Midland Masters

[RED-DOG]

First, let me say that I am one of Walsall Grosvenor's greatest supporters, it's my local, and my favorite cardroom. I know all of the staff and most of the "Hands on" managers personally, they are a great bunch and work tirelessly, with smiles on their faces. I take my hat off to them for their ability to maintain this attitude during festival week, when the stress and the workload become enormous

I have to say though, IMHO this years Midlands Masters has been a dissapointment. The blind structures have been very aggressive because they missed out the 75/150, 150/300, and the 500/1000 levels. If even one of these were to be included, preferably the 150/300 level, it would allow for so much more play. As it was. average stack on the final table of the £200 freeze-out was just over 10 big blinds.

The prize structure was very top heavy, with 18 places paid and 40% going to the winner, finalists in the minor places who have fought their way through a field of 180 runners get precious little reward for their efforts.

Finally, last night there was a group of about 6 players, several of whom very drunk. They banged the tables and screamed in unison every time one of them won a pot, then they left their seats to high five each other. If one of them eliminated a player, they gave him the mother of all rubdowns, bad language included. Why this was allowed to continue without penalty is beyond me.

To the average player, a two day, ranking, festival event is something special. This is particularly true of the more affordable, preliminary, £200/£300 buy-in events. and I see no good reason why they should not be given the opportunity to enjoy structures and conditions that resemble (as closely as reasonably possible) the ones that are normally reserved for the big-buy in main events.


Of course, these are just my opinions, (although I know that they are shared by many others) and credit where credit is due, Walsall Grosvenor have always taken players views into consideration, and at the end of the day, thats really all you can ask.

[charmaine]

I believe the changed the pay out structure , 10 to 20 receive £300 in the £300 double chance freezeout ( i think thats what it is )
Paul had a VERY ABUSIVE DRUNK  on his table , kept calling people f..k..g c...s , nice man 

[RobS]

I had no idea that Tony G is playing on the UK festival circuit 

[RED-DOG]

I believe the changed the pay out structure , 10 to 20 receive £300 in the £300 double chance freezeout ( i think thats what it is )

No objection at all to that Char.

[matt674]

I have to say though, IMHO this years Midlands Masters has been a dissapointment. The blind structures have been very aggressive because they missed out the 75/150, 150/300, and the 500/1000 levels. If even one of these were to be included, preferably the 150/300 level, it would allow for so much more play. As it was. average stack on the final table of the £200 freeze-out was just over 10 big blinds.

General consensus from reading most live updates is that the majority of blind structures miss out the 75/150, 150/300 and 500/1000 levels (ok, the 150/300 is featured in some) so surely you should be used to playing a structure that goes 50/100 to 100/200 to 200/400 by now?

Though it may not be your ideal structure it is the one that is widely used and therefore the one that you should base your basic tournament strategy around?

[RED-DOG]

I have to say though, IMHO this years Midlands Masters has been a dissapointment. The blind structures have been very aggressive because they missed out the 75/150, 150/300, and the 500/1000 levels. If even one of these were to be included, preferably the 150/300 level, it would allow for so much more play. As it was. average stack on the final table of the £200 freeze-out was just over 10 big blinds.

General consensus from reading most live updates is that the majority of blind structures miss out the 75/150, 150/300 and 500/1000 levels (ok, the 150/300 is featured in some) so surely you should be used to playing a structure that goes 50/100 to 100/200 to 200/400 by now?

Though it may not be your ideal structure it is the one that is widely used and therefore the one that you should base your basic tournament strategy around?

I disagree Mat, look again, most blind structures do contain at least one of those levels.

Of course, I do base my strategy around the structure that I am playing, but that doesn't mean I don't decide not to play some of the ones with poor structures, I won't play at Walsall again this week.

If you think less aggressive structures aren't popular, look at this thread
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=17132.0

By your reasoning, if it were a 5 minute clock and 1000 chips, I should just adjust my strategy and say nothing.

[matt674]

what i'm saying is that if you didnt like the structure then you shouldnt play - then if enough people didnt turn up for the festival then maybe the casino's would sit up and say "So why is it that we aren't getting enough bums on seats".

As it is the festivals still pretty much sell out week in week out and not that many people complain about it - those that do will still turn up at the next festival and play even if the structure is the same.

If the casino announces that they are doing a festival with 5 minute levels and 1000 chips then rather than adjust my strategy i just wouldnt turn up, nor i doubt would many other people. The casino would think twice then about holding a festival with that same structure again.

[bolt pp]

I genuinely think that you should add a poll with the question:If you dont agree with the blind structure of a live tourney that you wanted to play, do you:

Play and say nothing

play and voice your concerns with the management

refuse to play

Because it seems that you've come back to the thread you created a couple of days ago about what to do in this situation and more importantly what others would do, Ive now heard all three possibilities credibly argued over the past couple of days and a poll might help you further gauge what those less inclined to post about the subject would do and get a broader idea of where the majority stands.

[NoflopsHomer]

There's a tournament over in Drogheda in Ireland Red, maybe you should've come...

[RED-DOG]

The main reason I didn't do a poll is that most of the replies would come from people who don't usually play large field, two day events.

I talk to a lot of people who are actually at the venues and almost without exception they want longer clocks and slower structures.

[bolt pp]

The main reason I didn't do a poll is that most of the replies would come from people who don't usually play large field, two day events.

I talk to a lot of people who are actually at the venues and almost without exception they want longer clocks and slower structures.

What percentage of them that you know of have articulated this to event organisers or management though?

[RED-DOG]

The main reason I didn't do a poll is that most of the replies would come from people who don't usually play large field, two day events.

I talk to a lot of people who are actually at the venues and almost without exception they want longer clocks and slower structures.

What percentage of them that you know of have articulated this to event organisers or management though?

Very few Bolt, thats what I find so frustrating.

[matt674]

The main reason I didn't do a poll is that most of the replies would come from people who don't usually play large field, two day events.

I talk to a lot of people who are actually at the venues and almost without exception they want longer clocks and slower structures.

So if there are enough people who want the longer clocks and slower structures then why do you not all get together and agree to stop playing the events?

By continuing to play the festivals week in week out the casino's are still getting their profit and have an attitude of "if it aint broke - dont fix it" and therefore are unlikely to change.

[RED-DOG]

So if there are enough people who want the longer clocks and slower structures then why do you not all get together and agree to stop playing the events?

With respect mat, do you really think there is the remotest chance of that ever happening?

[NEVES]

So what was the outcome with these drunken & abusive types did the
management take the correct action, or where they allowed to continue.