UB Sit n Go

[General Sal]

So, still having some success at the UB sit n gos. Per the advice of some of texasholdem-poker.com's users, I actually moved up to the 10 + 1 tables. They really do have some pretty soft players there. Maybe, soft is the wrong word. Some of them are just plain dumb.

Thanks you guys for the advice.

[Ninja]

BTW, do you play any of the freerolls at UB?

[Absolution]

I quit freerolls myself. There is no point. They are pure luck. In ring games and SnGs you can really take advantage of the dumb players though. They play just as bad in SnGs, but at least they eliminate each other and you can sit back and laugh at them. Whereas in ring games you just profit over time despite bad beats every now and then. In multis though, the bad beats take you out enough of the time that it just becomes about luck if you make to the final tables. Just don't see the point of wasting 2 hours of smart play to lose to some kid calling and making a back end because "I thought you were bluffing". Maybe if there weren't 1500 people playing each one I'd think differently.

[ColdBlooded]

There's obviously a certain amount of luck involved placing in a large freeroll, but skill still wins out in the end.
In the last four UB freerolls I've played in, I've placed 61, 89, 73 and 40 all out of 1500. I consider myself to be a solid player and I don't view those top 100 finishes as sheer luck, as there's obviously a trend developing.
I'd say after the first 30 minutes, most of the idiots are gone. The ones that managed to get huge stacks early end up losing it sometime after the first break. And then with 150 players or so left, it's mostly a solid group who are at least somewhat competent.
I agree though, that it sucks to play for 3 hours or so, only to end missing the top 50 by a few spots.

[Ninja]

I quit freerolls myself. There is no point. They are pure luck. In ring games and SnGs you can really take advantage of the dumb players though. They play just as bad in SnGs, but at least they eliminate each other and you can sit back and laugh at them. Whereas in ring games you just profit over time despite bad beats every now and then. In multis though, the bad beats take you out enough of the time that it just becomes about luck if you make to the final tables. Just don't see the point of wasting 2 hours of smart play to lose to some kid calling and making a back end because "I thought you were bluffing". Maybe if there weren't 1500 people playing each one I'd think differently.

I know you said that every freeroll you've been in, you've lost to a bad beat on the river, but the thing is, it's impossible for the trend to continue. My advice-Keep playing, and remember, it's only for fun, and it's free. My first few freerolls I got really pissed off when I got rivered, but since then, I try to keep it in my mind to have fun and to remember, it doesn't cost anything. I don't place in the money that often (once out of about seven or eight), but I have fun. Good luck with getting back into the freeroll spirit! (Freerolls are gods gift to gambling).

[General Sal]

I have to agree with Absolution's perspective on freerolls. Waste of time. I use to play them all the time myself. But, with so many stupid people playing in them, it just kinda makes it difficult to win. I use to think you could validate your skills as a good player in those freerolls, but I really don't think you can.

I understand your point, Ninja, that they are free. Fun, though? Not really for me anymore. I think it's the price of what you're paying to what you're getting back. Honestly, I think it kinda screwed up my head. You're paying nothing to get $20? Well, at the UB freerolls, you have to place twice in these monster tournaments to get something of any value. Place in the top 50 out of 800 people in the first tournament. Then, place in the top 10 out of 800 to get a tournament chip worth $100. If you have a lot of free time, then go fer it. To me that's a total of four hours of play, just for the first two tournaments. Then, you might not even win anything with the TEC chip. That's another 2 hours there at least. I could play a ten player sit n go though for ten bucks, and win the tec chip that way. I should be able to do it in six tries.

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with the way you're thinking about it. If you're starting off that's great. Improve your skills for a few months. Then go fer playing real money. It's worth it... (although I'm sure you've seen me put a lot of posts re: getting beat.)

[Fat Tony]

freerolls are great if you keep them in perspective. if you approach them like it's the wsop, then you're bound to be disappointed most of the time because of the no fold-em's, the guys who go all in with anything early, etc. just take them for what they are.....a chance to have a little fun with the possibility of maybe winning a bit of cash at the end of the day as well as getting some tournament experience. if you take them too seriously you're only going to drive yourself crazy.

[JohnnyCache]

I play freerolls when I don't have poker money, or when I'm saving my roll for a live game. . . a freeroll with a prize is still better then play money or 1p computer poker. . . but I don't prefer them, they are a backup.

[HalfSugar]

I just threw away a SnG lead in like 3 hands out of frustration at the first hand I lost on. I blame Ninja for jinxing me with his spectating ways

[Ninja]

I play freerolls when I don't have poker money, or when I'm saving my roll for a live game. . . a freeroll with a prize is still better then play money or 1p computer poker. . . but I don't prefer them, they are a backup.

Yeah...the reason that I'm so pumped about freerolls is that my bankroll is $0. And that's not changing any time soon.

And for Geno...

*Hangs head in shame...Hangs head in shame*

I think I'm a curse-I also cheered Briangre on in two tournaments he lost...oh well, maybe I should delete UltimateBuddy...lol

[Absolution]

Ya, I'm not trying to be negative about it and I know I have tendency to do that. I'm not trying to say that skill can't prevail over mindlessness in hold'em because it can. I'm just saying it can't do that very often in a 1500 person no fold'em fest. Just like Sal, when I first started playing them I thought, if I can get good enough to win these (or making the money) a high percentage of the time, I'm ready to move up to real money tournaments. But, I no longer think that's true. Even the best UB player probably has a small chance of making it to the money.

Their value is in teaching you patience and tournament play when you don't have money, as people have pointed out. Even in money tournaments you are going to run into these people and even if you don't you have to learn how to manage your bankroll and bets. I've definitely learned from them. I almost always make it to top 300 now and often top 150. I couldn't do that before. But, even if I was 10x better than I am now I doubt I could win the invite, and then win the TEC, and then place in the money of the $100. That's a huge longshot.

By the way, nice playing with you today Johnny. Wasn't it fun listening to them spew out rounders quotes and talk 'strategy'? What did the one guy say, ace anything is a huge hand? Haha, watching too much WSOP.