UKPI’s Online Poker Satellite King Spills the Beans!
Kevin Bloor or KevB to forum regular’s has a tremendous record of qualification for mid and high stakes tournaments by the way of online satellites. We thought it only wise that we tapped him up for some pointers to success;
UKPI: Congratulations on your latest success Kev (Killarney festival main event satellite on Ladbrokes, see news story), could you give us mere mortals a few pointers to achieve satellite success?
Kev Bloor: The difference with satellite strategy and normal tourney strategy is you don’t need to win the thing outright. Most players don’t adapt and put chips at risk against other stacks that can do them harm. During the Killarney satellite, with 20 left I was second last but managed to pick up a few good hands and got paid. I became chip leader and never lost it.
UKPI: What would you say are the fundamentals of satellite success?
Kev Bloor: I play position well and keep my chip level up by attacking only players I know I can get to fold when I’m on the rob. If I lose chips I will loosen up and steal to get them back, putting pressure on players for their tournament life. This takes a bit of balls but gear changing is a must. Mix it up and it’s hard for people to read you. Obviously I am talking about a level where it’s worth stealing.
UKPI: Do you put much stock in trying to get information from the other players? Isn’t that a bit pointless playing online?
Kev Bloor: The table was good for the Killarney satellite with plenty of banter. You can learn a lot through the chat box just as you can in live games. However with about an hour left last night (no more info needed) I turned my chat off to fully concentrate on the task of not winning but making sure I didn’t come 5th.
UKPI: Do you continually monitor your position in relation to number of chips required to secure a seat or do you try and let the game come to you more?
Kev Bloor: I mostly monitor my chips in relation to other players and the position I need to finish to get the seat. Knowing how many chips required to secure a seat is one thing, getting them is another. In the Killarney sat I was chip leader which makes life easier. In some GUKPT sats I have finished in last place which is good enough. Some seats are won for you by virtue of another player eliminating opponents for you.
UKPI: What’s the biggest lay down you have ever made in a satellite and can you tell us the reasoning behind that decision?
Kev Bloor: No one hand springs to mind, and it depends on you stack size in relation to your opponent, and how close you are to your goal. For instance if I am certain the guy has AA, and I have KK but it’s only a couple of BB to call which doesn’t affect my stack or make him strong I call to get super lucky, otherwise I lay it down. You want your chips in 70% ahead not 80% behind. Initiating a raise or re raise is one thing, calling them is a different matter.
UKPI: What’s the biggest mistake you have made in a satellite and did you learn anything from it?
Kev Bloor: No one big mistake really stands out, but getting involved when you don’t have to, that’s a mistake I see a lot of. Again coming back to the fact that you don’t have to win these things outright. AJ, KQ, KJ, hands like these out of position can lose you a lot of chips. If you play them and get re-raised you’re not going to like it so much, so don’t get involved out of position
UKPI: Any tips for picking up chips early?
Kev Bloor: One important thing to consider is the texture of your table. Every time you sit down at a poker table the texture is different. Work out your opponents, the weak, strong, plain mad. Knowing them is crucial when making decisions about having to take them on if the occasion arises. I don’t deliberately set out to accumulate chips early on. Usually pot sizes are relatively small early on unless you have a maniac on the table. Patience and position are the two most important attributes to your game.
UKPI: Do you think your still learning about the game?
Kev Bloor: Definitely, I think I you learn something about the game every time you play or pick up an article. I’m not one for in depth analysis about strategy or the maths of the game but of course I use both, you can’t play without them. I find blogs interesting and you’d be surprised how much you can pick up from them. Today I read Ian Frazer’s WSOP blog where he talks about sitting down early at the table he is about to play. The reason? Well sitting there already will be the 2/3 eager beavers usually inexperienced who he can “chat to” and gain information about them in 10 minutes that might take him two hours to find out during play. Simple innit.
Thanks for taking the time Kev and good luck in Ireland, Oh yeah, try not to drink too much of the black stuff!
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Comments
5 Responses to “UKPI’s Online Poker Satellite King Spills the Beans!”
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excellent article, Kev
Great read…good luck in the M.E..
Enjoyable read. I was reading a pretty high level theoretical article the other day that mentioned that there’s a direct correlation between good satellite players and ugly old men with grey hair and a penchant for Guinness. Uncanny!!
Ty James, how are you matey? Is UKPI getting a relaunch or what?
Cheers Brasso.
Squirmy can’t argue with that. BTW go F*** yourself
Great interview Kev and a great addition to UKPI, I hope we see more of these type of interviews here. Never know I might get to be interviewed for a change, not that could be comical reading,,,
Well done buddy now bring home some spondula