Tourney Thinking of hosting a simple tournament (1 Viewer)

[joseywales]

I host a cash game that follows the KISS. Keep It Social Stupid. Our cash game is .25/.50, usually a $50 max buyin. For a tournament, the group probably has a bigger appetite. I’m thinking maybe $150 including food, something like that.

I have enough chips, because if I have to, I have 4,000 Nexgens I can use. I know, I know, but let's move on. I also have a large stock of Majestics, if I can match the denominations to the tournament, even moving decimals might work ; )

we typically sit for about 5 hours, with a pizza break in between. So I'm thinking a 3 hour tournament. I know a couple guys will bust out early. Here are some comments/questions.

Assumptions:

- 3 hour -EDIT - this topic is evolving - 4 hours (6 total) tournament (with the subsequent cash game that could translate into 5-6 hours of play, I'm guessing).
- 10 players (2 tables) EDITED
- Self dealt
- cash game begins with 4 players?
- sit down for this - one of the tables has to be in the basement. I had it all planned out that I would eventually get a spare table to use in my poker room, then my wife messed that all up by taking up the space with a new pool table for Christmas! Can you believe her nerve to invade our space like that?!?!? I tell ya, good women are hard to come by. Oh well, I'll have to deal with it... On the upside, there is a TV, furniture, and a shuffleboard table in the basement. It's actually the newest room in the house.
- runners - I have daughters who agreed to run for drinks, etc. So that will help with the 2-floor setup.
- waiting for the cash game to start: pool, darts, shuffleboard. If I time it right, TV might have good sports. I missed an opportunity to host this Saturday, during the Eagles playoff game at 4:35PM. Super Bowl sounds good, but it's a Sunday night, so that's a drag.

1 - Maybe $135 in chips, and $15 for food? Nothing fancy, just a once a year get together for the entire crew. Baked ziti, easy cater tray items. I can propose bring your own dish as well.

2 - what if we get only 12 players? How would that change the structure, if at all?

3 - Rebuys - my first tournament, so I'm thinking no rebuys. The worst part of hosting any game is the distraction. I always seem to play a bad hand, or not leverage a good hand enough, when I'm distracted with food, buying, etc.

4- top 3 players should win something, so I'll have to break that down.

5 - no rake

6 - Only 25% of the players have tournament experience, so trying to keep it simple and fun. I've read a lot of good ideas, but for now it will be self dealt, simple structure, etc.

7 - what if I only get my 9 regular players - how does that tournament structure work? I can fit 9 at my table. It will be tight at first, but all 9 won't be there for 3 hours, so not a big deal.

So what would be a good plan that will run well, be fun, and won't scare these guys from coming back for a tournament?

 

[detroitdad]

our cash games start with two players. We usually play dealers choice lol

 

[joseywales]

I copied this a while ago. Perhaps it's the right structure for a 4 hour game and that could work.

Tournament


T1000 stacks (250BB)

rd sb bb
L1 2 4
L2 3 6
L3 4 8
L4 6 12
L5 8 16
remove T1 chips
L6 10 20
L7 15 30
L8 20 40
L9 30 60
L10 40 80
remove T5 chips
L11 50 100
L12 75 150
L13 100 200
L14 150 300
remove T25 chips
L15 200 400
L16 300 600 ***
L17 400 800
L18 600 1200

With 15 minute levels, a single-table tournament should last no later than L16 (four hours plus breaks).

starting stacks:
10 x T1
8 x T5
10 x T25
7 x T100
----------------
35 chips = T1000

chip set:
100 x T1
80 x T5
100 x T25
75 x T100 (includes 5x to color-up T1 and T5 chips)
5 x T500 (used to color-up T25 chips)
----------------
360 chips

 

[Poker Zombie]

The structure looks sound. Breaks every color-up gives players a chance to hit the restroom without missing hands.

1 - Maybe $135 in chips, and $15 for food? Nothing fancy, just a once a year get together for the entire crew. Baked ziti, easy cater tray items. I can propose bring your own dish as well.

In my experience, most guys would rather pay for food than bring a dish. If you have a lot of couples invited, then the dish idea (which is what I do) would work. If you're charging for the food, just make sure the food to price ratio is about right.

2 - what if we get only 12 players? How would that change the structure, if at all?

More or fewer players only changes how long the tournament will last. As a rule, when the Big Blind = 1/20 the total number of chips in play, the tournament will end.

3 - Rebuys - my first tournament, so I'm thinking no rebuys. The worst part of hosting any game is the distraction. I always seem to play a bad hand, or not leverage a good hand enough, when I'm distracted with food, buying, etc.

A freezeout is fine as long as there is something else to do, otherwise rebuys are preferred. Having the rebuy stacks pre-set in tubes, ziploc bags, or in chip trays makes rebuying easy and hassle free. However if you are charging food as part of the buy-in, then you might want to adjust your buy-in so that you won't have to break out change for everyone as they buy back in.

Also, if the other thing to do is a cash game, keep in mind that starting it will be a hassle as you have to buy in those players, and they will be on a different floor.

4- top 3 players should win something, so I'll have to break that down.

Most home tourneys pay out 25-33% of the players.

5 - no rake

(y) :thumbsup:

 

[joseywales]

Thanks. Some additional thoughts/questions.

The structure looks sound. Breaks every color-up gives players a chance to hit the restroom without missing hands.


In my experience, most guys would rather pay for food than bring a dish. If you have a lot of couples invited, then the dish idea (which is what I do) would work. If you're charging for the food, just make sure the food to price ratio is about right.

. Yeah, the bring our dish was actually my idea when the wives attend and play roulette, drink wine, or play poker - don't think any play poker though.

A freezeout is fine as long as there is something else to do, otherwise rebuys are preferred. Having the rebuy stacks pre-set in tubes, ziploc bags, or in chip trays makes rebuying easy and hassle free. However if you are charging food as part of the buy-in, then you might want to adjust your buy-in so that you won't have to break out change for everyone as they buy back in.

. I have tubes, etc., but not sure i understand freezeout vs rebuy. If the buyin is $130, then don't they get $130 in chips with their first buyin? If they bust out, then off to a cash game. These guys won't want to lose more than $130. Am I missing something? [/QUOTE]

Also, if the other thing to do is a cash game, keep in mind that starting it will be a hassle as you have to buy in those players, and they will be on a different floor.

. Yeah, this is a gamble on my part. My hope was that a competent player would bust out and lead the cash game. I might need to button that up,


Most home tourneys pay out 25-33% of the players.



(y) :thumbsup:[/QUOTE]

 

[Poker Zombie]

I have tubes, etc., but not sure i understand freezeout vs rebuy. If the buyin is $130, then don't they get $130 in chips with their first buyin? If they bust out, then off to a cash game. These guys won't want to lose more than $130. Am I missing something?

You had said...

Maybe $135 in chips, and $15 for food?

While your tournament structure showed starting stacks of T1000.

Here's the issues...
Player buys in at the start with $150. That's $135 for the tournament, and $15 for food. Most players will hand you 8x $20 bills, so right out of the gate you need a $10 bill so each person gets change. This may or may not be an issue for you - I don't keep large stacks of cash in my house so I'd need to make a run to the bank, but you get the idea.

The $135 gives each player T1000 in chips. "T" chips are different from the chips used in a cash game. $15 gives them food. If the tournament is a freezeout (no rebuys) then this is all you need. If you have rebuys, your next issue is the rebuy. You can't charge them $150 again - they're not eating twice. So now you have $135 buy-ins. 7x more $20s (or a hundo and two $20s), so now you are digging for change to give them a $5 back. It's not the worst thing in the world, but when you are in a hand it's distracting. Making the buy-in $140 (+10 for food) reduces the chance you will need change while playing.

I also prefer to round the prize pool. I've got it all stuffed into an Excel spreadsheet, so I just click an "x" next to the name of a player rebuying, and the prize pool updates automatically, and rounds to the nearest $10 (it also does a calculation to make sure all round-ups/downs don't wind mess with the total prize pool). This way I don't need to keep a stack of $1s or $5s (or coins) handy. I always use a couple of $10s in my buy-in, so I know that I have them for the final prize pool payout.

 

[upNdown]

I don’t have anything productive to add here, but having one table upstairs and one table downstairs is less than ideal for a number of reasons. You mention the hosting concerns, but it stinks as a player too. If I’m out of a hand, I like to stretch my legs and peel in on the other tables - se who’s busted out, see what their stacks look like, see how other people are playing, because I’m competing with all of them too. And socially, it’s a lot better to have everybody in the same room. Is there any way you can move a couch or something and get both tables in the same space?

 

[joseywales]

I don’t have anything productive to add here, but having one table upstairs and one table downstairs is less than ideal for a number of reasons. You mention the hosting concerns, but it stinks as a player too. If I’m out of a hand, I like to stretch my legs and peel in on the other tables - se who’s busted out, see what their stacks look like, see how other people are playing, because I’m competing with all of them too. And socially, it’s a lot better to have everybody in the same room. Is there any way you can move a couch or something and get both tables in the same space?

Agreed and that WAS the plan. I did move the couch and my wife dropped a pool table in that spot!!! Hard to be angry, we both enjoy pool!

Actually having the kids run drinks means they’d have to stay down there, which isn’t ideal either. If I can drum up a round or octagon table, I might be able to use our Liviging room, so at least on the same floor. I have a neoprene topper to use in a pinch. Another option is to use two temporary tables in the basement. The only reason to go upstairs would be the restroom.

I also have one of those cheesy rectangular green toppers as well. I’ve seen them in octagon and usually for $50, but when I saw this for $10, with a carry case, I figured guys could rough it for a tournament. I could just secure it to a COSTCO table or something like that.

Point being, I could run a round and an rectangular table in the basement, I think. Tape measure time!

 

[joseywales]

Remember as a kid, on Christmas morning, you went to the tree, hoping to find that GI Joe base camp you’d been wanting all year, only to find a Ken doll?

Well, I went to my Inbox, expecting a copy of @Poker Zombie ’s excel spreadsheet

 

[JustinInMN]

I like your structure, but if you are looking for a 3 hour tournament, I would cut the starting stack to T5000 (125BB).

On the rebuy issue, I would consider the distance your guests will travel. I'm going to a game next weekend that's about an hour's drive and there won't be a rebuy. I told him it's a long way to go to bust out on hand 4 and I'd be willing to put a couple shells in the prize pool, but I'm going to go anyway because I haven't seen them in too many years . (And there is promise of a cash game after at least.)

If you do decide on rebuys, +1 on pre-counting stacks, and you can get away with just issuing larger denom chips and having them find change from the table. But again, easier if you can get the tables on the same floor at least.

Sounds like fun though !

 

[Poker Zombie]

Remember as a kid, on Christmas morning, you went to the tree, hoping to find that GI Joe base camp you’d been wanting all year, only to find a Ken doll?

Well, I went to my Inbox, expecting a copy of @Poker Zombie ’s excel spreadsheet

I'll streamline it for you tomorrow. The current copy is 28 pages long. Each chipset gets it's own structure, so...

 

[joseywales]

I'll streamline it for you tomorrow. The current copy is 28 pages long. Each chipset gets it's own structure, so...

If it’s not too much trouble. I’m very handy with Excel and Access, just not sure how soon this tournament will be and I won’t have time to do a sheet for a while. I’m leaning against rebuys, partly because I’m not sure these guys will want to invest more.

Thanks for the offer, but please don’t go out of your way.

 

[Poker Zombie]

If it’s not too much trouble. I’m very handy with Excel and Access, just not sure how soon this tournament will be and I won’t have time to do a sheet for a while. I’m leaning against rebuys, partly because I’m not sure these guys will want to invest more.

Thanks for the offer, but please don’t go out of your way.

It's no problem. It'll take me just a few minutes (I've done it before). It just happens that today I'm on shift, so tomorrow I'll break it down.

I'm not sure if posting a Excel spreadsheet in a PM is possible though. I'll give it a try, but if it fails I might just need your email.

 

[Mojo1312]

Have you considered dropping the cash game in favor of making the tournament a special event? You could allow re-buys and change the format to a bounty tournament with longer rounds. You could also add more time into the dinner break for socializing.

All of the above would make the game more enjoyable for players.

 

[joseywales]

Have you considered dropping the cash game in favor of making the tournament a special event? You could allow re-buys and change the format to a bounty tournament with longer rounds. You could also add more time into the dinner break for socializing.

All of the above would make the game more enjoyable for players.

Not sure I follow. We have a regular cash game, so the tourney is a special event. There would be a side, cash game for bust outs.

For the tourney above, I was going to have 3, maybe 4 payouts, as well as a $20/head bounty.

If our wives were friends, I’d add more of a social aspect, but some of these guys have young kids, so 6 hours would be a max.

Am I not understanding what you’re saying?

 

[BGinGA]

For a tournament, the group probably has a bigger appetite. I’m thinking maybe $150 including food, something like that.

I have enough chips, because if I have to, I have 4,000 Nexgens I can use. I know, I know, but let's move on. I also have a large stock of Majestics, if I can match the denominations to the tournament, even moving decimals might work

we typically sit for about 5 hours, with a pizza break in between. So I'm thinking a 3 hour tournament.

6 hours would be a max.

- 3 hour tournament (with the subsequent cash game that could translate into 5-6 hours of play, I'm guessing).
- 14-16 players (2 tables)

Before I go any further, I need more direction. The most glaring questions to me:

• How long is your total play window, start-to-finish? From first dealt-hand of the day, to last-body-out-the-door.
• Specifically, what chips do you have at your disposal, what denominations, and quantities of each?

I ask these two questions, because a) the same chip set should NOT be used for both the tournament and the subsequent cash game, and b) need to know how to structure the tournament to get a decent event yet still allow the tourney finalists a chance to lose their winnings in the cash game. I can't tell if your total window is 5 hours, 6 hours, 9 hours (3 + 5-6), or what. I'm guessing six hours, but you're throwing numbers around pretty loosely.

What I do know is that spending $150 on a two-table 3-hour turbo blast-off tourney doesn't have much appeal to me, personally. I'd want it last at least 4 hours. Even if your total window is only six hours, that's still 2 hours of cash game time for the finalists, and you will have eliminated close to half the field in the first 2.5 hours.... so the cash game will be going strong from end of hour 2 through end of hour 6 (or a total of four hours solid cash game, and four hours total tournament, with overlap in the middle of the six hour window).

1 - Maybe $135 in chips, and $15 for food? Nothing fancy, just a once a year get together for the entire crew. Baked ziti, easy cater tray items. I can propose bring your own dish as well.

For the tourney above, I was going to have 3, maybe 4 payouts, as well as a $20/head bounty.

Suggestions:

• keep it simple - ditch the bring-a-dish idea
• keep it simple - forget about re-buys
• keep it easy to manage - make all cash transaction either $10 or $20 increments
• pay out 25% of the field size, regardless of how many players - and have it worked out before-hand
• bounty chip is fine - keep it simple, and pay out as they are earned

I'd suggest a $140 total entry cost, which includes $10 dinner + $20 bounty + $110 towards prize pool. Expect to get lots of $20 bills and $100 bills, and you won't need much change -- maybe 5x $10 bills and a few $5 bills for weird payout numbers (and everything should be rounded to closest $5 increment).

How many chips are distributed is totally based on what chip set is used, and has absolutely nothing to do with how much the total entry fee or how much goes towards the prize pool. Why? Because tournament chips HAVE NO CASH VALUE, and can therefore be ANY VALUE you desire. That chosen value should be determined by the specific breakdowns of the available chip sets, cross-checked against the number of chips required based on the tournament blind structure and field size.

2 - what if we get only 12 players? How would that change the structure, if at all?

Every blind structure will have an expected max play time, based on stack sizes and number of players. In your case, it should probably be designed for 16 players to run four hours at a given blind level time, and then have pre-event options to alter the blind level times as the number of starting players decreases (keeping the event close to 4 hours).


Breakdown and quantities of the available chip sets is the first step. Include both cash set chips and tourney sets.

 

[BGinGA]

Oh, and this is one item that you may have overlooked:

If you actually get your anticipated 14-16 players, you're gonna need three tables..... either that, or the cash game won't be able to start for a LONG time (i.e., until the remaining tourney players is 9 or fewer). With sixteen players, that means six of 'em are going to be sitting around with no table while the other ten are still playing in the tournament using both tables. So much for starting the cash game with just 2+ players, unless you find a way to accommodate three tables..... in which case two of those three tables will probably be in the same location, and both should be used for the tournament.

 

[joseywales]

@BGinGA, thanks for jumping in, hope you don’t regret it. here we go:

- 10 players, single table. Second table for cash game. Remember, we’re a social group and I’m not ready to bring pirañas in.

- we usually play 5 hours, with 20 minutes for pizza. I figured a single table, 4 hour tournament. However, I’d like to break midway and have decent meal. As opposed to pizza and at the end, there’s this prizes/awards, and the ending of the cash game. I figured 6 hours is reasonable. Knowing my group, this only will be once or twice a year.

- pay out 25%? Hmm...I was thinking of easing folks into this and paying out 40%. What’s the main drawback to that? Just not enough return for the investment? Also, what do you mean by have it worked out ahead time?

Chips: yes, cash chips would be different set than tourney.

My cash structure will put you on tilt. We play .25/50. Stacks are:

12 - .25
8 - .50
8 - 1.00
$15 buy-in - just deal with it


Terribles:

100 - .50
140 - 1.00
100 - 5.00
100 - 25.00

I have 4,000 NexGen chips. Most have NCV. But I have these as part of the set as well:

224 - $1
127 - $5
243 - $25
72 - $1,000

5 different pattern Nexgens as well.

Also, there’s a classified ad now for cheap Monte Carlo chips and I’m thinking of taking half that set.

For $75 - The breakdown for half appears to be:
$1 x 150
$5 x 100
$10 x 50
$25 x 70
$100 x 150
$500 x 75
$1k x 66
$5k x 47
$10k x 17

CC Pharoahs:

$25 chip--221
$100 chips-- 365
$500 chips-- 123
$1000 chips--- 284
$5000 chips-- 50

Majestics:

125 - .25
75 - .50
92 - 1.00
213 - 5.00
125 - 10.00
80 - $1,000

Cincy Jacks

100 - $2.00

Not using my ceramics.

I did this on my phone. I need to get a new laptop

 

[Mojo1312]

As BGinGA pointed out, a three hour MTT is very aggressive. Having a re-buy period adds to the prize pool and guarantees players a second chance to come back into the tournament if they are involved in a hand they can't fold.

 

[BGinGA]

- 10 players, single table. Second table for cash game.

we usually play 5 hours, with 20 minutes for pizza. I figured a single table, 4 hour tournament. However, I’d like to break midway and have decent meal.
As opposed to pizza and at the end, there’s this prizes/awards, and the ending of the cash game. I figured 6 hours is reasonable.

Okay, that's a lot more reasonable and does help narrow options down a bit. Can easily work out a decent structure using those parameters (and available chip sets), and may even be able to shorten the tournament without sacrificing quality, if it's limited to just 10 players.

pay out 25%? Hmm...I was thinking of easing folks into this and paying out 40%. What’s the main drawback to that? Just not enough return for the investment? Also, what do you mean by have it worked out ahead time?

Paying 40% in a 10-player event means that those top four players are only competing for six buy-ins..... which is an average of just 1.5 buy-in per cashing player (2.5 if you count their own). That's a pretty crappy ROI rate for cashing, imo.

25% isn't possible in a 10-player tournament (your closest options are 20% (2 places) or 33% (3 places). And given yours is a social group, I'd go with paying three places, and make it relatively flat. Examples:

2 places, NOT very flat: 1st = 70%, 2nd = 30%
2 places, flatter payout: 1st = 60%, 2nd = 40%

3 places, NOT very flat: 1st = 60%, 2nd = 30%, 3rd = 10%
3 places, flatter payout: 1st = 50%, 2nd = 30%, 3rd = 20% <<===== I'd use this one

Having the percentages established beforehand also allows you to know EXACTLY what the final payout amounts will be depending on the actual number of entered players. That's what I meant by 'having it worked out beforehand' -- no calculations necessary on game day..... just look at your chart that you prepared in advance, and you'll know exactly how much 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places all pay.

 

[BGinGA]

CC Pharoahs:
$25 chip--221
$100 chips-- 365
$500 chips-- 123
$1000 chips--- 284
$5000 chips-- 50

Of the available choices, I'd use ^^these^^ without question. Plenty of chips to create huge fun-size tournament stacks, plenty of chips for color-ups, and enough chips at every denomination to work really well.

I'd go with the following T30000 starting chip stacks:

20 x T25
20 x T100
9 x T500
8 x T1000
3 x T5000
----------
60 chips = T30K (3 barrels per player!)

...which requires the following chips:

200 x T25
200 x T100
90 x T500
105 x T1000 (includes 25 chips to color-up T25 and T100 chips)
39 x T5000 (includes 9 chips to color-up T500 chips)
----------
634 total chips

And here's a deep-stack blind structure that I recommend for your 10-player event. It features a pretty fast start for the first hour, settles down with a pizza break half-way through the event at the two-hour mark, and both plenty of chips and opportunities to use them over the course of four hours:

T30000 starting stacks (300bb)
15-minute blind levels
lvl sb bb
L1 50 100
L2 75 150
L3 125 250
L4 200 400
8-minute break, remove T25 chips (use 5x T1000)
L5 300 600
L6 400 800
L7 600 1200
L8 800 1600
30-minute pizza break, remove T100 chips (use 20x T1000)
L9 1000 2000
L10 1500 3000
L11 2000 4000
L12 3000 6000
8-minute break, remove T500 chips (use 9x T5000)
L13 4000 8000
L14 6000 12000
L15 8000 16000 *** expected max EOT
L16 12000 24000
L17 20000 40000
L18 30000 60000

If the tournament runs completely to maximum estimated time, you're looking at 3:45 of actual play plus 45 minutes in breaks, so 4.5 hours from start to finish. Most likely it will finish at least one or two rounds sooner. The blinds get very aggressive again after L15 to help insure it doesn't run over expected time.

 

[TexRex]

1. Am I reading correctly that your normal cash buy-in is $15, and you want them to buy in to a tournament for $135 (9x as much!) or $140? Something tells me that won't work, and having a re-buy makes it possible to lose 18-20x their normal buy in. If you have players willing to do that, you need to raise the stakes of your regular game.

2. A tournament designed for 3 hours or less is more of a luck fest than I'd like. Of course, you aren't trying to make me happy, but if your anticipated tournament end is much less than 4 hours, I think players will likely pay more unless they have a lot of money to burn and the current stakes mean nothing to them. If that's the case, I wonder why they are even bothering to play. My experience is that if players look at the tournament as something to do until the cash starts, they aren't going to pay more for the tournament than they normally do for cash.

3. Zombie and BG both made the point about amounts not divisible by $20 since you don't want to make more change than necessary. As I have had a $30 buy in for a while, I can tell you a lot of people pay in 2 $20, so I have to keep a lot of change on hand. Sometimes a player will help by bringing change -- 30 $1 bills!

4. To make sure this point is made, in a tournament, the amount a player receives in chips bears no relationship to the amount paid. Tournament values are fantasy values. In a cash game, if you buy $100, you get $100 in chips. In tournaments, you buy in for $100, you might get 1,000; 5,000; 10,000; 100,000; etc. in starting chips.

5. While your structure is workable, it's a better tournament if your blind increases are more consistent. Yours range from 25% to 50%. It's not horrible, but I'd try to keep it narrower if possible.

 

[joseywales]

The Pharoahs look like they could be the ticket for tourney. Of course, I had placed an ad to sell them...

 

[upNdown]

1. Am I reading correctly that your normal cash buy-in is $15, and you want them to buy in to a tournament for $135 (9x as much!) or $140? Something tells me that won't work

I thought the same thing

 

[Poker Zombie]

1. Am I reading correctly that your normal cash buy-in is $15, and you want them to buy in to a tournament for $135 (9x as much!) or $140? Something tells me that won't work, and having a re-buy makes it possible to lose 18-20x their normal buy in. If you have players willing to do that, you need to raise the stakes of your regular game.

I thought the same thing

I simply took this to mean that they initially buy-in for $15. If rebuys are frequent (as would be expected in a 25¢/50¢ game with $15 to start), there's a lot more hitting the table during the night. With a tournament, there is only one buy-in, and no brakes for losing it all with the second largest monster hand.

 

[joseywales]

First, thanks to everyone chiming in.

@BGinGA, Ha! I woke up this morning and posted I thought I should use the Pharoahs, then I saw your post, to use the Pharoahs

Ok. If my payout is 50/30/20, I assume I take the $200 off the top, to payout $20 bounties? So, $140 x 10= $1,400. Minus $200 for bounties= $1,200. Payouts of $600/$360/$240. $600= 3-4x the buyin, depending on whether you include theirs. (excluding food as well). I think that makes sense.

@TexRex and @upNdown, yes, we have a $15 buyin, but that’s more about the social aspect, and to some extent skill level, than it is economic standing. For example, one player is married and they have zero income, yet they had an inground pool installed They are both retired and simply waiting to draw SS - clearly they have no rush to do so. A boss once told me long ago, there’s money in poverty

Off the top of my head, there might be 2 guys who balk. Most of the others have played in tournaments. They’re fear might be gettting into one at a table where possibility usually outweighs probability I also have a few guys who don’t play at our game, but would do a tourney.

I edited that 3 hour piece a while ago. 4 hours for the tourney, 6 hour total day.

Not doing rebuys. Will see how this one goes, the maybe the next tourney. I might consider allowing the first player out to rebuy, but we’ll see.

I’ll look at BG’s increase levels above. I copied the structure from someone on here about 6 months ago.

Change - it amazes me how guys come without fives or ones. I always pay with a $20 bill, during the week of poker, just so I have small bills. But, folks are busy and most never use cash, myself included. So I make sure I have a bank of small bills.

I’ll take a closer look at the above, draw up a game plan and see what these guys think tonight.

 

[TexRex]

Hmmm, I see BG responded while I was writing mine and he addressed the blind schedule. I didn't see his response until this morning. I like his suggested blind increases. Based on reading his posts regarding that subject, I made ours more consistent last year and the feedback has been that players love it! It's more predictable too as far as ending time. That is now a key factor I look at in developing a tournament structure.

I get what Zombie is saying. I'm sure there are re-buys, but I've rarely seen guys buy in more than 3-5 times, so it still seems out of proportion. It may work fine for your group -- you know your players. I will say that your proposed payout should make it a special event, and it would even if you went to 40% payouts. If your guys are really willing to play for more, why not just raise the original buy in? For cash, that gives them more room to play and if re-buys are unlimited, and always $15 (it may be more), it just seems like it would be easier to have more starting chips.

I hope you will post how this goes. This seems out of the ordinary to me and I'd love to know how it worked.

 

[joseywales]

I simply took this to mean that they initially buy-in for $15. If rebuys are frequent (as would be expected in a 25¢/50¢ game with $15 to start), there's a lot more hitting the table during the night.

Haha...sorta. Our max amount is supposed to be $50 per player, but we allow guys to buy more. So, if a guy has a tolerance for say $70, I’m guessing $150 once a year isn’t nuts. Baby steps, baby steps.

 

[joseywales]

.... This seems out of the ordinary to me and I'd love to know how it worked.

Out of the ordinary. Yep, that’s how I’d describe our group(y) :thumbsup:

 

[Poker Zombie]

I cannot upload the Excel file (didn't think so, it would be a security risk for PCF to allow certain extensions). Here is the Dropbox link.

Certain formatting may get messed up in the viewer, but should fix itself when downloaded.