New Poll: Who Has the Best Blind Structures?
@AllenKessler loves a good blind structure, and may or may not love to bitch about those in successful tourneys he’s not even playing in. Regardless, he’s answered @SavagePoker‘s call to reassess the popular deep-stacks format by trying to start a twitter flame war on behalf of … well, that much we’re not so sure about, but we haven’t seen such a fun Battle of the Tweets since @EskimoClark vs. @BigRussPoker (whose account has apparently been suspended?).
We may or may not get around to taking a closer look at the finer nuances of currently popular blind structs, but in the meantime we wanna know, unscientifically, of course, from a tournament blinds perspective, where you think the best place is to play. Daily voting to your right.
Oh, and then just for fun, be sure to check out the delightfully mock-a-vellian @ComplainSaw.
nick says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:37pm
If Eskimo’s twitter is a fake, it’s amazing. If it’s real, it’s even better.
scott diamond says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:38pm
Living and playing tournaments here in LA I have to say honestly, I do not like playing tournaments anywhere else after playing in Matt’s.
His structures give you your money’s worth and allows the patient player’s to pick there spots much better. Tournament play here is unreal and after playing the ME of the LA Poker Open where I thought the caliber of player would be better (I was definitely wrong) It gave me my first taste of what a WPT 10k event would be like.
Try and argue with the THOUSANDS who played the LA Poker Open that Matt doesn’t bring the best structures for tournaments to the tables!
DanM says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:57pm
nice add, whoever put Binion’s in the list … their events might be a bit-turbo, but for the low buy-ins, i find them delightfully challenging yet still plenty manageable when my game is on.
TheWookieWay says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:16pm
@complainsaw for the win!
BJ Nemeth says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:29pm
I developed a basic graphical-numeric system for comparing the speed and depth of structures back in 2007. I might need to break it out again to resolve this issue.
The depth of a structure is how deep the stacks are at any given point. The speed of a structure is how quickly the blinds increase. The two are not always the same — in fact, if the length of the tournament is the same, then deep stacks at the beginning necessarily mean that the structure will have to be faster.
That’s what Matt Savage understands better than anyone else in the business. They’re all selling a deep structure at the beginning when it matters least, while @SavagePoker doesn’t mind seeing more players bust early as long as those who go deep have a chance to prove their poker skill — when it matters!
Kevin Mathers says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:45pm
The problem Kessler has is that the structures have improved over the years because of Matt’s structures. If you can find the old Venetian structures, they gave players lots of chips, but removed levels to create the crapshoots people will complain about. Now those levels have been added to make them competitive.
Anonymous says:
November 25th, 2009 at 12:46am
As a tournament reporter, I’m a huge fan of Caesars Palace and their turbo main event for the Classic. As a player, if I had to pick any WPT, EPT or other $10K+ to play, it would be the LAPC.
Though I will say that the “who’s structure is better/ antes are too big or little/ deep at start is bad” arguments are annoying as hell.
If you don’t like the structure, then don’t f’ing play. I’m so tired of hearing complaints at the Bellagio from people saying, “Well, Matt’s tournaments are better.” Or people at Commerce/Bay 101 saying, “That’s not how Jack would rule in this situation.”
Take a second, look at the felt in front of you, realize what casino you’re in and then STFU. They are good guys in general, but the Kesslers, Blochs and Singers of the poker world often complain just for the sake of it.
All of the structure sheets are available before play begins, so you either play or you don’t. If you do, then suck it up and do your best to overcome. After all, the whole field has to deal with it, not just the “good players.”
BJ Nemeth says:
November 25th, 2009 at 12:58am
I know Alan Goehring is someone who looks at a blind structure before deciding whether or not to play an event, and he will pass on it if he doesn’t like the blind structure. I wish more players would do that instead of just complaining to anyone and everyone about it.
DanM says:
November 25th, 2009 at 1:01am
yeah, go capitalism!
i might make an exception to that mantra for the WSOP, because that’s a festival that seems to belong a little more to “the people” … even though I’m sure plenty of TC-baggers might disagree.
paigowtommy says:
November 25th, 2009 at 6:02am
The Borgata in AC, hands down the best structures you will ever find. Regularly have deep stack tourneys in the $300-$500 range that offer a TON of play for the money. WPT events are all incredible structures.