Tourney Favorite starting stack amount (1 Viewer)

[derekdd23]

If you had to choose a starting stack amount for a tournament what would it be? I know this depends a lot on structure, but assume ~5 hours long. This is really subjective, but I am curious to see what people like to start with.

Personally I like a t15k tourney, probably because that is what I am used to.

 

[detroitdad]

Who cares. As long as it's a solid blind level progression

 

[bmichaelhorn]

How does your poll skip t1000? That's my preferred for 5/10 starting blinds.

 

[liftapint]

Depends on what chips I am using

 

[MrWhitt]

I'm a T15k guy but prefer a tourney structure that starts with a few 30 minute levels over starting stacks. Nice way to get enough hands in early during the slower rounds when players are warming up and tables are full.

 

[derekdd23]

How does your poll skip t1000? That's my preferred for 5/10 starting blinds.

I was distracted while creating this, I have now added it.

 

[BGinGA]

Mostly this:

Depends on what chips I am using

but I think the question is better asked in terms of stack size defined by the amount of starting big blinds, rather than by the amount of starting chips (which is rather irrelevant without the accompanying blind structure for perspective).

I prefer tournaments that start with 300+ BB, provided the stacks don't immediately get sliced in half by the structure (in which case 400+ BB is my preferred minimum). Perhaps more importantly, I also prefer structures with relatively gradual blind increases (averaging ~ 40%) that don't drop below an average of 50BB/stack until after two hours of play. This can easily be achieved and still finish in a five hour window (T15K stacks with 25/50 opening blinds and 15 or 20 minute levels, for example).

 

[links_slayer]

T5,378

 

[Mr Tree]

T1

 

[pltrgyst]

Who cares. As long as it's a solid blind level progression

This. Starting stack is absolutely meaningless without initial blinds and structure.

A poll concerning the smallest chip people like to have in play to start a tourney might be more interesting???

 

[Poker Zombie]

We will assume a good structure, in which case:

T 10,000

• because it makes all calculations extremely easy. How many chips are in play? N x 10,000! Sure I can dd other math too, but 10,000 is super easy.
• because T5,000 chips are awesome.
• because T10,000 is OCD friendly
• because T1 chips and T5 chips are mathematically expensive sets.
• and because starting with a minimum chip of T100 (or more) is the same thing as a T1 (or more), but with extra needless zeros at the end, that most players won't even say anyway (100-200 blinds, raised once: "It's five to you")

 

[pltrgyst]

For one or two table tourneys, I prefer sets starting with either 1 or 5 (or appropriate multiples) because they allow four levels of standard chip denoms to be used without bumping into the 500/1000 problem -- i.e., all steps are multiples of 4 or 5.

Thus, starting with 25s as the smallest chip (i.e., at 25/50) is right out.

And I don't usually run tourneys with only 100BB to start -- generally at least 200BBs.

So 1 and 5 are fine, as are 1,000 and 5,000 -- but 100 and 500 are out, because 2,000 and 2,500 denoms don't commonly exist.

Personally, as the smallest chip, I prefer 5s to 1s, and 1,000s to 5,000s.

So starting at either 5/10 or 1000/2000, at 200BBs, means starting stacks of either 2,000 or 200,000, depending on whether you want it to feel like a normal casino game or a "high roller" tournament.

Hope that makes sense...

 

[ChaosRock]

Assuming a smooth blind increase around 50%/33% alternating steps, with a minimum of 20 mins levels and assuming also total duration of the tournament is not an issue, my preferred starting stack would be 200BB...

I find, personaly, too much above 200BB makes the first level less relevant than it should be... Now, I much prefer more than 200BB than less than 200BB mind you...

Since my favorite lowest denom chips is the T25, I favor a starting stack of T20,000 with a 50/100 initial blind level to avoid the 100% increase if one starts at 25/50... I also much prefer T2K and T10K over T500 and T5K respectively and love lots of chips and two barrels starting stacks... So my favorite is to go 12/12/9/7...

Now more often than not I don't have enough time to run tourneys like that so sometimes I drop to T15K staring stacks with a 18 mi s levels to finish them at a decent time...

 

[Poker Zombie]

Squeezing in enough play in just 4-5 hours has always been my toughest challenge. I also try of adjust my levels around the play styles of my players - On ladies night with a lot of limping every hand in the early rounds, I like to bring out the T5 chips so the limping does not cripple/eliminate anyone too early. I'd love to have a longer tourney too - I have the chips for a decent deepstack, just not the players that would commit to an 8 hour game (or the money to make 8 hours worth it).