Last year, GGPoker announced a new subscription model to help players (yes, US players too) satellite into the World Series of Poker Main Event. So … should you try it?
Here is a review of the ClubGG satellite subscription service and experience.
For $49.99 per month, ClubGG allows you unlimited access to round-the-clock satellite tournaments. Twenty-four hours a day there’s at least one satellite per hour.
None of the tourneys are direct to a ticket — they are a satellite to another satellite to another satellite. With membership, you can enter the first step an unlimited number of times; the other satellites are only accessible through qualifying. In other words, you can’t pay your way to a bigger event. It’s an equal playing field and requires climbing the ranks the old-fashioned way. Deeper pockets won’t allow you to skip steps.
More than just the Main Event
A new feature since the club’s initial launch is that you can also satellite into other events — not just the Main Event. From $2,000 poker Cruises to the MSPT Cleveland $1,500 Main Event to other WSOP tourneys, there are now more options with smaller field sizes.
Qualifying for events — any event — happens in three stages. The first satellite has the largest field and the most tickets. Stage 2 is a smaller sit-n-go that can range from 1 to 3 tables, leading to a “final stage” ticket you can use to enter any final-stage tournament. You don’t need to have your mind made up if you’re going to try to qualify for the Millionaire Maker or the Main. The first two satellites will be the same regardless of the event you eventually choose to try and satellite into. A final-stage ticket is applicable to any tournament of its kind.
While you can enter the Stage 1 satellites an unlimited number of times with the $49.99 monthly membership, there are freeroll options for non-paying participants.
Low risk, high reward
Full disclosure: I just renewed my membership to ClubGG because I do believe it has value (especially now that you can win seats to more than just the Main). When I used the service last year, I did make it to the final stage twice, but didn’t secure a seat.
The biggest plus of the service is that it’s low risk with potential for a high reward. For roughly 50 bucks per month, y win $600, $1,500, and, of course, $10,000 seats.
The price is definitely right.
🚨🚨Mar Live Event Prizes on offer🚨🚨
♣️#WSOP Main Event – 4 seats
♣️#WSOPC Bally's LV – 6 seats
♣️MSPT Sycuan, SD Main Event – 24 seats
♣️PrimeSocial Big Bounty Turbo – 5 seats
♣️RGPS Downstream, OK – 20 seats
♣️CardPlayerCruises – 2 certificates👉https://t.co/ux5ovm6b4s pic.twitter.com/Wh5jWF1SvC
— ClubGG (@ClubGG_Poker) March 2, 2022
Also of note is that the field is ridiculously soft (perhaps too soft, but more on that in the next section). Stage 2 mostly consists of winner-takes-all single table sit-n-go’s — although there are a few multi-table options — and most of the participants seem to have near-zero heads-up experience. Any moderately skilled player should be able to crush this stage in particular.
Tedious time suck?
The first major con is, predictably, the time suck. Three rounds of satellite tournaments aren’t easy — and can be very disheartening when you spend the entire week waiting until the final stage on Sunday. Even if you already have a ticket, I highly recommend you continue to enter events to win more of them. Your likelihood of succeeding in all three rounds is, obviously, incredibly low.
Lastly, I mentioned that the player pool is soft. At times, it feels like you’re playing a freeroll or for play money chips. The spaz factor is through the roof, and I would highly discourage bluffs. You need to constantly “best hand” people just as you would playing with any highly inexperienced players. Beginners don’t fold — and they don’t allow themselves to be bluffed. The level of play in the app genuinely feels like it’s many of the participants’ first month playing poker. That naturally increases the variance.
Should you play the ClubGG satellites? Sure, it’s a good deal with the potential for a serious spin-up. Just don’t expect crazy results — you definitely need to run hot — but it’s worth a shot. If you can spare the hours.
