Tourney T500 base?? (6 Viewers)

[Saoliver]

That depends on your level of OCD!

Personally I don't have a problem with having different breakdowns in the startingstacks, but some do. However, if it means getting more highly needed lower denom chips in play, then IMO playability trumps equal starting stacks, even if that makes your OCD itch.

No big deal. After the first hand, the stacks aren't equal any way. Get the lower denoms in play. That is why you have them. MOAR!

 

[swemon]

Oh, it would for sure make my OCD itch like crazy! If I stop registration now and get one dropout (always happens) - I can do 8/11/9/2 for a starting stack of T110K (220bb @ 500/500). Fits better in the racks as well. Or, I see how many people we get (it’s a friendly work event) and I run a more usual structure, despite my strong desire to try something new

I’m not the only one who obsesses over these things, right?

 

[Mr Winberg]

Oh, it would for sure make my OCD itch like crazy! If I stop registration now and get one dropout (always happens) - I can do 8/11/9/2 for a starting stack of T110K (220bb @ 500/500). Fits better in the racks as well. Or, I see how many people we get (it’s a friendly work event) and I run a more usual structure, despite my strong desire to try something new

I’m not the only one who obsesses over these things, right?

Haha! I guess it's a matter of prioritization. What's more important, following your strong desire to try something new while allowing all your colleagues to join the friendly event, or having equal stacks from the start until the first bet of the first hand?

No, you're far from the only person! Startingstack OCD at PCF is hardly unheard of

 

[Darson]

I think @BGinGA gave me this blind schedule for a base T500 T100k tourney:

L1 500 500
L2 500 1000
L3 500 1500
L4 1000 2000
L5 1500 3000
L6 2000 4000
L7 3000 6000
L8 4000 8000
L9 6000 12000
L10 8000 16000
L11 10000 20000
L12 15000 30000
L13 20000 40000 *** EOT
L14 30000 60000
L15 40000 80000
L16 60000 120000

Works great for a ~4 hour game with 15 min levels. But my players bitched about L1 and L3 not having BB being 2xSB. It was a bit of a joke but I changed the blinds to the following:

L1 500 1000
L2 1000 2000
L3 1500 3000
L4 2000 4000
L5 3000 6000
L6 4000 8000
L7 6000 12000
L8 8000 16000
L9 10000 20000
L10 15000 30000
L11 20000 40000 *** EOT
L12 30000 60000
L13 40000 80000
L14 60000 120000
L15 80000 160000
L16 100000 200000

In order to get back to a 4 hour game, I made L1 and L2 last 30 mins each instead of 15. This actually works well with my group as we have some very casual players who take a few orbits to remember how to play, some people turn up late and the play is generally slower initially as people catch up with each other etc.

With both schedules, at the first break 90 mins in, we colour up the T500s.

 

[Poker Zombie]

6/12/12/1 is much more ideal, of course.

I personally am not a fan of a single high denom chip. If players stack their chips in a single tower, with their big chip on the bottom, it gets pushed down into the felt a little and can be overlooked.

 

[BGinGA]

players stack their chips in a single tower, with their big chip on the bottom

A simple "Big chips in front or on top, please." has always worked for our first-time players, if necessary at all. Starting chips are always distributed with denominations stacked low-to-high (highest on top), too.

 

[swemon]

What's more important...

Definitely including as many people as possible and providing a fun, friendly, environment. Always room to experiment another time

Thanks for comments!

 

[grantc54]

Oh, it would for sure make my OCD itch like crazy!

If the WSOP can mix chip sets and have the same denom be represented by different colours I don't lose any sleep when I have to have different starting stack sizes to accommodate large events.

 

[Mr Winberg]

Definitely including as many people as possible and providing a fun, friendly, environment. Always room to experiment another time

Thanks for comments!

Yeah, I was just pulling your leg a bit!

I'm not sure if this is better or worse with regards to startingstack OCD, but you could provide as many stacks as possible with the desired breakdown, and the rest get rebuy stacks. I realize I'm unclear, so here's an example:
First X players get the desired breakdown, the rest get 4 T25k. They'll have to make change with someone at the table, just like if they rebought. It's easier on the host since you're only providing one type of breakdown, plus you'll get all or most of the lower denom chips into play from the start. In practice there'll be some different breakdowns when the tournament starts, but the late players will have done all the extra work instead of you.

This is what I do. I'm never sure of the exact player count, so I'll just prepare 20 stacks and give the rest a rebuy stack.

If this is even worse for your OCD, then never mind!

 

[Poker Zombie]

A simple "Big chips in front or on top, please." has always worked for our first-time players, if necessary at all. Starting chips are always distributed with denominations stacked low-to-high (highest on top), too.

We do repeatedly state "in front and up top", but casinos often allow up front on the bottom, so it's usually skilled players that make the mistake.

Avoiding a starting stack with a single big chip helps to mitigate the problem.

 

[swemon]

I'll just prepare 20 stacks and give the rest a rebuy stack.

^That's a great idea! I can deal with this; though it might cause some confusion. Which is better?:
20 x stacks of 6/12/12/1 (additional 10 x stacks of x/x/x/4) or 25 x stacks of 8/11/7/2 (additional 5 x stacks of x/x/x/4).

We have 26 currently registered, with a likelihood of some dropouts.
Based on @Darson's (@BGinGA) original structure we'd be ending approximately on L16 (4hrs) of poker, not including breaks.

 

[Mr Winberg]

I have zero experience with T500 base, but I'd probably go with 8/11/7/2 since there will be less change making. I'd probably have the other stacks as 0/0/5/3 to get more T5000 on the felt. If you run out of T5k then the rest can be 0/0/0/4.

 

[BGinGA]

I have zero experience with T500 base, but I'd probably go with 8/11/7/2 since there will be less change making. I'd probably have the other stacks as 0/0/5/3 to get more T5000 on the felt. If you run out of T5k then the rest can be 0/0/0/4.

^^ This. The more lowest denoms (and fewest high denoms) on the felt at the start, the better.

 

[swemon]

Dug up an old thread, as I’m (finally) planning a T500 base tournament set. Thinking of a 600-chipset to cover 16 players (max). Been through so many combinations, and think I’ve landed on one that works.

160 x 500
160 x 1000
160 x 5000
120 x 25000

Enough for two tables of 10/10/7/X - although I’d prefer more 1K and 5K, I think economies of scale helps. We usually don’t run rebuys with two tables. Then, most probable and used, one table of 8/16/16/X - with rebuys.

Do we think it’s enough 25K chips? Looking to start with between 100K and 200K each configuration.

Thanks!

 

[JustinInMN]

I would cut the T500 and add more T25k

My set is 75/225/225/175/100 of T500/1k/5k/25k/100k

This enables be to do 18 stacks of 6/12/12/5

Or 27 stacks of
4/8/8/6

One of the upsides to base T500 is you can still use very few T500 chips and that means you are only removing a few from play at the first color up, which will have the most people.

 

[swemon]

I would cut the T500 and add more T25k

Hey Justin, thanks for the reply!

The trade-off with cutting some T500 does mean adding more T1K and T5K - totalling 100/200/200 (after rounding) - which leaves 100 for T25K, if I'm sticking to the 600-chip limit. Which is still just doable for my needs; perhaps feels tighter and slightly less flexible. I could order more, but 6 racks feels tidy, and can already see myself getting in the realms of going overkill .

There's pros and cons to both configurations. The 10/10/7/X has the neatness and ease of colouring-up with the T5K's. Whereas, the 6/12/12/X has more workhorse chips in play, and like you said, removes fewer chips at the first colour-up with the T25K's. Tricky one.

 

[allforcharity]

Dug up an old thread, as I’m (finally) planning a T500 base tournament set. Thinking of a 600-chipset to cover 16 players (max). Been through so many combinations, and think I’ve landed on one that works.

160 x 500
160 x 1000
160 x 5000
120 x 25000

Enough for two tables of 10/10/7/X - although I’d prefer more 1K and 5K, I think economies of scale helps. We usually don’t run rebuys with two tables. Then, most probable and used, one table of 8/16/16/X - with rebuys.

Do we think it’s enough 25K chips? Looking to start with between 100K and 200K each configuration.

Thanks!

Yes, 10/10/7/x works perfectly for this base. Enough T5k to colour up all T500 and T1000. Choose enough T25K to cover your starting stacks plus rebuys. If you play particularly deep, you can add a few T100k plaques, but probably not necessary.

 

[PlaidDragon]

I've run 6/12/12/5 several times and it's been just fine. Originally I utilized more T500's and found they just sat there; only seeing use on the early level blinds.

Twenty seats is 700 chips. Have some extra 25K's as well as 100K's for rebuys/color-up.

The chips I use for this lvl of tourney:

 

[swemon]

Thanks for all the advice, I have gone for 6/12/12/X, mainly because it’s removing less chips from the first colour-up, and more workhorse chips in play for longer. Stretched my budget to the maximum to get extras (100/200/200/160/40) - it’s more than we’ll ever need with 16 players. I don’t ever see us doing 4/8/8/X (24 players), but the possibility is there. Better to have chips and not need them; than need them and not have them, right!

 

[swemon]

After a year (almost) of using T500 base and its various stacking stacks, I’ve found the most ideal breakdown for myself (organising, colouring up etc.) and the players is 6/12/12/1 (T100K/200bb).

Close second, for me, is 8/16/16 — even with an STT, felt like too many chips at the end.

Goes to show what a great resource PCF is!

Edit: adding that 99% of bets are announced with the extra 000’s, like, “fifty-five” and not “fifty-five thousand” so a potential next set will have lower denominations!

 

[Mr Winberg]

After a year (almost) of using T500 base and its various stacking stacks, I’ve found the most ideal breakdown for myself (organising, colouring up etc.) and the players is 6/12/12/1 (T100K/200bb).

Close second, for me, is 8/16/16 — even with an STT, felt like too many chips at the end.

Thanks for your insights. I've always suspected that 6×500 is more than enough, even though a lot of people push the fabled 10/10/7/X.

However, I've been a bit reluctant to try these highroller breakdowns myself because of:

“fifty-five” and not “fifty-five thousand”

For example having a 5k base thinking it will feel bad-ass, I fear it will just be a T5 base with extra clutter on the chip faces. Even in my T100 base tourneys the chip values get devalued by a factor 1000 towards the end, when people bet "27" instead of "27 thousand".

 

[swemon]

even though a lot of people push the fabled 10/10/7/X.

From my perspective: absolutely LOVE how these fits into racks (we did 10/10/7/3) and how colour-ups are perfectly efficient, despite minor protests of a race-off process. However, we could have done with more T1000 and T5000 in play, and left with an excess of T500 on the table, which were only used for posting blinds and funky bets.

 

[PlaidDragon]

Thanks for your insights. I've always suspected that 6×500 is more than enough, even though a lot of people push the fabled 10/10/7/X.

However, I've been a bit reluctant to try these highroller breakdowns myself because of:

For example having a 5k base thinking it will feel bad-ass, I fear it will just be a T5 base with extra clutter on the chip faces. Even in my T100 base tourneys the chip values get devalued by a factor 1000 towards the end, when people bet "27" instead of "27 thousand".

Very true. Most of the games I run are T25 base. My T500 and T5000 sets are pretty much novelties and I only break them out on special occasions.

 

[allforcharity]

Thanks for your insights. I've always suspected that 6×500 is more than enough, even though a lot of people push the fabled 10/10/7/X.

It's mostly because of the even rack thing. 100 chips each of T500, T1k, and T5k gets you started with a 10 player game.

 

[Mr Winberg]

From my perspective: absolutely LOVE how these fits into racks

It's mostly because of the even rack thing.

Yes, I totally get this. Don't get me wrong, my OCD would love this! But for me, playability is more important than rackability. If I feel that there are too many T500 and too few T1000, then the perfect racks (OOC anyone?) aren't worth it, IMO. YMMV.