thoughts on the switch from party to stars so far

staring_elf · #1 10-23-2006, 12:35 AM

firstly, this is a whine post and wouldn't be out of place in bbv but as it is specifically about sng structure and relevant to this forum i hope its ok to post it here. also, i wouldn't mind hearing the thoughts of a few of the other higher stakes sng players here anyway on this.

ok , so, i've played a whopping 400 or so sng's (mostly at the 114 and 225 level) since moving from party to stars. so far, its been horrible. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

i know 400 is an insult to sample sizes and represents about 4 days of playing for me but its still tough to deal with. i'm down about 6k, about 30-40 buyins, which has happened once or twice before in the last year but has always been only a blip before i start kicking ass again. /brag

i know variance has probably been the cause of 90% of my current downswing - possibly the worst variance i've ever had, some of my beats have been sick. /whine

however, this time it feels.... different. it feels like there's more going on than just bad variance. its probably the new format and i'm still just fine tuning it but i am getting a little worried.

i think the stars format is definately harder for a solid pushbotter than the party format. so far, i've found that games get to 4 or 5 handed with blinds at maybe only 100/200 (or even less sometimes) and you have too many bb's to be pushing with. there seems to be a choice of either sit tight and hope someone does some serious damage to their stack or play some postflop poker (yuck...i forget how thats done). at party, at least you knew where you stood. all in or fold. +EV or -EV. easy. good times.

so, to ease my fears that maybe i just suck, i did a sharkscope search of 5 players who i played in the 215's with at party (all of whom are respected 2+2 and probably the best players i play with week in week out) and ALL 5 of them are running awful since the switch over about 500 games so far. i thought i was running bad but a couple of them are running even worse. some a good bit worse. i'm not going to name any names obviously but if they feel like replying in this thread, its only other 2+2ers who are gonna see it anyway and i doubt most give a crap. we all run bad from time to time.

anyway, there's not much more to say but i'd like to hear some of the regulars that post here's thoughts on the switch. is it just variance for you guys too or are you struggling with a slightly different structure (antes actually having significance, 1500 starting chips, 9 players, etc)

any thoughts?

comfort me... [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

EDIT: as a sidenote, i'm accumulating FPP's at a ridiulous rate and will be supernova by next week. i'll be having me a porsche by April courtesy of the FPP store. sweet. sng players have it easy compared to those cash game donks. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

1C5 · #2 10-23-2006, 12:39 AM

You mean you have to play some poker now??

staring_elf · #3 10-23-2006, 12:40 AM

[ QUOTE ]
You mean you have to play some poker now??

[/ QUOTE ]

it appears so. this wasn't in the training manual... [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

DDBeast · #4 10-23-2006, 12:54 AM

I'm loving the switch so far.. You just have to get used to playing poker at the 100/200 and 100/200a level.

slimbob · #5 10-23-2006, 01:01 AM

I play SNG for a living. I played between 6-7k SNG and over 5k at Stars. I play most of the time low limit turbos (16$ and 27$) and the competition now is definitely tougher than before the new legislation. A lot of very good players at the low limits now. VIP is around 20% sometimes only 15%. Before it was around 30%. Lots of players play extremely tight. The only mistake is that they not push/call enough when the blinds are getting higher. Its very frustrating to play sometimes.

Newt_Buggs · #6 10-23-2006, 01:01 AM

I've been running horrible too, but I don't think that variance is the only reason so many players are having poor reulsts. On some days the tables have been extreemly crowded with much less dead money to go around than on party. I know that most people think that they're increadibly awesome and can crush anyone as long as they don't run bad, but having multitabeling tags in place of the 40% VPIP fish that were so abundant on party has to be significantly hurting everyone.

Bigwig · #7 10-23-2006, 01:06 AM

I'm sure that there is some short-term tougher play at Stars, since the pros would have made the switch much faster than the casual player and our favorites, the fish.

But, one reason may be that you have not adjusted to the new format. You're out of your comfort level, and everything (from the software to the blind structure) is new. I'm just now getting used to what I feel is a 'good stack' at particular levels and remaining opponents. It's taken me 100 tournaments.

To combat the problems with the switch, I'm playing strictly $55s until I get comfortable. I'll probably stay there for another month. I suggest you do the same, but stay away from my tables. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Also, I'm not going near the turbos. They're too fast for my taste and filled with sharks. I open up a $109 turbo, and I see familiar names. Not so with the regulars.

[Phill] · #8 10-23-2006, 01:19 AM

So, the million dollar question, how much advertising has stars had since the party switch off?

If i were the stars brass, id have had full page ads in papers and magazines ready for when the bill was signed which dragged the party name through the mud and explained how pokerstars is pro choice and will stand by defending the freedoms of americans to yada yada yada...

Have they done any of this?

Its all well and good to have brand recognition, but they should be pushing really hard right now. Theres a few million customers out there begging to be raked.

staring_elf · #9 10-23-2006, 01:21 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I've been running horrible too, but I don't think that variance is the only reason so many players are having poor reulsts. On some days the tables have been extreemly crowded with much less dead money to go around than on party. I know that most people think that they're increadibly awesome and can crush anyone as long as they don't run bad, but having multitabeling tags in place of the 40% VPIP fish that were so abundant on party has to be significantly hurting everyone.

[/ QUOTE ]

true, i played a 225 today and 7 of the 9 were 2+2. 7! for [censored] sake. for all i know the other 2 probably were too. needless to say i finished 4th.

actually that's another thing, i have WAY more 4th places than any other place. because of playing tight early i rarely finish 7th-9th anyway but i KEEP getting [censored] 4th. arrghh. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

you're right though Newt, there's definately less fish than there was at party. lets hope they arrive soon.

Bigwig - don't worry, i won't be playing regulars anytime soon. the boredom and excessive postflop play might push me over the edge.

scrilla · #10 10-23-2006, 01:29 AM

Although not playing the same stakes ($60s here) I have been having a lot of trouble adjusting.

I think the problem is mainly that at party you knew it was variance and now with the new structure you arent exactly sure.

I don't know if that makes sense but its probably 99% still variance.

Scrilla