FTOPS Starts!

The winter version of FTOPS started last night. I didn't play last night but will be heading home this afternoon to play FTOPS #2 which is a $216 PLO8. Here is a listing of the other events:

The highlighted events are the ones I am thinking of playing. For sure I will play events #2,7,9,39,44 & 45 which include PLO8, Limit O8, PLO, HORSE and NLHE. The other highlighted events are maybes depending on how the series is going for me. Overall I think FTP did a good job with these events and offered a good mix of buy-ins and game types. For example, last series had one Omaha Hi-Lo and that was a Rush Turbo event that was an absolute joke. This time there are 2 offerings and neither is a turbo. GG FTP. The satellites have been good as they always are during FTOPS time and that is helping to offset some runbad in cash games (more below).

While on the subject of scheduling, the WSOP schedule was released 2 weeks ago. The tournaments are essentially the same as last year with a few tweaks to buy-ins and game types. I am still trying to figure out what will work best for me but here is the schedule for that series:

Again the highlighted events are the events I would ideally like to play. I am really hoping to play the Main Event this year but as with last year I am not going to break the bank to play. If I can satellite in or win a seat through my WSOP league then sure but I am not plunking down 10k for 1 event. As for the preliminary events, to some extent the schedules for the Venetian and other series run at the same time will help dictate when I go. I always feel like there are a million NLHE events to pick from so scheduling my trip around some of the other mixed game events is the way to go. My guess is that I will go 6/10-6/15ish so I can play the $1,500 HORSE and PLO for sure. The scheduling of the $1,500 PLO8 really sucks at the end of the series particularly if I am going back for the Main.

Finally, for some reason I have been playing a decent amount of PLO8 Rush on Full Tilt over the last 4 or 5 days. The only PLO8 offering available in Rush format is .25/.50 but playing the maximum of 4 Rush tables is probably the equivalent of 14-16 regular tables. Well the initial run of this has been a pretty good kick in the gonads:

As you can see I am running 10 Buy-ins below EV over a pretty smallish sample. None of the hands are particularly earth shattering but I am just on the wrong side of variance on seemingly every one of the coinflips. Or I get it in as a 3-1 equity favorite and the Villain hits an out to chop the pot like the hand below. Against some opponents the turn is a fold (or at least a more cautious line) as I would expect them to show up with at least a better 2. But this opponent was running like 58/38 over a decent sample so I don't think folding trips is an option. Turns out he is stronger than I would have expected with a wrap of his own. In a vacuum though I think a good player folds to my turn c/r as I look pretty strong and he could be getting freerolled for 1/2 the pot. Of course, vs a good player I probably lead the turn with a pot bet rather than go for the always sexy turn c/r:

Full Tilt Poker $50.00 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - 6 players - View hand 1161888
DeucesCracked Poker Videos Hand History Converter

SB: $76.45
Hero (BB): $105.70
UTG: $159.90
MP: $37.55
CO: $95.10
BTN: $42.15

Pre Flop: ($0.75) Hero is BB with 3 5 2 6
2 folds, CO raises to $1.25, BTN calls $1.25, 1 fold, Hero calls $0.75

Flop: ($4.00) 2 4 T (3 players)
Hero checks, CO bets $2.00, BTN calls $2, Hero calls $2

Turn: ($10.00) 2 (3 players)
Hero checks, CO checks, BTN bets $10.00, Hero raises to $40, CO folds, BTN calls $28.90 all in

River: ($87.80) A (2 players - 1 is all in)

Final Pot: $87.80
Hero shows 3 5 2 6
BTN shows A 3 5 7
Hero wins $20.10
BTN wins $21.20
Hero wins $21.20
BTN wins $21.20
(Rake: $3.00)

Oh well hopefully the cards will change in my favor starting today.