The BBT - My Final Two Cents
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
A lot has been written about the BBT points system over the last few weeks.
I think it bears repeating that Al, Hoy & Mookie created a great thing when they put their heads together and brought us the Battle of the Blogger Tournaments.
I think most of us agree that the BBT was an overall success. A few folks had some negative thoughts on a couple of aspects of the BBT. The main gripes were with the number of tournaments involved and the points system. I'm going to hit on those two items, then finish off this post with my thoughts on BBTwo***.
First off, I think the length - 40 total tournaments - was no biggie for me. If anything, it gave me more reason to fire up the laptop and play some poker. To be honest, I plan on playing as many tournaments as I can each week anyway, so this was never an issue for me. I knew I would play at least half the events, which would assure me a spot in the freeroll even if I was not in the top 50 in points.
I think the length and number of tournaments was a bit much for those who hadn't already been playing ALL the blogger tournaments on a semi regular basis in the first place. Many bloggers came out of no where and started playing all the BBT events and, before long, the sheer number of tournaments started to weigh on them. Again, that's just my personal opinion, but I'm guessing I'm not far off from the issue that was at hand for the number of tourneys.
The second issue, as it turns out, was the points system utilized for the series of tournaments. I again didn't find any big issue with the points system, but I can see where some folks would. Here's the thing...anyone who played for points throughout all 39 events is probably looking at this and realizing they really screwed that idea up.
The thing about the points is that if you cashed in the tournament you were getting the points that really mattered. If you didn't cash in the tournament you were just getting points to keep you afloat. Bottomline for me was cash always superceded points. After about the second event I realized that it was pretty much tarded to play for points. Points were most likely not going to increase my bankroll so keeping my eyes on the prize at each tournament became the ultimate goal.
So what am I getting at? Just like in general poker strategy, each person had a choice regarding the points. I guarantee you the outcome of some of those tournaments was effected by the points system, but that shouldn't be deemed a bad thing. If you played your game and your strategy, hopefully you succeeded in that strategy. If you were going for points, I hope you got those points and maybe won some money along the way. If you were going for the money, hopefully you made some money and some points fell in your pocket along the way too.
Bottom line is I hope no one out there blames the points system for not finishing well in the BBT. There were 39 events available. We each sealed our own fate with the number of events we played and our results. Good luck or bad, if you played enough events, you hopefully got a glimpse at your poker game. 39 events is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it is long enough to build a pretty strong series like the BBT.
As for my personal experience with the BBT...
I did make the Top 50 in points finishing in what I believe to be a respectable 16th place. I played in 27 of the 39 events completed. I played in every event that I possibly could, but occasionally I was travelling or had no internet connection and was thus unable to play.
Interestingly, no one who placed ahead of me played in less events (Don and Astin also played in 27 events). That leads me to believe I might could have moved up a little in the standings had I played more events, but honestly that rationale applies to anyone who didn't play every event.
I think in the end Blinders recent post summed up what my BBT experience was about.
BBT Final Points/Event Standings - 16th (885 total points or 32.8 per event)
BBT Final Cash/Event Standings - 1st ($1,845 total or $68.33 per event)
BBT Final Final Table % Standings - 22nd (18.5%)
BBT Final In The Money % Standings - 8th (18.5%)
BBT Final In The Points % Standings - ??? I didn't even make the top 30, where Blinders stopped his grid, which means I was below 50% in the final in the points standings for the total number of events.
I'd say the above pretty much shows that points did not have to be a priority in order to finish okay in the BBT. I'll take 1st overall in cash and 8th overall ITM% and below 30th in points anyday. Sure I would have liked to have been in the top 5 and gotten more cash and/or prizes, but I'm not losing any sleep right now because I didn't, nor should anyone else. That's not what this series was about.
All the above leads me to one final note about the standings. Bayne was/is a fucking machine. He nailed the cash and the points with 4 fucking wins, 12 final tables and 28 in the points. That was just plain sick. All I can say is well done sir.
So where does the BBT go from here? Personally, I do hope we see a BBTwo, with a few changes from the first. So here are my thoughts...
Like Mookie mentioned, I think a FTOPS style series would be great. Maybe have 15 or 16 total events of various games with NL Holdem being the primary game (NL Holdem, Limit, Both Omahas, Both Studs, Razz, HORSE, Heads-up, Shootout, etc...).
Here is where the "ifs" come into play. As in if Full Tilt is willing to help out again with reimbursing a portion of the rake and if other companies are willing to pony up some free shit again. We shouldn't just make these assumptions as anytime someone gives free shit away, we should be happy...especially when it is the poker site reimbursing thousands of dollars along the way.
Assuming there is again some support...other cool ideas/additions to the FTOPS idea could be...
- Having a $24+$2 Tournament of Champions at the end for all the winners of the various events. Two ways this could be paid for. First, if Full Tilt would agree to have $26 of rake deducted from each tourney to go towards each winners buy-in to the Tournament of Champions. Or second, have it deducted from the prize pool prior to running the numbers for the tourney.
- Instead of having a the current points system, let the money do the talking. Create a points scale that is based on making it into the money. If you make it in the money you get points, which increase based on where you finish in the money. Anyone who makes it into the money in any of the events, thus earns a point, gets into the freeroll.
Not only does this close the gap on points and actual in the money earnings, it allows folks to have a chance to make the freeroll each and every time they play. With only 15 events, and with a good chance that some folks will cash more than once, getting ITM will be more important and making the money will really mean something (not that it shouldn't already).
- I think having a host for every tourney would be a good thing too. And of course giving away something for knocking out that host would be nice. For instance, a spot in the freeroll or a free banner or some random thing. Whatever is thought up.
And finally, just like last time, whatever can be rounded up for the freeroll, be it freebies or cash or whatever.
So what do we really have here? Basically it's just ganking all the ideas that Full Tilt already has for FTOPS and trying to some way some how give them a poker blogger vibe. So put your heads together fellas and see what you can come up with. I certainly hope at some point we again have a BBT series no matter how it is planned.
Let me close by noting I'm looking forward to seeing the final graph Al has for us on the BBT regarding the net net earnings after buy-ins. Of course we can all throw out the token justification for why our numbers should be lower. I know for a fact mine will actually be lower, especially with the Big Game events, as I never bought directly into those and double tokened into them usually for either a $6 or $8 cost. And most of the time I satellited into the Hoy as well. But lets be honest, anyone who says they satellited into every $75 and $26 event is lying if they say they did it on the 1st try everytime. I'm sure most of us paid less than the actual amount that Al will show, but I don't expect it to be the rock bottom number either.
Until next time, may the felt be with you.
***There is currently no BBTwo...nor is it even named that..nor do I have anything to do with it. That's just a quick easy name I came up with for if there is a 2nd tournament series.
posted by TripJax @ 4:03 AM,
3 Comments:
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At 8:55 AM,
on_thg said...
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Some really good ideas there.
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At 12:31 PM,
DuggleBogey said...
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The only system I know of that doesn't penalize people for not playing all the events that still rewards players who play in more events is a system where only the top x events are counted, and poorer performances are thrown out.
If you play in every event, you have more chances to have top scores. If you don't have that kind of time to devote, you can still participate, without thinking that you will have no chance if you can't play at least 90% of the games. -
At 4:29 PM,
Unknown said...
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Like Mookie mentioned, I think a FTOPS style series would be great. Maybe have 15 or 16 total events of various games with NL Holdem being the primary game (NL Holdem, Limit, Both Omahas, Both Studs, Razz, HORSE, Heads-up, Shootout, etc...).
And give those who don't play Hold Em a chance.
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