Tourney Circus Tournament Game Structure (1 Viewer)

[JMC9389]

Outside of @CraigT78 , has anyone done a tournament with circus games? I like the idea of having one at some point next year with my regular crew and with the local PCF'ers as well as both groups of players for the most part like playing mixed games.

I would plan on a traditional T10000 starting stack structure with rebuys the first two hours, but has anyone had any luck with doing a deep stack format? Given the variance in a lot of these games, I would imagine regardless of stack size, playing for stacks with mixed games especially if there's no betting cap would result in some early knockouts, and as a result, would be best to be played as a game with rebuys.

The problem then becomes what games to play. I'm not sure I like the idea of split pot games like SOHE or any kind of high/lo game. However, the aspect of split pot games would add an interesting dynamic to betting. Craig, how did that play out at DID?

The idea otherwise would be to play a rotation of six games. What do you guys think of the list? Any particular order that's best or just throw them in a blender and let them go?

Super Hold 'Em
Three Handed Hold 'Em
Omaha (four card, hi only)
Five Card Omaha (hi/lo)
Scrotum (hi only)
Icelandic Scarney

I appreciate any suggestions for any substitutions or order in which the games can be played!

 

[CraigT78]

Outside of @CraigT78 , has anyone done a tournament with circus games? I like the idea of having one at some point next year with my regular crew and with the local PCF'ers as well as both groups of players for the most part like playing mixed games.

I would plan on a traditional T10000 starting stack structure with rebuys the first two hours, but has anyone had any luck with doing a deep stack format? Given the variance in a lot of these games, I would imagine regardless of stack size, playing for stacks with mixed games especially if there's no betting cap would result in some early knockouts, and as a result, would be best to be played as a game with rebuys.

The problem then becomes what games to play. I'm not sure I like the idea of split pot games like SOHE or any kind of high/lo game. However, the aspect of split pot games would add an interesting dynamic to betting. Craig, how did that play out at DID?

The idea otherwise would be to play a rotation of six games. What do you guys think of the list? Any particular order that's best or just throw them in a blender and let them go?

Super Hold 'Em
Three Handed Hold 'Em
Omaha (four card, hi only)
Five Card Omaha (hi/lo)
Scrotum (hi only)
Icelandic Scarney

I appreciate any suggestions for any substitutions or order in which the games can be played!

I'll write out a reply later today, but having done many of these, it's a blast.

 

[doublebooyah85]

following

 

[CraigT78]

For DiD I ran the following:

God's Game, SOHE, Draw2MaHa, Scrotum 8
5-7 Players - change every orbit
3-4 Players - change every two orbits
Heads Up - change on clock

20 players, 15k starting stack and the blinds below. Freezeout.
Tournament started at 7pm and ended effectively at midnight. (Round 15)

Level,Duration,Game Type,Game Name,Small Blind,Big Blind,Start Time,Chip Up
Round 1,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,100,100,0:00,no
Round 2,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,100,200,0:15,no
Round 3,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,100,300,0:30,no
Round 4,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,200,400,0:45,no
Break 1,15m,,,,,1:00,no
Round 5,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,300,600,1:15,no
Round 6,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,400,800,1:30,no
Round 7,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,600,"1,200",1:45,no
Round 8,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,800,"1,600",2:00,no
Break 2,15m,,,,,2:15,yes
Round 9,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,"1,000","2,000",2:30,no
Round 10,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,"1,500","3,000",2:45,no
Round 11,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,"2,000","4,000",3:00,no
Round 12,15m,Pot Limit,Mixed,"3,000","6,000",3:15,no
Break 3,20m,,,,,3:30,yes
Round 13,15m,Pot Limit,God's Game,"4,000","8,000",3:50,no
Round 14,15m,Pot Limit,SOHE,"6,000","12,000",4:05,no
Round 15,15m,Pot Limit,Draw2MaHa,"8,000","16,000",4:20,no
Round 16,15m,Pot Limit,Scrotum8,"10,000","20,000",4:35,no

The home Circus tournament I run 25 minute levels, 20k starting stacks and with 12 players and it ends around level 14. Ignore the game name in the table below. We used a God's Game, SOHE, Draw2MaHa, Scrotum8 rotation.

I really like playing by the orbit with a full table, instead of by blind level, as everyone gets to play the game in every position - even if the blinds go up in between.

The split pot adds time to the tournament - but if you have someone experienced with keeping the pot sit in the middle of the table, it goes much smoother.

You could absolutely go with a 6 game rotation - but I would suggest to keep all games a split pot or a single pot game - don't mix and match.

 

[JMC9389]

Good idea on keeping the games either hi only or just hi/lo, it may get confusing for the players if the games constantly change and add whether it's hi/lo or hi only on top of it. To start off, I think I would go with a hi only layout, which would disqualify scarney from the last.

Another good way to do it, I think, is to pick two each of a hold em/pineapple variant, an Omaha variant, and two "wild cards" where Scrotum and another game like Badugi or 2-7 lowball can come into play. Orbit plus one for each game.

With 20K starting stacks, did you allow rebuys? T10000 starting stacks, even starting at low blinds, may be a bit shallow if games are played where a lot of chips go in quickly. Do you do 20K starting stacks and allow rebuys?

 

[CraigT78]

I don't remember if I had rebuys, I'll check and get back to you.

 

[CraigT78]

I did offer rebuys through level 6 - and we have 5 on average.

 

[Nanook]

@CraigT78 , @JMC9389

I play mostly live in a cardroom & they play only 2 of the 6 games you mention so I'm not sure how often I would get to play the other games, but you all have me curious. Other games that I am familiar with are stud, stud 8, O8, big O, A-2 tripple draw, badugi etc, but when you guys talk about carnival games it seems like you aren't talking about many of the games I am familiar with. Are there other games too that you play or are these 6 the ones you mostly play?

Super Hold 'Em
Three Handed Hold 'Em
Omaha (four card, hi only)
Five Card Omaha (hi/lo)
Scrotum (hi only)
Icelandic Scarney

 

[CraigT78]

@CraigT78 , @JMC9389

I play mostly live in a cardroom & they play only 2 of the 6 games you mention so I'm not sure how often I would get to play the other games, but you all have me curious. Other games that I am familiar with are stud, stud 8, O8, big O, A-2 tripple draw, badugi etc, but when you guys talk about carnival games it seems like you aren't talking about many of the games I am familiar with. Are there other games too that you play or are these 6 the ones you mostly play?

Super Hold 'Em
Three Handed Hold 'Em
Omaha (four card, hi only)
Five Card Omaha (hi/lo)
Scrotum (hi only)
Icelandic Scarney

My group loves split pot games. Rip in your $1200 stack for a $2402 pot and chop the blinds. I kid, mostly.

Our circus tournament is:
God's game (Double board 5 card Omaha)
SoHe (6 cards, split into Omaha hand and holdem hand preflop)
Scrotum8.
Draw2MaHa

For cash games we play anything in @abby99 game cards - but not too many of the stud versions.

 

[Nanook]

My group loves split pot games.........

For cash games we play anything in @abby99 game cards - but not too many of the stud versions.

Thanks!
I have to look into all of this. Seems like a great way to get gamblers into playing cards

 

[CrazyEddie]

Seems like a great way to get gamblers into playing cards

Other way around.