Are the games good?

I just keep changing my mind about the state of the games on stars. For those of you that don't know stars changed their games structure to:

20-50BB buyin
40-100 BB buyin
100-250BB buyin with ante

For the rest of this post I will call them shallow, normal and deep (why stars don't do this is confusing and a different subject altogether).

So basically this is what is happening:

Pro shortstackers and most fish at shallow tables
Multitabling regs and some fish at normal tables
Multitabling regs and a couple of fish at deep tables

On the face of it the normal games are full of regs and suck. Waitlists are massive for any table that has a player who vaguely resembles a fish and not many people are starting tables. I do try to start tables and/or or sit with other regs starting tables but a lot of time table is quickly filled with regs.

The shallow tables are thriving. Ratholers are starting tables at a high volume and the fish jump in.

So like I said, on the face of it the normal games suck. Thing is my results at 200nl are telling me otherwise at the moment and therefore I can't decide whether the changes are good or bad (for me personally).

Obviously results are the most important thing in the long term, and if things continue to go well then I couldn't care less how attractive the games look, but I cannot help but think that 'normal' poker on stars is dying. If this happens then my options are:

1. Start playing some 50BB poker on stars
2. Move to a site where normal poker prevails

Neither of the above options are attractive to me.

Shipeeeet

Need better moving up BR plan

Am break even at 400nl this shot (well $140 winner to be precise) but my end of month withdrawal plus $-2k start to May means another shot comes to an abrubt end.

Had high hopes this time around but in hindsight shooting with 5 buyins is never going to work for me as withdrawals have too much of an impact.

I am going to grind out 200nl for the forseeable future and reconsider my bankroll plan for next shot.

[ ] Sustainable

Next 2/4 shot in progress and yesterday was a good day:


More of the same please poker gods :)

Mario Wars

Poker Stars $1/$2 No Limit Hold'em - 6 players - View hand 657906

The Official DeucesCracked.com Hand History Converter



MP: $277.50

CO: $201.00

BTN: $220.00

SB: $200.00

BB: $486.50

Hero (UTG): $251.30

Pre Flop: ($3.00) Hero is UTG with 7 8

Hero raises to $6, 2 folds, BTN calls $6, 2 folds

Flop: ($15.00) 6 9 A (2 players)

Hero bets $10, BTN raises to $32, Hero raises to $80, BTN raises to $214 all in, Hero calls $134

Turn: ($443.00) 8 (2 players - 1 is all in)

River: ($443.00) J (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $443.00

BTN shows 8 T (a pair of Eights - Ace+Jack+Ten kicker)

Hero shows 7 8 (a pair of Eights)

BTN wins $440.00

(Rake: $3.00)


Converter ok bish ?

Pay attention folks

From what I have seen so far the Stars changes are working out ok. Panic over!

My game, however is not ok. Or at least it wasn't until my sweat session with fooz last night which made me realise how many spots I misplay because I am on auto pilot and just not thinking things through in enough detail.

There is lots of information available if you pay attention and I am ready to take some notes.....

Be careful what you wish for.

Following the great ratholing debate Pokerstars have changed buyins on tables as follows:

20-50bb
40-100bb
100-250bb fast ante

This is not what we were hoping for and it looks ratholers still have a comfortable home at stars.

I am having some time off and haven't been able to play but from what I can see the changes are pretty bad news for any reg who chooses to play 100bb's deep and likes to see some fish in the pond.

I did a HEM scan this morning and all the recreational players seem to be sitting with the ratholers at the 20-50bb tables, and the regs are sitting at 40-100bb tables passing money to each other.

There are some 100-250bb tables running (again filled with regs) but the decision to make these tables fast only when people can be sitting 500+bb's deep clearly shows that the decision makers at stars do not play too much poker themselves. To have normal speed 20-50bb tables and fast only 100-250bb ante tables makes no sense at all!

In addition the tables are labelled 20-50bb, 40-100bb and 100-250bb ante, rather than the obviously clearer and better shallow, normal and deep ante. This is a big deal imo and shows stars are trying too hard to placate the ratholers.

I will post more when I have actually got some hands in but I am concerned to say the least. My initial reaction is Stars just moved themsleves below FTP in the pecking order and that is something I never thought I would say :(

Edit:
It appears that the regs that were very vocal in their hate for shorties are starting to sit on the shallow (20-50bb) tables. Begs the question why they wanted things changed in the first place.