Fat Bankroll And Massive Perks, Could Chasing Supernova Elite Earn You $200k This Year?
Jan 2013 Update: 2 quick updates for this year. First, there is a new 'Chrome' level in the VIP club, this is really for new and micro players, and SNE chases will be above Silver Star after 3 days or so... meaning no big changes to the math. Second, there are a lot more hyper-turbo games running than last year. These start with 500 chips and 2 minute blinds, meaning you can get a ton of volume. You can find out more about these games in this detailed strategy guide. While some of the complimentary tournament info might have changed, the setup for those seeking SNE (or just Supernova!) this year is as good as ever - the key question is whether you are committed to the chase??
Pokerstars really know how to look after their high volume players. I do not just mean with badges and freerolls either – we are talking perks worth more than $100k which become available as soon as you earn that millionth player point and become a Supernova Elite!
Even part-time players can get significant benefits, with 100,000 points enough to earn you ‘Supernova’ status, with its own list of cash bonuses and other rewards. Those who do not yet have a bankroll for a Supernova Elite chase can also build and grind their way up the levels – starting small and escalating through the year. There have been some big changes to rewards since the first versions of this article were published, including a weekly $30k tournament and quarterly $1 million freeroll for VIP club members.
This article is aimed at those players who want to challenge themselves in 2013, grinding their way to anything from $120k up to $200k when you take even a small positive ROI from your games into account. Sure, this will require discipline and commitment – however if you can multi-table SNGs and maintain a positive return, then there is no reason at all why you can not make it!
If you have not already received our free ‘$16 / hr SNG Blueprint’ course, then now is a great time to sign-up. This gives a solid grounding in the strategy and practical factors required to get you multi-tabling SNG tournaments. You can read a preview (in a new window) by clicking here.
Supernova / Supernova Elite Chase SNGs – The Benefits
SNE status will be worth between $100k and $130k, depending on how you spend your bonuses and tournament entries. There are additional perks, such as upgraded accommodation at live tournaments, and free entry to all the monthly / quarterly freerolls which add even more value – though these are harder to calculate.
Here is the high level breakdown (numbers are approximate - and remember, this is not even including your winnings or the additional multipliers you get for year #2!!). Pokerstars have added a lot of tables and figures for collecting points via different games to their site, you can find this from the homepage by clicking 'VIP Club' through the top menu, then 'supernova' then on the left hand side menu you will find a link to 'Supernova Elite'
- Cash Bonuses Bought With Player Points: $50k to $75k
- Milestone Cash Credits / Stellar Rewards: $45k
- Entry To The WCOOP Main Event: $5k
Total: Between $100k and $125k + Equity from VIP Freeroll Events
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Supernova / Supernova Elite Sit N Goes – How Many Games (And Hours) Are Required?
The number of SNGs required to reach Supernova Elite depends on your buy-in level, with 5.5 VPPs (VIP Club Player Points) for each $1 paid in fees, you will find that the number of games goes down fast once you move on up. While the $16s may involve too many hours for most – there is no reason why you could not build up your bankroll and skills using these games and then progress up the levels as you move through the year. Of course, we have to bear in mind that at the $55+ levels there are less likely to be enough games to multi-table around the clock. We will assume the Turbo levels, starting at the $15s and then go 'half and half' on the $50s / $30s to be realistic.
Approximate Turbo SNG Games Required For SNE @ Pokerstars $15’s = 163,800
Assume 30 per hour (18 tabling) = 5460 hours
Monthly / Weekly / Daily Rate = 455 Hrs Per Month / 105 Per Week / 14.9 Hrs A Day
Approximate Turbo SNG Games Required For SNE @ Pokerstars $30's = 82,644
Assume 30 per hour (18 tabling) = 2755 hours
Monthly / Weekly / Daily Rate = 229 Per Month / 53 Per Week / 7.5 Hrs A Day
Approximate Turbo SNG Games Required For SNG @ Half $30s, Half $60’s = 61,425
Assume 30 per hour (18 tabling) = 2048 hours
Monthly / Weekly / Daily Rate = 170 Per Month / 40 Per Week / 5.6 Hrs A Day
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Made some assumptions here which might need clarifying… First that you start at Bronze Star (basic level), 2nd that the games will be available – this might not be the case at the $60s (though you can always add some $100+ or Fifty50 games to balance). Finally the half $30s / half $60s hourly total might be too low as you will need to make better decisions in these games to maintain a positive ROI – meaning that 18 tabling might not be ideal, I’d suggest 8 hours a day would be a safer assumption.
Supernova Elite Through Sit N Goes – Practical Multi-Tabling And ROI
Lets face it, there are a lot of SNGs to be played! You are going to have to mass multi-table them and lose a little of the profit which comes from keeping a watch on opponents. While stats displays are somewhat less useful in SNGs than cash games – some software to help you identify the fish can make a big difference to your returns. I recommend you check out Tournament Shark from the acclaimed Pro Poker Labs (link will open a new window), this attaches to the tables and gives you win / loss and ability stats for each player.
There are several other steps you can take in order to improve your profitability. Firstly, you will soon get to know the other regular grinders. Avoiding tables where 3, 4 or more are already registered can help at bubble time. You might also want to study hands against them and make specific notes on their play, if they know you are a regular they will probably assume you play the tight early / push late style – a factor you could use to your advantage.
While the hours of grinding might seem long, you should also ensure you make some time to review your sessions and particularly ICM decisions. A leak of just a few cents a game can and does add up over 200k SNGs. Study time will keep you sharp and focused on extracting the maximum. Lets be honest, you only need a 3% ROI over this many games to build up a huge cash pile by the end of the year!
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Supernova Elite Through Sit N Goes – Discipline, Planning, Keeping Ahead And Downswings
The single biggest challenge you will face in your quest for SNE is to maintain your work ethic and motivation throughout the year. I have seen many players burn out of poker completely by leaving it too late and spending the last 6 weeks of the year on a crazy quest to get the points playing 18 hours a day. This can actually cost you a lot of cash, as a positive ROI is very difficult under those circumstances.
You need to get ahead of the chase early, and then stay ahead. It is easy to give up while behind on your pace – if you have already invested in getting ahead then you will find it much easier to keep going.
At some points in the year you will likely hit a downswing, which can make staying motivated very difficult. Maintaining commitment and discipline here is vital, simply being aware that many will stumble at this point is often enough. If not then you need to study, slightly reduce the number of tables you play – and focus on making the best decisions possible above all else.
Just keep your mind on $100k+ in benefits and $100k+ profit from the SNGs… it will be a lot easier to cope with those difficult periods and come out fighting!
Supernova Elite Through SNG Tournaments – Ongoing Benefits And Next Steps
Once you hit Supernova Elite you start to get a 5x FPP multiplier – ensuring that cash bonuses literally fly your way during the 2nd year. All you need to do to maintain this status is hit 7500 VPPs per month – with no more than 1 month’s gap. At this point the bonuses already received will mean you can play at higher stakes, making the 2nd year of SNG a less intensive experience.
What is really great here is that anyone who can multi-table can get there – with just a little commitment, planning and the willingness to study and improve as they go. If you are not sure then my suggestion is to give it a try for a week, see how many points you can earn and see if the lifestyle suits you. I look forward to publishing the success stories of a number of SNG Planet readers come November / December next year.
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