Luck Island, you helped me out when I asked a lot of questions when I first joined BRM. Missing the SnG's and hope they figure out how to address the U.S. scandal.
The bubble started at place 200 for $1.300. You figure it out...
People play like in a TV tournament, I guess. Some agressive players, trying to build a big stack. A lot of tight players early on, trying to trap a big one or slowly build up.
No real all-ins early on (the first few hours). After the first hour and a half, only 20-30 players were out. Once the blinds start going up, the stealing begins. And as the stacks grow, so do the raises to steal blinds. At one point some players were raising 18.000 to steal 2.000 BB. Crazy.
Players mostly tend to avoid all-ins, because the payouts are too big. The real all-in war starts about 200 runners before the Bubble, when the small stacks try to cash, and the big stacks try to gobble them up and build up. Typical by-the-book tournament play.
Most players seem to play like me, min. raising to enter the pot or steal the blinds. I usually raise 2x/2.5x the BB. More is kinda useless and a waste of chips IMO. And I don´t seem to be the only one to think that way.
My theory is that a raise is still a raise. (ie. I want to play, any customers?) When you get re-raised and can´t call that with your holdings, your losses are minimal. It also allows you to "camouflage" your monster holdings and trap when the time is right. When they see you cashing big on a monster hand with an initial min. raise, they get weary, whatever you do. They can´t see a pattern between monster and bluff hands.
Going to stop gushing Poker theory now, wasn´t the point.
Anyway, keep in mind that the difference in limits makes a big difference in the details of play. The lowest limits tend to believe that agression is equal to winning. Wrong! Agression is VERY important, especially showing that they can´t push you around. At one point after 1 1/2 hours, players started pushing me around, re-raising and stuff, stealing my blinds etc. It took one good trap and taking 2/3 of a guys stack to put that illusion to rest. After that I got some respect, and was able to start building up nicely. With a decent ratio of positional bluffing which paid off. Flopped quad 8´s at a certain point, and played them perfectly, letting the other guy raise and showing a lot of doubt on my part to call. I hit 3 J´s an hour later, was again able to trap, and was up around 160.000 chips by then. 12th! Kind of sorry I didn´t try to use my stack to bully and stay at the top, but that decision was then made...to reach the Bubble and not risk my stack. Next time will be different, now that i know i can do it.
Joined: Jan '11
Location: United States
Age: 42 (M)
Posts: 852
I love you're endless rants on poker theory Jack. please don"t stop. You'll get em next time. I know it. Then when we americans can play again. I'll even be nice enough to let you stake me Just kidding, congrats on the solid play it took to get to the point you did. Until next time.
Joined: Oct '09
Location: Spain
Age: 60 (M)
Posts: 2851
Posted by MIGO14: Grats to you Jack. I was following you until 170 players were left, but then had to go to bed Great job and nice payout (hope I will make it someday)
Well, I was "shut down" by then, waiting to hit the bubble. Next time in that position, I´ll definitely use my stack to bully the table. I now believe a final table in this kind of tournament is not out of the question.
Joined: May '09
Location: India
Age: 37 (M)
Posts: 4873
well done getting a nice position in that big tournament, u didna made it to the final table but u managed to complete your goal and its kinda hard to do that when u shut down urself just to make past the bubble. gl next time and hav a great weekend
Joined: Nov '09
Location: Canada
Age: 55 (M)
Posts: 2387
Good show Jack! Congratulations on going so far in a BIG tournament and hitting the cash! Last autumn you seemed to be really down about poker in general, but you seem to be consistently hitting well now, keep going!
Joined: Mar '09
Location: Greece
Age: 47 (F)
Posts: 14136
Well done for your win and the money you pocketed. you didnt say how much it was and had to look it up i wish you next time to reach the final table, and as for the rest of us keep trying for it
Joined: Feb '11
Location: Philippines
Age: 43 (M)
Posts: 228
congrats jack..well done
i just returned from my trip in london.. the first tourney i played was last night's $100k first deposit freeroll at fulltilt. 11k runners , 1800 places paid. finished around 500th.could've been a lot closer to the final table.. i was at one point in the top 20 in chips when my cards dried up and my stack dwindled because of the blinds. got eliminated by ak.qq couldn't hold on.
Joined: Mar '10
Location: Greece
Age: 54 (M)
Posts: 505
Very well played Jack and a million congratz to you man! Most of all I like the fact that a patient player as you who studies and practices solid abc poker theories has played the Monthly Million only a couple of times and scores so big!
Puts much confidence in me and everyone else that Final Tables and In The Money placing in the big tourneys are doable facts! Like it also that you studied the whole thing, took your notes about the playing styles and came back with a story to tell and share your thoughts with the intention to help! This is the EPITOME of a forum member...
Wish you more in the future, final tables and more cashes! I still have a $215 ticket for the $250k at Party that I haven't played and I'm thinking to take your notes into consideration when time comes... Thanx!
Still nice cashout, your bankroll is still growing and
you seem to be kicking some ass these days 
Just kidding, congrats on the solid play it took to get to the point you did. Until next time. 
