Tourney 8/8/3/1 Tourney stacks (1 Viewer)

larsypoker

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My intro thread got no comments, after a week, so making a new thread that may.

What’s your preferred tourney stack size?

I run a 70BB, 8/8/3/1, 20 chip tourney stack. I like that it is twenty chips and that a rack can hold five ready to go stacks. I like that it is 70BB. Not too deep stacked. I like having one $1000 chip. The other option was a 60BB $3,000 stack by replacing the $1000 with another $500 chip. Having eight of each $25, and $100 is plenty… I only have a small collection of CPC chips at the moment and I have sold off all my old chip sets. Attached is a picture of my chips. Thanks for sharing your tourney ideas

Rounders chips by Classic Poker Chips
 

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My intro thread got no comments, after a week, so making a new thread that may.

What’s your preferred tourney stack size?

I run a 70BB, 8/8/3/1, 20 chip tourney stack. I like that it is twenty chips and that a rack can hold five ready to go stacks. I like that it is 70BB. Not too deep stacked. I like having one $1000 chip. The other option was a 60BB $3,000 stack by replacing the $1000 with another $500 chip. Having eight of each $25, and $100 is plenty… I only have a small collection of CPC chips at the moment and I have sold off all my old chip sets. Attached is a picture of my chips. Thanks for sharing your tourney ideas

Rounders chips by Classic Poker Chips
Most people here would tell you that 100bb is the minimum you would want to start with. And a lot of us start at around 200bb using 8/8/4/7 or 8/8/2/8.

I personally use T100 as the smallest chip and do 10/4/7/2 (T100/T500/T1k/T5k). 20-30min levels and starting the big blind ante in level 2:

100/100
100/100 (sometimes skip)
100/200
100/300
200/400
300/600
400/800
500/1000 (sometimes skip)
600/1200
800/1600
1000/2000
1000/2500 (sometimes skip)
1500/3000
2000/4000

Starting with only 70bb, how long do your tournies last? What are the length of the levels and the structure? Generally the latest tournies end is around the point there is only 20-40bb in play.
 
Starting with only 70bb, how long do your tournies last? What are the length of the levels and the structure? Generally the latest tournies end is around the point there is only 20-40bb in play.
I’ve played around with various structures for blinds, levels, re-buys and add-ons, and whatnot but haven’t necessarily implemented any but the most basic facets of them in any tourney I have run myself. COVID has made it difficult to get a good group together to play.

Starting out with blinds at 25/50 (70BB) and then 50/100, 75/150, 100/200, 150/300, 250/500, 350/700, remove greens/ level 2 400/800 500/1000 …

Having stacks pre-made and ready to go in racks is really convenient and is the primary factor behind the 70BB starting stack size. The fact that 8/8/3/1 is twenty chips. Its enough chips that you can get involved but it’s not so many chips that you can easily splash around in every pot. As you would in a deep-stack tourney. I haven’t run into any logistics problems using a 70BB starting stack so far. And the tourneys usually run for a reasonable amount of time.
 
Welcome! Nice rounders chips!
Thanks! I’ve recently plowed through multiple sets of chips. Bought and sold each one as I found better chips. Grabbed the Laurel crown ceramics first. Very nice looking chips, but ceramic chips aren’t for me. Then got a set of Dunes commemorative chips. I really liked the Dunes chips. Very casino-like quality and texture. Also pretty affordable. Then I found the Rounders chips. Ordered some samples and made the switch.
 
An 8-8-2-2 would satisfy the 20-chip stack, and get a little extra boost to 80bb.
Yes! I made the choice between the three basic, 20 chip stacks.

8/8/4 $3,000 (60BB)
8/8/3/1 $3,500 (70BB)
8/8/2/2 $4,000 (80BB)

In my practice runs they all performed well enough. The more 1000 chips you add the higher the potential for change issues.

Preference being entirely subjective, as there have been no issues with the new format. My players prefer these tourneys compared to the deep stack 100-200BB tourneys I used to run. And personally, I vastly prefer ready-to-go stacks. The old method took so much set-up time. Getting out racks upon racks and then counting, and lining up, and making sure everything adds up takes awhile. I only wish I had figured this out sooner. I did what I saw others were doing for so long without question.
 
In my group the more chips the better. However we generally only have 8-10 folks playing.
The more, the merrier! A full table sounds nice. Haven’t seen one of those outside of casinos in years.

I’m a 12/12/5/6 (t25-t1000) guy myself. I feel 8 25/100 forces too much change making early on
Sounds like a nice starting stack. $10,000 is loads of action for players. Honestly, $3,500 isn’t as bad as you might think. Normally the pot makes change. Depends on betting/raising patterns of the players. The more $25 chips in the bet sizing the more change might become an issue. but haven’t had any issues myself.
 
...The old method took so much set-up time. Getting out racks upon racks and then counting, and lining up, and making sure everything adds up takes awhile. I only wish I had figured this out sooner. I did what I saw others were doing for so long without question.
I would argue, meticulously setting up the stacks in a visually pleasing manner, checking every detail of your equipment, choosing which dealer button and what set of cards (and cut cards) you'll be using that night, represents a significant part of my enjoyment as the host.
Going for only 20 chips / player and 70bb stacks just because it's convenient to store and set up wouldn't feel right to me.

Welcome to the forum!
 
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It's interesting how we all have different preferences. I agree with OfficerLovejoy, making the starting stacks is fun. Also, you talk about how long it takes. How long can it possibly take for one not full table? Two more minutes? Is it perhaps an OCD issue trying to get to 20 chips? Hey, if it works for you and your players like it, then look no further and enjoy! For me, I enjoy more chips visually, and I HATE people having to make change. So my stacks are always the more standard 10-12 of each of the smaller denoms. Nice Rounders chips you have!
 
Most people here would tell you that 100bb is the minimum you would want to start with. And a lot of us start at around 200bb using 8/8/4/7 or 8/8/2/8.

I personally use T100 as the smallest chip and do 10/4/7/2 (T100/T500/T1k/T5k). 20-30min levels and starting the big blind ante in level 2:

100/100
100/100 (sometimes skip)
100/200
100/300
200/400
300/600
400/800
500/1000 (sometimes skip)
600/1200
800/1600
1000/2000
1000/2500 (sometimes skip)
1500/3000
2000/4000

Starting with only 70bb, how long do your tournies last? What are the length of the levels and the structure? Generally the latest tournies end is around the point there is only 20-40bb in play.
I have noticed that most people with T100 as the smallest chip start at 100/100 blinds. Why is that, and why is it not done with T5 or T25 starting chips? There must be a good reason for it because everybody does it. Thanks.
 
I have noticed that most people with T100 as the smallest chip start at 100/100 blinds. Why is that, and why is it not done with T5 or T25 starting chips? There must be a good reason for it because everybody does it. Thanks.
Mostly just to keep it in line with what happens in casinos these days. Other than that, there is no "good" reason.

Also counting in 25s is a little more annoying. And you get to use slightly less chips with T100 base.
 
The more, the merrier! A full table sounds nice. Haven’t seen one of those outside of casinos in years.


Sounds like a nice starting stack. $10,000 is loads of action for players. Honestly, $3,500 isn’t as bad as you might think. Normally the pot makes change. Depends on betting/raising patterns of the players. The more $25 chips in the bet sizing the more change might become an issue. but haven’t had any issues myself.
Loads of action with 200 BB? I play in this game every month and we have had rebuys in less than 10 minutes! Lol @krafticus runs the best game in town!
Screenshot_20200219-124240_Gallery.jpg


We play in a 100bb game and I am not a fan! Yeah it's cheap but I would much rather pay 3 times more to play and get a decent stack and play cards! What is money in this crazy world over time allotted for poker? Getting a game together and all the calls and messages, it's a lot of work! Then just to run a glorified Turbo Tourney? I know a few people do this to get it out of the way because they don't really want to host tournaments, they want to draw in cash players from the tourney so they run something quick and hope you stick around to play cash!

70 BB? Ok so you get a decent builder hand raise to what 3BB, flop 2 pair but two cards to the straight draw bet 6BB, turn is a gutter ball bet 12 BB with your two pair, on the river the straight gets there, you check Villan bets 15 BB you call. Ohh the well nice hand! Well that was 50% of your stack!

Our home game STT we run 300BB 16/16/8/9, lots of chips in play so making change is never an issue, it takes about 10 minutes to set up the table and chairs and count the chips out for starting stacks. We allow unlimited rebuys till the second chip up, we do 20 minute levels and the tourney usually lasts about 3.5 - 4 hours. It is social/family fun, the kids that are learning can last a couple hours, the card players can make a couple mistakes and still survive, it just works for us.

We co host a meet up every year in Ohio with 16/16/12/12 20k starting stacks and unlimited rebuys, Yes that's a lot of chips for multiple tables but everyone loves it!
171A4143-FCA3-4A65-BBF4-1D06845F1D00.jpeg.jpg

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What I have never heard a single person say is "man this would be amazing if we had less chips in play!"

We all run our own set ups and what works for us, if it works for your group great. The majority of games we play run 12/12/5/6 T10k 200BB.

There are lots of Tourney build threads that say 8/8/x/x is perfect... but if you run it a few times and get tired of hearing "hey do you have change" every couple hands, you may want to consider running 12/12, it really does flow very well.

Fellow Chipper Ben
 
Mostly just to keep it in line with what happens in casinos these days. Other than that, there is no "good" reason.

Also counting in 25s is a little more annoying. And you get to use slightly less chips with T100 base.
Mostly just to keep it in line with what happens in casinos these days. Other than that, there is no "good" reason.

Also counting in 25s is a little more annoying. And you get to use slightly less chips with T100 base.
I much prefer the T100 base any day. And I like 100/100, that way you can start with, say, T15k starting stacks being 150BB since it's the closest to 100BB SS. I have a tourney set of under 450 chips that can accommodate up to 21 people with T20k stacks, and prefer deeper Starting stacks (although blind level 1 to 2 halves your stack value) so 100/100 starting blinds work best.

This is all coming from mainly a cash game player.
 
Hey, if it works for you and your players like it, then look no further and enjoy!
There’s the truth of it!

If someone came on and said “I run a 1BB tourney.” Sure the players are all-in if they play a single hand but people enjoy the fast paced action and unlimited re-buys. I wouldn’t get on and convince them about my ‘normal’ tourneys structure being right. I would either find some way to relate, and talk poker, or I would say nothing at all. I wouldn’t assume this person only runs 1BB games. But hey it’s the interwebs and that’s what peoples ‘nice’ looks like online. I appreciate all the responses. Even the ones who seem apprehensive about low BB games. Enjoy your day
 
[...]
If someone came on and said “I run a 1BB tourney.” Sure the players are all-in if they play a single hand but people enjoy the fast paced action and unlimited re-buys. I wouldn’t get on and convince them about my ‘normal’ tourneys structure being right. I would either find some way to relate, and talk poker, or I would say nothing at all. [...]
I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here. So you would only post if you agree with the op and never formulate a differing opinion or you would just change the subject?
I'm pretty happy that I was shown better ways to run my games than I did before I came on here. Sometimes it is allright to assume someone more experienced in a certain field might know more about a topic than oneself.
 
Mostly just to keep it in line with what happens in casinos these days. Other than that, there is no "good" reason.

Also counting in 25s is a little more annoying. And you get to use slightly less chips with T100 base.
Yeah, but there must be a good reason why casinos do it. Maybe the reason casinos do it doesn't apply to home games as much. Anyway I'd love to hear more from people as to why T100 tournaments start with the small and big blinds the same.
 
You asked a question (“what’s your preferred tourney stack size”), and got different answers. Some didn’t support what you wanted to hear, and it’s lolz internet? Uhhh. Ok.
Got lots of preferred tourney stack sizing. Only a handful decided I was doing something they would not do and I should know about it. Nobody died, or got hospitalized. So I’d say it was a smashing success.
 
T5 base 10/10/7/3 for a 2,500 stack. All 5s and 25s color up neatly into 100s. Rebuys are 5x500. Try to never use anything higher than 500 but I do have some 1k just in case. Blind structure is set up to what I’ve found is the sweet spot for a stt and always ends between 3.5 and 4 hours unless something crazy happens.
 
If you're really committed to barrel-based stack sizings, a slightly tweaked option could be to try T25 20/20/5/5 totaling 10k; it's 2.5 barrels per person instead of 1, but two of those stacks still fits cleanly into a single rack for ease of storage and/or setup, and you'd be setting up players up with 200BB instead of <100.
 

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