Dara O'Kearney (Satellite Specialist) - Ask Me Anything about satellites/knockouts

[Dara OKearney]

What cities are you hoping to visit to play poker? And when you do travel to places, do you often spend a lot of time there?

Vancouver is one for sure! I've also never played in Holland so I'd like to play Amsterdam at some point, and I've heard great things about new zealand.

If the place is nice I always try to have a few days there before or after the poker to take it in.

Thanks for your question!

 

[Dara OKearney]

Respect Dara,
Is there an age limit after which a person should not start playing poker if they want to be at all successful?

Definitely not in my opinion! I was 42 when I started and I believe wsop main event final tableist Pierre Neuville was even older!

Thank you

 

[Dara OKearney]

Hi Dara, did I play this wrong somehow or just a stupid cooler?

We're on the bubble for Sunday Million sattelite. 5 Tickets and 6 players left.

Should I have jammed pre-flop? I decided otherwise due to the two smaller stacks. But definitely cannot fold this pre-flop.

PokerStars, $9.80 + $1.20 - Hold'em No Limit - 800/1,600 (200 ante) - 6 players
Replay this hand on CardsChat

UTG: 21,329 (13 bb)
MP: 40,424 (25 bb)
CO (Hero): 28,016 (18 bb)
BU: 45,412 (28 bb)
SB: 22,314 (14 bb)
BB: 28,505 (18 bb)

Pre-Flop: (3,600) Hero is CO with T♠ T♥
2 players fold, Hero raises to 3,200, 2 players fold, BB calls 1,600

Flop: (8,400) J♠ 6♠ 7♣ (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets 3,200, BB calls 3,200

Turn: (14,800) 8♣ (2 players)
BB bets 5,476, Hero raises to 21,416 (all-in), BB calls 15,940

River: (57,632) 3♦ (2 players, 1 all-in)

Total pot: 57,632

Showdown:
CO (Hero) shows T♠ T♥ (a pair of Tens)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 81%, Flop: 77%, Turn: 68%, River: 0%)

BB shows 6♣ 3♣ (two pair, Sixes and Threes)
(Equity - Pre-Flop: 19%, Flop: 23%, Turn: 32%, River: 100%)

BB wins 57,632

That's pretty brutal!

On the bubble I think jamming pre is the best option.

 

[Dara OKearney]

hi dara,
live satellite for monster €760 package, 5 tickets, 7 left.
CL (aggressive but good solid player & best at table who i know well & have played with) has 45bb, me 25bb & rest range 15bb-25bb, so no-one safe.

Button raises 2bb, sb 25bb calls, i have 25bb in bb with 5c8c. I call. is this my first mistake & always a fold with this hand or similar 2 gappers even if suited?

flop 3c,5d,Tc. I honestly did not know whether to check/raise, donk out, or check/call ? opinion?

in the end, i donked 3bb (40% pot), button min raises me, sb folds. Even though around 55% at best, i folded.

think i played the hand horribly and its always either a check/raise all in, or a check/call & re-evaluate on turn, as i will have a lot more information on the turn. which would be better option?

That's a tough spot, they're all close decisions. I'd fold pre but the call is very defensible. We should be a lot tighter near satellite bubbles especially multi-way. The biggest difference strategy wise compared to chip Ev is we basically want to play much less postflop and get it in preflop more with fold equity. When we do go post we want to usually win the hand, so multiway with a weak holding is not a recipe for that.

Flop is close too: my order of preference check call>bet call>check raise. As played I think we have to call the raise even though it's gross: we are hoping to improve or get a check back on the turn. We are check folding unimproved.

Tough spot!

 

[Poker Orifice]

Hi Dara, What is your recommendation to start playing satellites, what book or video we will read or see?
Thanks for your advice.

Umm... I'll give this question a go.

Perhaps take a look at this book here.

 

[jonaselloco]

Hi Cardschat,

I am Dara O’Kearney, known as Doke online. I am an Irish poker professional tournament player, with over $1 million in live earnings and more than $3 million in online MTTs, not to mention 8 PocketFives Triple Crowns.

I am perhaps best known for being a satellite specialist. I have won over $1 million in online satellites alone and have just written a new book on this subject called Poker Satellite Strategy:

Away from the tables I am the co-host of the Global Poker Award winning Chip Race Podcast and sponsored by Unibet Poker. Prior to poker I was an ultra marathon runner

Cardschat have kindly agreed to let me do an Ask Me Anything thread where you can ask me anything at all about satellites and tournament strategy. This will be on an ongoing basis, I’ll be checking in most weeks starting this one to answer your questions and to begin with I will be around tomorrow to answer the first batch.

Also this month I will give a free copy of my book on Apple iBooks to my favourite question, once a week for the next four weeks.

AMA


Dara

Hi Dara, how are you?

The question is, what is the main difference between, for example, playing a satellite MTT and an MTT, for example, Bounty Builder???

Thank you

Carlos from argentina

 

[venycyos]

I have read most of your responses, I also love playing satellites, but I feel there are some unforgivable flaws in my playing.

There are several types of satellites, some in the MTT style, others SNG, some 16 player shotouts, some are hyper, others regular. Which ones do you think are the coolest to play and which ones are the most profitable for you?

 

[mattiebumpo]

Hi Dara, looking at the WSOP 2023 satellite structures, some are 10 minute levels and some are 20 minute levels. Of course the 20 minute levels are preferable, but are the 10 minute level events even worth trying?

 

[Atararo14]

Hello Dara, I hope you are doing well.

I would like to have an idea about the bankroll management for playing satellites.

We know that to play MTTs, we need at least 100 buy-ins, but to play satellites I think that a minimum of 100 buy-ins is not enough because we are not always qualified for the final tournament.

My question: how many buy-ins do you need to have at least to play the satellites ?

Thank you.

 

[mariussica88]

Hello Dara,

Is your book Poker Satellite Strategy available to buy in Easter Europe? I did not find it in any Romanian sites, and I don't know from where to buy it so that it can be shipped to Romania.

Thanks

 

[kley126]

What speed do you like to play a hyper, turbo or slow satellite?

 

[Gh0stL]

Hi Dara, can you tell me if you follow at someone professional player poker and what you learn from him/her.
Thanks for your reply.

 

[Mr. stonks]

Hi, is it better to play tight or not in knockout tournaments?

 

[Barbeit0]

Hi Cardschat,

I am Dara O’Kearney, known as Doke online. I am an Irish poker professional tournament player, with over $1 million in live earnings and more than $3 million in online MTTs, not to mention 8 PocketFives Triple Crowns.

I am perhaps best known for being a satellite specialist. I have won over $1 million in online satellites alone and have just written a new book on this subject called Poker Satellite Strategy:

Away from the tables I am the co-host of the Global Poker Award winning Chip Race Podcast and sponsored by Unibet Poker. Prior to poker I was an ultra marathon runner

Cardschat have kindly agreed to let me do an Ask Me Anything thread where you can ask me anything at all about satellites and tournament strategy. This will be on an ongoing basis, I’ll be checking in most weeks starting this one to answer your questions and to begin with I will be around tomorrow to answer the first batch.

Also this month I will give a free copy of my book on Apple iBooks to my favourite question, once a week for the next four weeks.

AMA


Dara

Thank you for the information, im learning and this is great for me

 

[Chica_bonita]

Hello, Dara.
I had this question: often when we play , we see the following picture: the closer we are to ITM, the slower the game becomes. It seems that participants with a low stack are dragging their time as much as possible so that they can get into the prize zone. Do you think this is normal or could it be offensive to other players? Can such behavior be regarded as fraud?

And, in general, what do you think about how a player can manage the time that he is given for a turn? Does he have the right to deliberately play as slowly as possible if it is in his interests and is there any vowel or unspoken rules of etiquette about this?

 

[karolll]

Thanks!

 

[Mati532]

Hello Dara, a pleasure first of all to be able to share and read your advice.

Are you a player who firmly follows the tables when it comes to opening, raising, when to fold, when to push all in according to the amount of BBS? My question is due to the fact that in my case there are times when I do what these tables say, but I lose due to bad luck, etc, etc. thank you so much

 

[BOXING71]

useful topic, thanks for the advice, I'm sure that they will be useful to many. I read with pleasure, a lot of new things for me, thanks Dara!

 

[jose_saleh]

Hello Dara, I have a question about knockouts: I understand people tend to play more aggressively to earn bountys, but is that the best way to play this type of game? Should I have a more passive strategy?

Thank you in advance

 

[millya5]

Hello Dara !
I'm interested in a knockout tournament Is it worth registering for these tournaments after registration (late registration) eg late registration 60 minutes! after 30 minutes of playing.. should i register ?

 

[ramorleans]

I love to play low-mid tournaments and sometimes join the satellite just to save some bucks, but that's not how it happens most of the time. I even spend more money on joining a satellite than the real cost of the buy-in for one tournament.

What is your way to determine that it's no longer profitable to join a tournament?

E.g. $55 Tournament with a satellite of SnG $7.50 2 seats out of 16 players. X=?

 

[aurora1207]

Hi Dara.
Is it recommended to try our luck in satellites to hope to win a big ticket or a package one day ?

 

[antonis32123]

Hello Dara ,

Is there a good strategy for step sats ??

i see some sats they have 4 or 5 or 6 (or even more !!!) steps before you win the target (expensive) ticket . I struggle to win in even one sat , although i like them (cheap entry in case you win ) , so winning 4 or 5 or 6 or more in a row seems impossible (plus every next step rewards fewer tickets for the next step ..... ).

Thank you

 

[Atararo14]

Hi Dara, I hope you are well.

Do we have to widen our calling range in knockout tournaments to be profitable ?

Thank you !

 

[EddMaster]

Hi Dara,

There have been multiple occasions where I have managed to satellite into another satellite for a larger tournament, but then fail dramatically on the second satellite. I feel that when I do this online, the odds are against me, but not sure why.
Is there anything you can recommend? (Bare in mind that I do not change my play style between 1st and 2nd satellite tournaments)

Thanks ✌🏼