Sunday Noon Gates Tournament

Anyone here play in the Golden Gates Sunday Noon tournament? The website shows 15k in chips and 30 minute blinds for $100 buyin. I'm curious as to what the blinds start at and the progression of the blinds. Hopefully it's not too aggressive and leaves some room for play. I don't usually head up on Sunday (unless it's late), does anyone know how many tables they run for this one?

I'll be heading up for this tournament Sunday if anyone wants to meet up and donate to my cause.

There's a remote chance I'll head up for this. I'd like to get a nice cash tourney in before my Vega$ trip, so we'll see.

Scrupboy wrote:Anyone here play in the Golden Gates Sunday Noon tournament? The website shows 15k in chips and 30 minute blinds for $100 buyin. I'm curious as to what the blinds start at and the progression of the blinds. Hopefully it's not too aggressive and leaves some room for play. I don't usually head up on Sunday (unless it's late), does anyone know how many tables they run for this one?

I'll be heading up for this tournament Sunday if anyone wants to meet up and donate to my cause.

This sounds an awful lot like "The 300" which is a $100 with 2 $100 re-buys and if you buy all $300 worth up front you get 15K in chips. I wonder if they moved the 300 to noon and are advertising it as 15K in chips for $100 and when you get up there you realize you have to buy $300 up front to get the full 15k.


Strange as the 300 used to be exactly the same only 3 o clock instead of noon. I would call and ask if it is a rebuy.

Their site says "no rebuys"

$100
15,00 chips
30 minute blinds

I'd be interested to see the blind schedule.

PoWdA wrote:

Scrupboy wrote:Anyone here play in the Golden Gates Sunday Noon tournament? The website shows 15k in chips and 30 minute blinds for $100 buyin. I'm curious as to what the blinds start at and the progression of the blinds. Hopefully it's not too aggressive and leaves some room for play. I don't usually head up on Sunday (unless it's late), does anyone know how many tables they run for this one?

I'll be heading up for this tournament Sunday if anyone wants to meet up and donate to my cause.

This sounds an awful lot like "The 300" which is a $100 with 2 $100 re-buys and if you buy all $300 worth up front you get 15K in chips. I wonder if they moved the 300 to noon and are advertising it as 15K in chips for $100 and when you get up there you realize you have to buy $300 up front to get the full 15k.


Strange as the 300 used to be exactly the same only 3 o clock instead of noon. I would call and ask if it is a rebuy.

The "300" was a Gilpin tournament, not Golden Gates.

I think they start the blinds at 100/100 on this one. I was up there at the begining of May, and I think they had 5 tables

Mondogarage wrote:

PoWdA wrote:

Scrupboy wrote:Anyone here play in the Golden Gates Sunday Noon tournament? The website shows 15k in chips and 30 minute blinds for $100 buyin. I'm curious as to what the blinds start at and the progression of the blinds. Hopefully it's not too aggressive and leaves some room for play. I don't usually head up on Sunday (unless it's late), does anyone know how many tables they run for this one?

I'll be heading up for this tournament Sunday if anyone wants to meet up and donate to my cause.

This sounds an awful lot like "The 300" which is a $100 with 2 $100 re-buys and if you buy all $300 worth up front you get 15K in chips. I wonder if they moved the 300 to noon and are advertising it as 15K in chips for $100 and when you get up there you realize you have to buy $300 up front to get the full 15k.


Strange as the 300 used to be exactly the same only 3 o clock instead of noon. I would call and ask if it is a rebuy.

The "300" was a Gilpin tournament, not Golden Gates.

Wow that is the key point I think... oops

I won't even play in it if it starts 100/100. They make you think you are getting more for your money by starting you out with so many chips when in reality it is another donkfest crapshoot. The blinds will be 500/1000 before you know it. GL.

The 300 is the only tourney I will play up there btw. Blinds started at 25/50 and increased every 30 minutes with no major jumps with 15k in chips to start. That was a real good tourney fro up there. I enjoyed it a lot.

Yeah, the 300 is a GREAT tournament. This GG one just seems like it could be a better then the norm tournament with the 30 minute blinds plus I don't really want to throw $300 in a tourney this week. I'm sure the blinds do start higher and 100/100 wouldn't be too bad with the 30 minute rounds. Thanks for the info all. I hope you can make it Mondo. If you show up I will treat you to a free cocktail!

On another note, I just found out that I will be in Vegas June 18 - 20. I wish I had the roll to play in a WSOP event, but it's looking more like I'll be playing one of the Deep Stack event's at the Venetian.

We're gonna miss each other by a week -- I'm going from June 5-9. Plan is to play one of the Venetian $180s (moved to 8pm from noon during the Deep Stack, and I'm not really rolled for the Deep Stacks being played on the dates I'm there). And then play one of the noon Caesar $150s, that also have a good stack, even if antes kick in too quick to actually call it "deep". Basically, I figure I can dump $350 or so on tourney buy-ins, which gives me one Deep Stack, or two non official deep stack, yet still good play, tournies.

Unfortunately, my schedule's kinda fluid, I may not make both, because I have to play 4 hours a day at MGM to get the poker rate, and take wifey to a show, take wifey to Rio to live rail some WSOP, and spend some pool time, etc. But I may make the Venetian on the 5th, and if I top 3 that puppy (first should be something like $13k or so), I'll play a WSOP $1500 instead of Caesar's.

As for this Sunday, I'm going to try to talk wifey into it, but if we end up going to Idaho Springs on Saturday, there's probably no chance we take two mountain trips this weekend.

Blinds do start at 100-100 and with 30 mintue rounds, I'd say it's the most play for the money. With that in mind, the 300 is by far the best tourney up the hill, but decent "value" for $100 is at the Gates on Sunday.

Good luck to all in Vegas, and Ceasar's tourney is decently deep. I played one last August for $200 and with 40 minute rounds and 7500 chips to start it was a nice long, slow tourney. After 7.5 hours, we made it down to 3 and I walked with $1800 bucks after some wheeling and dealing.

Just missing you out there Mondo. It would be kind of weird though, not running into you in CO then seeing you in LV. Good luck out there and hope to see you Sunday. I'll be sure to check the forum before I leave Sunday morning.

Have you played this one Keith? Do you know how they progress forward with the blinds? If they keep the normal structure and just eliminate the 25/50 and 50/100 then the 30 minute blinds would make this a decent tournament. And starting at 100/100 instead of 100/200, which I'm guessing would be the next level, would mean that after one hour of play the blinds would be at the same level as one of their regular 20 minute structures. That being said, the game would become much deeper after the first hour.

We have played this tourney and I am not positive but I think the blinds break down as followed:

100-100
100-200
200-400
300-600
400-800
500-1000
1500-3000
2000-4000
3000-6000

Play seemed pretty tight early and as the blinds progress it was heading quickly towards the all-in or fold donkament that most tourneys end up at. The 30 minute rounds help, but in the end, blinds are too high for post flop poker. There were 5 tables when we played and after 3 hours, there were still 3 tables left, leaving about an average M of 10....who knows what happened after that. Good luck on your trip.

Scrupboy wrote:Just missing you out there Mondo. It would be kind of weird though, not running into you in CO then seeing you in LV. Good luck out there and hope to see you Sunday. I'll be sure to check the forum before I leave Sunday morning.

Have you played this one Keith? Do you know how they progress forward with the blinds? If they keep the normal structure and just eliminate the 25/50 and 50/100 then the 30 minute blinds would make this a decent tournament. And starting at 100/100 instead of 100/200, which I'm guessing would be the next level, would mean that after one hour of play the blinds would be at the same level as one of their regular 20 minute structures. That being said, the game would become much deeper after the first hour.

If I do go, I should probably know by Saturday, and I'll post it here. If I *do* manage to make it up there, do you wanna swap 10 or 20% of each other? I don't even know what you look like, but you can find a pic of me on my blog, or show your ass up at Crown Lanes on Friday.

I will be up there Saturday and we are staying the night, but I will be way too hungover to play in a tourney at noon.

Mondogarage wrote:

Scrupboy wrote:Just missing you out there Mondo. It would be kind of weird though, not running into you in CO then seeing you in LV. Good luck out there and hope to see you Sunday. I'll be sure to check the forum before I leave Sunday morning.

Have you played this one Keith? Do you know how they progress forward with the blinds? If they keep the normal structure and just eliminate the 25/50 and 50/100 then the 30 minute blinds would make this a decent tournament. And starting at 100/100 instead of 100/200, which I'm guessing would be the next level, would mean that after one hour of play the blinds would be at the same level as one of their regular 20 minute structures. That being said, the game would become much deeper after the first hour.

If I do go, I should probably know by Saturday, and I'll post it here. If I *do* manage to make it up there, do you wanna swap 10 or 20% of each other? I don't even know what you look like, but you can find a pic of me on my blog, or show your ass up at Crown Lanes on Friday.

Wish I could make it to Crown Lanes today, but the wife is already a little PO'd at me today. I got a wild hair up my ass last night and made a quick trip up the hill around 9:30 PM. I'll post a little more about that in another thread.

Yeah, I'd agree to a share of the potential profits. I spoke with Jason up there yesterday and he informed me that it can become a pretty long tournament. As Keith pointed out, the structure isn't the greatest, but not too bad for the money and probably the second best tournament next to the "300" IMO. I'm told that the tournament usually ends around 8 or 9 PM.

As far as what I look like, I'll be the Asian guy playing poker. Let me see if I can find a pic somewhere.

idh78 wrote:I will be up there Saturday and we are staying the night, but I will be way too hungover to play in a tourney at noon.

It's at noon man! They close that place at 2:00 AM giving you plenty of time to get up by noon. Plus if you are already up there and I'm running late you can buy me in! See you up there!

Hmmm....honestly, if it doesn't end until 8-9pm, that pretty much rules me out. Wifey wants a trip up there, but she doesn't have the patience to wait for eight hours while I take down a tourney. 5-6 hours, tops. And since I won't play 2-5 no fold'em.....hmm. Let's just say the odds are pretty slim I'll be there, but I wouldn't quite rule it out just yet.

Mondogarage wrote:Hmmm....honestly, if it doesn't end until 8-9pm, that pretty much rules me out. Wifey wants a trip up there, but she doesn't have the patience to wait for eight hours while I take down a tourney. 5-6 hours, tops. And since I won't play 2-5 no fold'em.....hmm. Let's just say the odds are pretty slim I'll be there, but I wouldn't quite rule it out just yet.

No need to explain how long the tourney goes and if you make it deep she will root for ya!

Scrupboy wrote:

Mondogarage wrote:Hmmm....honestly, if it doesn't end until 8-9pm, that pretty much rules me out. Wifey wants a trip up there, but she doesn't have the patience to wait for eight hours while I take down a tourney. 5-6 hours, tops. And since I won't play 2-5 no fold'em.....hmm. Let's just say the odds are pretty slim I'll be there, but I wouldn't quite rule it out just yet.

No need to explain how long the tourney goes and if you make it deep she will root for ya!

Well, that's what I'm *hoping* to do, but I actually have a better relationship with wifey than that. I'm pretty damn honest and upfront with her about these things. What will probably ultimately happen is that I'll have to choose between playing two Vega$ tourneys next week, or give up one in order to play eight hours on Sunday. Given the choice, not sure which way I'll lean. Winning Sunday would fund my whole trip, but you can't assume a victory, ya know.

We'll see what happens...maybe she'll say just go by yourself, see you at 9pm, lol. But probably not.

Would it be worth my time to try to convince my wife to let me go play this? I've never played up the hill, so I have no idea of the quality of the players or the tourney other than the rants in other posts.

If you have any skill in semi deep-stacked tourneys, you're probably +EV in this thing. Sounds like decent value for money (actually, great value for BH, at any rate).

I will definitely play this...just don't know if I can *this* week.

Honestly you guys, not to burst anyones bubble, but I think the gates had a nearly identical tourney a few months ago, if not the exact same toureny, and it was awful. I think I posted about it on DP.com.

I am boycotting all but the best tourney structures. I have lost enough in tourenys with bad structures and find myself sitting up there saying "why did I come up here for this again for this crapshoot, I know better" too many times. I remember when I went the tourney that was like this one at the gates a month or 2 after the first HPT thinking "wow, the gates learned a thing or two from heartland!" but was immedietly turned off once I learned my $100 had gone toward a tourney with 100/100 starting blinds. I am not trying to be a killjoy, but you won't find me in this tourney.

I think this may be similar to getting throw-up-on-myself drunk: I have to try it once, just to see why I shouldn't do it again... Chalk it up to another life lesson.

Hahahah....so my wife just called, and told me she thinks going up the hill on Sunday is a great idea.

I told her Danny said the noon tourney structure sucks balls. She said that cemented why going is a great idea.

Okay, one of those lines above didn't actually take place. But we're going, and I'm playing. She wants to reacquaint herself with low limit donkey poker, for our Vega$ trip. She didn't ask how long the tourney could last, and I didn't offer.

If I get the go-ahead from my wife (won't talk to her until tonight), I'd be interested in the profit sharing as posted above. I'll post here once I know.