Luton Calling.

[Ransom]

So I have to work tonight, on what we consider the worst night shift of the year. Two large Christmas parties, one booking for a large retail chain has 98 (with more bookings incoming every 15 minutes) taxis all to arrive at exactly midnight. Another has 14 taxis for 1am, and are notorious for panicking if they don't have a chauffeur in their face bang on the time they booked it for. Going to be a very stressful 2-3 hours seeing as I'm co-coordinating this alone, but after this one is done all of our big UK based clients are basically off until New Years so it's plain sailing all the way through until 2015.

Speaking of 2015, I've been mulling over my poker related goals for the year ahead and I really can't think of any. I don't expect to bink any WSOP bracelets, I don't expect any deep EPT runs and I don't expect to get any magazine articles. I'm fairly happy about just taking it easy in 2015, and just focusing on making correct decisions and enjoying the good things that come with it. I guess if I don't go overboard with any expectations, then I can't be disappointed if 2015 is a crushingly bad year.

I plan on playing a lot of 8 Game on Stars and attempting a Supernova run there, but it's something that will probably take a long time to get to and there's not much chance of making Supernova more than once at that game given the lack of action above $4/$8 limit. I reckon I will hit it hard starting January the 1st and then slowly drop sessions until I get frustrated or bored.

--

I plan on cutting back on the live comps in Luton. Not really enjoying them as much as I used to, not a knock on the casino at all, I just the find the play to be really repetitive each time, and I'm losing interest in going an hour out of my way to go through the motions like it's Groundhog Day. Live Hold'em cash I could play until my eyes bled, but low buyin Hold'em comps with 4 spots from 50 runners paying are starting to lose my interest.

I find casinos are offering bigger and bigger starting stacks, but dropping most of the levels before second break so you effectively play the same structure as you would if you played with 15K starting stacks and you kept the 75/150, 150/300/25 and 250/500/50 levels. I wonder if there was research done there and they've figured out offering bigger starting stacks with level jumps gets more punters in the door.

--

Probably won't be playing much until the New Year so I can start fresh. I don't want to be spewing chips across the table on the final run up to Christmas. I find the idea of that a bit depressing.

Have a good Christmas all, and if I've clowned money off to you in the past 2 weeks I hope you spend it on something nice for yourself or your family. If you do decide to punt it in the pit, I hope you spin it up. And then you can punt it all back to me in 2015.

[the sicilian]

I dont play the normal Luton comps anymore as the prepensity to give huge starting stacks has effectively ruined the game... we have now produced a player type that will not fold pre flop to pretty much any bet with any two cards because of the huge amount of chips at their disposal...

Its almost impossible to put someone on a hand early doors.. the usual scenario is 50-100...limp..limp...limp..limp.limp...2000..call.call..call.call..call hundred bb pot pre flop with hand ranges around K 4 Q2 82 and everything in between..

7.5K with the levels would play so much better unfortunatly give the latest influx of players 7.5K to play with they would have a fit... try to explain the structure and play would be better is like explaining physics to a child in urdu...

[Ransom]

The Friday £5k at the G was brilliant when it used the GUKPT structure for a bit. 10K start with 8K addon at first break. Shifted people off limp/calling in the first few levels, and the variation in stack sizes in bbs come final table was good enough to stop the standard 7 way chop.

I'm very much anti-deal at final tables, unless it's literally 6bb each which can be the case after a long bubble. I can never understand people who come to play a comp, and would rather take 3rd place money than play it out for 1st. They take massive flips for their tourney life at 500/1000/100, but won't take it on a final table because the difference between 4th and 3rd is £120.

I would suggest some sort of prize or token for those who win a comp outright with no deal. The G had a promotion where if you won the comp you'd get a coloured card protector, and the more you had, the better the reward you got. Collect all 7 and you freeroll the £1k GUKPT. Sadly they stopped this when I was on 4, so I got a free entry into the monthly £100. Stick a seat into a monthly into the mix and I think you'd see a lot more people playing it out.

[Chompy]

Excellent posts Random and Sicilidonk. I completely agree with both of you but apparently we're in the minority.

Luton tournament poker is so disappointing these days.

[bobAlike]

Excellent posts Random and Sicilidonk. I completely agree with both of you but apparently we're in the minority.

Luton tournament poker is so disappointing these days.

I agree too, although I've never been to Luton.

[Chompy]

Excellent posts Random and Sicilidonk. I completely agree with both of you but apparently we're in the minority.

Luton tournament poker is so disappointing these days.

I agree too, although I've never been to Luton.

Wait a second, that wasn't you at the G for GUKPT week?

[tonytats]

Personally I think luton comps are great fun ,they've all started wearing headphones now and studying I pads
HELLO it's a £30 midweek donkament some are tanking like it's an ept most of em think it is an ept it's hilarious
The dc cash is the same now it's populated with g regs they put their chips in get called and say ' I knew you had that !'
How can a donk like me play against people who know what you've got ??
It's well worth a visit

[bobAlike]

Excellent posts Random and Sicilidonk. I completely agree with both of you but apparently we're in the minority.

Luton tournament poker is so disappointing these days.

I agree too, although I've never been to Luton.

Wait a second, that wasn't you at the G for GUKPT week?

Nope, probably my older brother Celtic

[tikay]

Hi Ransom
I will be investigating the situation you have brought to my attention as I'm
Not to happy with this myself
And find out why this decision was made,
I will return your £10 and also offer you free entry into tonight's competition while i find out the full details of what has happened
And ensure the supervisor in questions is fully aware of how to learn from this experience

Speak soon James Cardroom Manager Luton

Well done James, exactly the response I would expect from you.

Hope you are well.

[Ransom]

Personally I think luton comps are great fun ,they've all started wearing headphones now and studying I pads
HELLO it's a £30 midweek donkament some are tanking like it's an ept most of em think it is an ept it's hilarious
The dc cash is the same now it's populated with g regs they put their chips in get called and say ' I knew you had that !'
How can a donk like me play against people who know what you've got ??
It's well worth a visit

Yeah did you see that guy put close to £300 in the middle with the 8 lo draw in SuperLowball because he was so sure the other guy double paired and was trying to pot him off it.

Wow I would sure hate to be that guy.......

--

I find there's a clear divide in Luton with the old regs who have been playing the schedules for years, and the younger guys and girls who've come from online and have a go in a live comp once every few weeks. Don't really see the two groups mix apart from in the smoking pit on break where you have to make idle chit chat.


The younger guys are more into their poker media I think, and will emulate people they see on TV. I don't think it's much different from the kids playing Sunday football who wear the fancy boots and want to do a bunch of stepovers like Ronaldo. If they're going to try fancy plays and tank check raise one of the older regs, it won't work and they'll come unstuck at some point.
 
Some may find it cringey and a bit silly but if they can only afford to play a couple of £25 comps a month between Uni and work then more power to them if they want to go on a triple barrel rampage during the first blind level and pretend to be a sicko German in a Super High Roller.

I'm still booting my dogs tennis ball around the kitchen and pretending my doorway is an empty net and it's 90+3 in the World Cup final. Now that's sad.

[tonytats]

I'm having a shepherds pie before a nanna nap on the sofa and charging my I pad so I can make it a late night at the luton ept tonight

[KingPush]

Hi James,

This is very much appreciated. While I would have been happy just knowing that it was an incorrect ruling, you're really going above and beyond and it reaffirms my view that Genting Luton is a great room to play poker in.

I'll be in around 7-7:30. Straggly beard and black jumper just incase someone tries to nick my freeroll!
[/quote]
99% sure I was sat on your right for most of this tournament boss. I'm never fucking playing mid week comps again

[nirvana]

Excellent posts Random and Sicilidonk. I completely agree with both of you but apparently we're in the minority.

Luton tournament poker is so disappointing these days.

Such loosers, got too adjust too the regime man. Y'all think everyone is Koi tastic then time to get the increased win rate rod out imo. Focussing more on the game than the affectations might be start for you and Sir Donks, merry Xmas xx

[celtic]

Nirvana's posting has come on leaps and bounds.

[nirvana]

Nirvana's posting has come on leaps and bounds.

Haha, so historic