Full Tilt Poker Matrix SNG Tournaments
With some amount of fanfare, Full Tilt Poker recently announced their latest innovation in SNG play: The Matrix. You play four simultaneous single-table SNGs against common opponents, with an additional payout based on points earned. Let’s take a look at the unique opportunities and structure of the Matrix…is it worth playing?
At lower stakes, the Matrix format precludes many of the truly terrible players who provide the greatest opportunity for profit. Someone looking to sit down and play a casual SNG while “American Idol” is on and have some fun will be scared off by the idea of playing four SNGs at the same time. This isn’t to say you won’t find your share of bad players, whose mistakes will be compounded by the pressure of multi-tabling.
So, here’s how it works. The structure presented is for low-to-middle stakes, 9-man, regular-blind Matrix tournaments. 6-man and turbo-blind tournaments are also available, as are 8-man HORSE.
– Your total buy-in is 11 units: 10u for the prize and 1u for the rake.
– There is a total of 90u available, broken up into five equal pools of 18u.
– Each SNG gets one pool, with payouts of 9u, 5.4u and 3.6u (same percentages as in a normal single-table SNG)
– The last pool is for the Matrix, based on points accumulated.
– At each table, you accumulate one point for outlasting a player, with 2 bonus points for knocking a player out and 2 final bonus points for winning the SNG.
As with the bounty or knockout MTTs, bad players risk far too much and spend far too much time going after KO points in the Matrix. Let’s say you’re willing to gamble at every opportunity to knock people out and get the bonus. On two Matrix tables, you’re the first guy out after you gamble and lose. On the other tables, you eliminate 3 other players each before going out in 4th and 2nd, respectively. You have earned ((1+2) X 3) + 2 = 11 points for the first table, and ((1+2) * 3) + 4 = 13 points for the second, for a total of 24 Matrix points. This is the same number of points you’ll earn if you just hang around and come in 3rd place in each SNG, knocking no one out – and you’ll make more money playing the latter way.
At the same time, it is important to recognize 20% of your entry fee is going toward Matrix payouts. The optimal SNG strategy is to play tight early, then push-or-fold pre-flop when the blinds get higher and the stacks shorter. Optimal strategy grows your stack by stealing blinds and applying pressure – not eliminating as many players as possible. Without modifying optimal SNG play to try and place well in the Matrix competition, you’re cutting out most, if not all, of your profit margin.
The primary adjustment necessary to succeed in the Matrix is, coincidentally, the biggest mistake many SNG players make. You have focus on winning, not just cashing, at each SNG, to recoup the maximum Matrix equity. Remember, you’re not looking to knock everyone out. But be more willing to gamble on the bubble, calling shoves a little bit looser than strict ICM analysis would tell you. At most tables, you should stay loose once you’re in the Top 3, because the blinds are high and you can’t wait for hands.
The Matrix point value of each SNG is 54 points: 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 36 points for outlasting other players, plus 8 X 2 = 16 bonus points for eliminations, and 2 final points for winning the SNG. There are, therefore, a total of 216 points, representing 18u worth of value. Dividing gives us the value of each Matrix point = 0.083u.
If you come in 3rd in a SNG, you earn a minimum 6 Matrix points. If you win a SNG, you earn a minimum of 12 points – 1 point for lasting longer than each of 8 other players, plus 2 for the win and two more for eliminating the 2nd-place player. Come in 1st instead of 3rd and gain a minimum of 6 additional Matrix points, increasing your value by 0.5u. That’s 4.5% of your total investment in the game, a significant amount of the overall expected edge.
It is also very important to keep an eye on the Matrix standings if you’re down to the end. I normally don’t keep a close eye on tournament lobbies, but in the Matrix, it’s imperative. There are situations where you may gamble more to eliminate the last person who can keep you out of Matrix cash. There are others where you play more conservative. And still others where you may soft play someone to keep them alive and cost someone else in overall standings – similar to folding to keep a payout bubble alive.
The Matrix presents several more layers in game theory and mathematical decision-making above and beyond traditional single-table SNG play. Whether or not you choose to regularly play these is up to you. But I recommend everyone try them as a diversion. In addition to the challenge in deriving new strategies…they’re fun. Really fun. Enter the Matrix.
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* PocketFives.com now offers rakeback on Full Tilt Poker! To sign up for a rakeback account through PocketFives, visit http://www.pocketfives.com/visit/rakeback/. We have also included aRakeback Forumto field questions about our rakeback program.
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* Paul "grapsfan" Herzog has been a PocketFives.com Contributing Writer since 2005, and is a successful mid-stakes poker player. He can often be found playing online when he has free time away from his duties as a Software Testing Engineer for a Minnesota firm.
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