WSOP Event 26: PLO $1500

[LearnedfromTV]

July 17-18. I'm playing. Anyone else?

Should be fun, but starting at 25/25 with 1500 chips will make it a bit of a crapshoot. Hour levels is good though.

Compared to standard internet structure

- same number of chips, but starting with 60BB instead of 75BB, and doubling stakes for level 2 (instead of 10-20 ---> 15-30)

- but with longer levels (probably 1.5x as many hands in one live hour compared with 15 internet minutes when factoring in dealing time)

Still thinking through structure-related strategy. Wish I could play the 10K instead, but for now this will have to do.

Thoughts from anyone playing this year or who has played in the past?

[bugstud]

the 10k structure is [censored] sick

[Troll_Inc]

[ QUOTE ]
July 17-18. I'm playing. Anyone else?

Thoughts from anyone playing this year or who has played in the past?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm flying in that Friday and leaving on Tuesday, July 18th. I'm definitely sure I might play (will depend on how I do in cash games leading up to it). I'm hoping to get in some 2/5 PLO or a Wynn game if that's running.

As you point out the structure isn't that good. Clearly if you are aggro and/or you have an aggro table, you could get all in on the flop for all your chips. I'm hoping it is tight like the $50+5 Stars PLO tourney's and not crazy like the $20+2 and lower buyin tourney's...

I think the best tournament strategy is a TAG one, but certainly with PLO a LAG could do well.

I have all kinds of TAG strategies/notes mapped out especially for when you are M<10, which will happen quickly. M=15-30, Cnnrnrn had some good points which caused me to rethink my strategy (and loosen up a little on the flop.)

I can post some stuff, or if there isn't that much interest I can just PM/email it to you.

[Spellmen]

I had planned on playing it until I saw the structure, which is the main reason I don't play PLO tournaments online save the occassional rebuy. I won't be able to make it out under after the 25th anyway so the only chance I have at playing a tournament would be luckboxing a ME seat or playing one of the final $1500 NL tourneys. I plan on mainly playing 2/5NL when I come out but hope I can at least play some PLO for a little while

[acesover8s]

I will be playing. I played in this event last year as well, should be a trip report somewhere in the archives. The structure was not as horrible as I expected, I adjusted by limping PF in a lot of spots I would normally raise in. The game played relatively tight, and I accumulated a lot of chips without showing many hands.

As any tournament the play fluctuated wildly by tables. My first table was relatively soft, with all the internet qualifiers and only 2 semi-names. My second table was wild with Brad Booth and some Tunica gamblers, as well as a number of names who came through and left their chips. Then I was moved to a table with Hellmuth/Ferguson and the table was locked down tight, I can only assume as everyone wanted to play their A game against these guys (luckily, I don't have an A game to worry about). . .

[LearnedfromTV]

[ QUOTE ]
The structure was not as horrible as I expected, I adjusted by limping PF in a lot of spots I would normally raise in.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the main thought I've had so far. Generally I think raising a lot increases variance a lot and EV a little. So in a lot of the marginal preflop spots I may choose to limp behind and reduce variance to compensate a bit for the "short bankroll." I think there are certain of the marginal hands that would prefer to be in a raised pot, though, and if I have one of those I'll still probably raise in position if no one else has.

Talking early levels, when we still have 40-60 BB. Obviously once we get to 20ish BB average stack, the dynamic is much different. Steal raises/pot building raises are tricky when they build pots so large you have to make your committment decision on the flop.

[luckyluckyjoe]

What sites are holding qualifiers to PLO events?

[Ribbo]

With those blinds and starting chips, that's a rebuy tournament right? Jeez, that wont take long to bust people!

[Troll_Inc]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The structure was not as horrible as I expected, I adjusted by limping PF in a lot of spots I would normally raise in.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the main thought I've had so far. Generally I think raising a lot increases variance a lot and EV a little. So in a lot of the marginal preflop spots I may choose to limp behind and reduce variance to compensate a bit for the "short bankroll." I think there are certain of the marginal hands that would prefer to be in a raised pot, though, and if I have one of those I'll still probably raise in position if no one else has.

Talking early levels, when we still have 40-60 BB. Obviously once we get to 20ish BB average stack, the dynamic is much different. Steal raises/pot building raises are tricky when they build pots so large you have to make your committment decision on the flop.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that it makes sense to apply Harrington-type tournament strategy to PLO and make necessary adjustments for the differences between PLO and NL:

For M=25-30+, I play normal TAG PLO no different from a cash game preflop - aiming at playing top 20% starting hands. I approximately use the list someone (Aithesis) posted here, limp EP and limp/raise LP. Even if someone aggro has already raised in front of you and you can't get 50-66% of your money in preflop, just call even with AA. And I would tend to limp rather than raise, but a raise is good too - especially if you are at a weak table and think you have good fold equity.

Post flop.
1. I peddle the nuts using ABC pot limit strategy.
2. If I can read a hand and I think I am ahead, I push without hesitation.
3. I bet good draws
4. Exploit position/weakness

If you are at M=25-30+, you can comfortably do this and get away from a hand if necessary. If you are at a reasonable table and you are playing tight, your raise might even be respected. I find good things happen to me in tournaments when I play TAG. I dont know the overall PLO skill level at the WSOP 1500, but assuming that the people on this list would be better than most of the people at your table, you want to make the game as long as possible so that you can outplay them on the flop.

Unless you get lucky early, you probably won't be in M=25-30+ very long.......

[22suited]

i plan on playing, will it sell out you think? i was going to just show up w/ the cash earlier in the weekend.