Strategy tips for our two satellite freerolls
This week at PokerStrategy you can win MicroMillions tickets and an 888poker Sochi package, so we have some pointers for those playing.
It’s a great week at PokerStrategy if you want to play a big MTT for free as we are hosting two exclusive tournaments to win big tourney tickets. We have a freeroll with 888poker to win a $1,700 package to 888poker LIVE Sochi as well as a freeroll with PokerStars to win one of 52 Micro Millions tickets, including four for the Main Event.
Unless you have been living under a rock this year you will have noticed I have published a new book on satellite strategy, which I have been relentlessly spamming ever since (I even have some copies as consolation prizes in the 888poker tournament). One of the things I have been doing to promote the book is reviewing the satellites for major tournaments and exploring how their structure should influence your strategy, which I will do today for our exclusive promotions.
ChipEV instead of ICM
The interesting aspect of both these tournaments is they actually demonstrate the instances where typical satellite ICM breaks down completely. Most people appreciate that ICM is such a big factor in satellites that we have to play much tighter. All the prizes are of equal value so there is no incentive to build a big stack when you are safe. There are even times when folding Aces preflop is correct.
This is not the case at all for our 888poker satellite because there is only one true prize if you make the finale, a massive $1,700 package. You have to win the whole tournament (which is restricted to 15 players) so folding big hands would be a huge leak. In fact there is no ICM at all in this tournament, for all intents and purposes the only metric that matters is ChipEV, it’s almost like a cash game with escalating blinds.
You have to win every chip so the main advice here is throw the typical satellite strategy out of the window and if you see an edge, however small, you have to take it. Be aware though, because of the size of the prize and the fact that there is an instinct to play tight in satellites, the players at your table may not realise how important ChipEV is, so adjust accordingly.
The satellite bubble is much later
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ICM does play a factor in our MicroMillions freeroll but not as significant as you might think. We have 52 tickets to be won, but the important thing to note here is that they are not all of equal value. The prize break down as follows:
- 1st-4th: $22 MicroMillions Main Event ticket
- 5th-14th: $5.50 MicroMillions ticket
- 15th-31st: $3.30 MicroMillions ticket
- 32nd-52nd: $1.10 MicroMillions ticket
Expect the play to be very tight near the bubble as in any other satellite, but assuming you really want one of the $22 Main Event tickets you cannot slow down on the first few pay jump bubbles. If the prizes were of equal value we would be advising try to get to whatever the chip average is likely to be with maybe 60 players left then playing very tight. However, if we accept that the four $22 tickets are the real prize we are going for, then it only really becomes a satellite after the $5.50 bubble bursts.
The ICM is closer to a regular MTT before the bubble and up until everyone has reached the penultimate payout. Yes you should not play recklessly and you should avoid calling all-ins without a massive hand, but the main advice here is to wait until late registration is over, work out the average stack you’ll need on the final bubble (which will simply be dividing the total chips in play by four) then keep accumulating chips until you get close to that, before playing much tighter. Of course, if you are happy with a $5.50 ticket adjust this strategy for that bubble instead, and so on.
If you haven't yet, check out our MicroMillions freeroll and exclusive 888poker LIVE Sochi qualifier.
