Tourney New member from Colorado with home tournament question (1 Viewer)

[samee666]

Hello all,

Hosting my first NLH 1 table, 9-10 player, tournament at my house in a few weeks. I’ve been researching appropriate chip stacks and blinds but I really hate the idea of these short chip stacks that people recommend. I’d like all the players to have 40 or so chips and don’t mind spending the money to have enough chips for everyone. There’s just something really unappealing to me about a starting stack of only 20 or so chips. I was thinking of doing a 5,000 starting stack with blinds starting at 25/50 and maybe doubling every 15 minutes? Id like to keep the game under 3 hours, even though I could play all day personally, so that guys don’t get asked to leave by their girls before the game can end.

So
NLH
$25 buy in with top 3 paid
9-10 players
1 table
Under 3 hours preferably
5,000 starting stack

What would a good distribution of chips/ denominations be? And is 15 minute blind levels good?

Sorry if this has been asked before but I did a quick search and didn’t see anything that answered this

Thanks!

 

[Freeroll]

Welcome!

I’ve been considering changing my starting stacks for tournaments recently, for the same reason.

I haven’t done it yet, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to go with the following starting stacks for my next tourney:
12 x T25
12 x T100
12 x T500
For a starting stack of T7500

 

[SlowPokeTony]

It’s easy to get more chips in play if that’s what you want to do. 16x25, 16x100, 6x500 would get you to 38 chips per player for a 5k stack. Have some 1,000s available for color ups. 15 minutes is fine if you’re trying to keep it at 3 hours. 10 players with no rebuys and 15 minute blinds would mean you’d want your 12th level to be 1000/2000. So 25/50, 50/100, 75/150, 100/200, 150/300, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 600/1200, 800/1600, 1000/2000. Game should be over by then or shouldn’t last much longer than that. Go to 1500/3000 and 2000/4000 if you need to. If you have rebuys it’ll go a little longer but you can drop to 12 minute levels if you need to. Also I’d suggest coloring up the 25s after the 200/400 level.

 

[allforcharity]

The problem with inflating starting stack counts is that the lowest denom gets colored up relatively quickly, and then you take large amounts of chips out of play.

Perhaps think of a strategy where in a 4-denom tournament you start with more chips in the middle 2 denoms, and do all your rebuys with the top 2 denoms (rather than just the top denom or with a 5th denom).

Lots of chips in play, but downside is less budget efficiency. But tailor all to your group's enjoyment, of course.

You can always justify the need for extra chips for multiple table events.

 

[allforcharity]

Oh, and under 3 hours is quite turbo. If you do freezeout then just use 3 denoms, and as many chips that float your boat.

 

[ruskba]

starting stack with blinds starting at 25/50 and maybe doubling every 15 minutes

Also use the search tool for some structure advice. Doubling the blinds generally makes for an extremely fast structure where everyone will find themselves short stacked very quickly. You should be able to still meet your time goal.

 

[samee666]

Oh, and under 3 hours is quite turbo. If you do freezeout then just use 3 denoms, and as many chips that float your boat.

Yeah no rebuys is the plan. Some players will be bringing the family so I feel like anything longer and family will start complaining to go home. Ill probably just invite the players in the future but this is how I sold it to the wife this time

 

[samee666]

It’s easy to get more chips in play if that’s what you want to do. 16x25, 16x100, 6x500 would get you to 38 chips per player for a 5k stack. Have some 1,000s available for color ups. 15 minutes is fine if you’re trying to keep it at 3 hours. 10 players with no rebuys and 15 minute blinds would mean you’d want your 12th level to be 1000/2000. So 25/50, 50/100, 75/150, 100/200, 150/300, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 600/1200, 800/1600, 1000/2000. Game should be over by then or shouldn’t last much longer than that. Go to 1500/3000 and 2000/4000 if you need to. If you have rebuys it’ll go a little longer but you can drop to 12 minute levels if you need to. Also I’d suggest coloring up the 25s after the 200/400 level.

Should I color up the25’s to 100’s?

 

[samee666]

Oh, and under 3 hours is quite turbo. If you do freezeout then just use 3 denoms, and as many chips that float your boat.

Like 25,50,100? Would 3 denominations work with a rising blind structure?

 

[buzzmonkey]

IMHO, large chip stacks should be a reward for doing well in a tourney. But at the same time I'd never shame someone for wanting moar chips.

 

[ranger764]

I would do the following to start. Gets you up over 30 chips. 15-20 min blinds aren’t bad as long as people are paying attention. But you don’t want to rush it to much.

12 x 25
12 x 100
7 x 500

Where are in Colorado? I’m in Parker

 

[samee666]

I would do the following to start. Gets you up over 30 chips. 15-20 min blinds aren’t bad as long as people are paying attention. But you don’t want to rush it to much.

12 x 25
12 x 100
7 x 500

Where are in Colorado? I’m in Parker

Aurora so not far at all!

 

[DeeVee8]

Welcome!

I’ve been considering changing my starting stacks for tournaments recently, for the same reason.

I haven’t done it yet, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to go with the following starting stacks for my next tourney:
12 x T25
12 x T100
12 x T500
For a starting stack of T7500

You'll get a lot of great advice here. Here's my .02.

If you really want the game done in under 3 hrs, go 5k (100bb). 7500 (150bb) to start is a bit big, that's better for a 4-5 hr game. I wouldn't get too hung up on having lots of chips on the table because those 25's will get raced off and it'll be a bigger hassle. Like @ranger764 suggested, start with a stack of 12/12/7. If you're dead set on lots of chips, go 20/20/5, but you'll be cursing when it's time to take the 25's out of the game.

Based on 10 players, that's 50,000 total chips in play. Multiply that by .05 and the tourney should be done when there is 2500 in the starting pot.

For blinds,I'd recommend something like this...

Only a couple of 50% jumps, otherwise its got pretty steady increases. Your game should end around level 12 or 13, which is exactly 3:00-3:15 (not counting breaks).

 

[allforcharity]

Like 25,50,100? Would 3 denominations work with a rising blind structure?

T25, T100, T500. Your choice whether you want to colour up the T25 with T100 (keeping more chips on the table) or the T500.

 

[ranger764]

Aurora so not far at all!

I grew up in Aurora. Graduated from Smoky Hill

 

[samee666]

You'll get a lot of great advice here. Here's my .02.

If you really want the game done in under 3 hrs, go 5k (100bb). 7500 (150bb) to start is a bit big, that's better for a 4-5 hr game. I wouldn't get too hung up on having lots of chips on the table because those 25's will get raced off and it'll be a bigger hassle. Like @ranger764 suggested, start with a stack of 12/12/7. If you're dead set on lots of chips, go 20/20/5, but you'll be cursing when it's time to take the 25's out of the game.

Based on 10 players, that's 50,000 total chips in play. Multiply that by .05 and the tourney should be done when there is 2500 in the starting pot.

For blinds,I'd recommend something like this...

View attachment 862850

Only a couple of 50% jumps, otherwise its got pretty steady increases. Your game should end around level 12 or 13, which is exactly 3:00-3:15 (not counting breaks).

Ok cool that helps a lot thank you! Do you think it would be wiser to do a cash game this time around than a freeze out tournament? On the one hand I think the prospect of winning 50%/30%/20% is more exciting for players but I also think players might get salty if they bust out too quickly? some are coming with girlfriends/ wives/kids so I’d hate for them to be pulled away from a tournament game by their significant others before it’s over and they have to leave money on the table and feel cheated

Perhaps instead of $25 buy in freeze out we do $25 cash game? That way if wives or girlfriend nag the guys to leave they can just cash out and go? And save a tournament for another time where we Can dedicate more time to the game?

And if I did go the cash game route with $25 buy in would a .25/.50 blind be too large? 100bb seems to be the basic starting stack recipe so this would be 50bb starting stack. Let’s say that blind works then would .25 .50 and 1.00 chips be a good denomination set? Or should I get some smaller denominations and make the blind like .10/.20?

Sorry for the barrage of questions lol

 

[AnteAndy]

And if I did go the cash game route with $25 buy in would a .25/.50 blind be too large? 100bb seems to be the basic starting stack recipe so this would be 50bb starting stack. Let’s say that blind works then would .25 .50 and 1.00 chips be a good denomination set? Or should I get some smaller denominations and make the blind like .10/.20?

Sorry for the barrage of questions lol

0.25/0.25 blinds, $25-max buy in (100 BB's). Only denominations you'll need are 0.25/$1/$5.

Most people will say have starting stacks be a barrel (20 chips) of 0.25's & $1's. Use $5's for rebuys.

 

[inapinch]

Aurora so not far at all!

Hey neighbor, I’m also in Aurora! Welcome to PCF! Cheers

 

[ranger764]

Yeah we do $.25 /$.25 blinds with a $20 buy-in.

 

[samee666]

Hey neighbor, I’m also in Aurora! Welcome to PCF! Cheers

I wonder how many other members are in the area lol maybe enough for a game some day

 

[BGinGA]

You'll get a lot of great advice here. Here's my .02.

If you really want the game done in under 3 hrs, go 5k (100bb). 7500 (150bb) to start is a bit big, that's better for a 4-5 hr game. I wouldn't get too hung up on having lots of chips on the table because those 25's will get raced off and it'll be a bigger hassle. Like @ranger764 suggested, start with a stack of 12/12/7. If you're dead set on lots of chips, go 20/20/5, but you'll be cursing when it's time to take the 25's out of the game.

Based on 10 players, that's 50,000 total chips in play. Multiply that by .05 and the tourney should be done when there is 2500 in the starting pot.

For blinds,I'd recommend something like this...

View attachment 862850

Only a couple of 50% jumps, otherwise its got pretty steady increases. Your game should end around level 12 or 13, which is exactly 3:00-3:15 (not counting breaks).

I'd go with the above blind structure, but ditch the 500/1000 and 2500/5000 levels and add a buffer level of 25/75 after the first level. Those changes flatten out the structure to make all blind increases more consistent at either 33% or 50% (much better for gameplay than 100% jumps), and will finish in 3 hours.

Start with T6000 chip stacks (120 big blinds):
12 x T25
17 x T100
8 x T500
-------------
37 starting chips

Color-up the T25s with T500s after the 150/300 level; you already have enough T100s on the table and they will get removed later).

Use T1000 chips to color-up the T100s (after the 800/1600 level) if you have them, and use either 6 x T1000 or 12 x T500 chips for re-buys if you go that route (end re-buys when the T25 chips are removed).

For payouts, I'd do 55%/30%/15% for 9 or 10 players, or 65%/35% for 8 or less.