17 replies to this topic

[DaBruins]

i played a home game tonight against some new guys i just met but their structure was so different from my usual home game that i just wanted opinions on them. The regular structure that i play with my buddies is: starting chip stack approx. 40 bucks; blinds starting at .25/.50 and raising every 15 minutes. These aren't clearly defined structural rules but its pretty much our average structure. We usually get a full 10 man table and the payout is 50/30/20% with our 20 dollar buy in for each man.On the other hand, this new structure i played tonight.......8-handed table with each man putting up 20 bucks. We each started with 18 bucks in chips and the blinds starting at .50/1 and raising only when someone got eliminated. Now clearly 18 BB's is short to start with but the blinds stay the same unless a player is eliminated. However, with the action on the table being so fast, we finished our 8-handed table in less than an hour. The other thing of note here is that unlike our Blind Levels which are .25/.5, .5/1, .75/1.5, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, 6/12........these new blind levels were .50/1, 1/1.5, 1.5/2, 2/2.5, 2.5/3, 3/5. So although you start short, the big blind is just 50 cents more than the small blind except at the very end. The payout structure here was 2nd place getting their money back (20 bucks) and 1st place getting the rest (140 bucks).I prefer this payout structure over our standard 50/30/20% because I have a great track record in our game and have tons of high finishs. But i'm not sure what to make of this tournament structure. Thoughts?

[bdams19]

DaBruins said:

i played a home game tonight against some new guys i just met but their structure was so different from my usual home game that i just wanted opinions on them. The regular structure that i play with my buddies is: starting chip stack approx. 40 bucks; blinds starting at .25/.50 and raising every 15 minutes. These aren't clearly defined structural rules but its pretty much our average structure. We usually get a full 10 man table and the payout is 50/30/20% with our 20 dollar buy in for each man.On the other hand, this new structure i played tonight.......8-handed table with each man putting up 20 bucks. We each started with 18 bucks in chips and the blinds starting at .50/1 and raising only when someone got eliminated. Now clearly 18 BB's is short to start with but the blinds stay the same unless a player is eliminated. However, with the action on the table being so fast, we finished our 8-handed table in less than an hour. The other thing of note here is that unlike our Blind Levels which are .25/.5, .5/1, .75/1.5, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, 6/12........these new blind levels were .50/1, 1/1.5, 1.5/2, 2/2.5, 2.5/3, 3/5. So although you start short, the big blind is just 50 cents more than the small blind except at the very end. The payout structure here was 2nd place getting their money back (20 bucks) and 1st place getting the rest (140 bucks).I prefer this payout structure over our standard 50/30/20% because I have a great track record in our game and have tons of high finishs. But i'm not sure what to make of this tournament structure. Thoughts?

........what the hell?!

[Socrates]

I don't think these qualify as tournaments.

[krup24]

Worst structure I've ever heard of. Why to people insist on dishing out like $20 in chips and playing 0.25/.50 cent blinds? Just freaking dishout 1500 or 1000 in chips for the tourney and start the blinds at 10/20.

[Scanner313]

Man, I thought I played in the worst tourney ever a few weeks back. We got only $20 in chips with the blinds starting at .50/1.00 and increasing every 15 minutes. I played the first hand with pocket 8's, saw 4 overcards after the turn and folded. Lost almost half my stack just trying to feel out the guy I was playing against who turned out to be ultra agressive. The laydown turned out to be good, but at that point where the hell was I supposed to go? 4 rounds of betting with only 20 BB's to start means every hand you play could break you or double you up. It was a joke.

[Socrates]

It's amazing how many people host tournaments that have no idea what they are doing. And what is it with people having you buy in for $20 and then giving you $20 in chips? Sounds like a cash game to me. I know one of these people and he insists on playing his tourneys with increasing blinds, yet also has the turn be double the bet (sound like limit cash?) - he refuses to change so I don't play there anymnore, neither do a lot of people.It's pretty simple really $20 1000 in chips, blinds start at 10/20 go up by 5 until hitting 25 then double. Adjust your rounds from 60 minutes down to 30 for a 6 hour or 3 hour tournament.Anything that is finished live in less than a few hours is not a tournament (excluding HU)It seems there are so many people with with either ADD and can't sit and play for a long time or they are just internet newbies who have no idea what they are doing.

[DaBruins]

well, this is exactly what i figured. Horrible structure and i'd much rather play my usual home games with my buddies where i can play the right structure. However this new game i played in is horribly easy. Also this new game lasted just about 50 mins per tournament meaning we can play like 4 of them back-to-back which means even more $ for me. Our usual games last about 3 to 4 hours

[Drum Infected]

DaBrauns point whoever made that tourney towards this site http://www.homepokertourney.com/

[braminc]

this story reminds me of the time when i was goin to my buddies house to play some no limit "cash games". funny part was, he insisted that the blinds should go up every time a player left....??? blinds going up in a cash game??? ive never heard of that. also, he was adamant that he didnt want to play a tourney, cause they take too long and he wants everyone to stop when theyre ready, etc...haha

[Hand_Cracker]

braminc said:

this story reminds me of the time when i was goin to my buddies house to play some no limit "cash games".   funny part was, he insisted that the blinds should go up every time a player left....???   blinds going up in a cash game??? ive never heard of that.  also, he was adamant that he didnt want to play a tourney, cause they take too long and he wants everyone to stop when theyre ready, etc...haha

preposterous.

[DaBruins]

Drum Infected said:

DaBrauns point whoever made that tourney towards this site http://www.homepokertourney.com/

no need. The tourney is ran by a poker dealer from the hawaiian gardens casino in long beach. The strucutre might suck, but at least we have actual casino chips and a casino table.BTW, i played there again yesterday and won 2 of the 3 tournaments we played. Ended up winning ~300.

[teneight]

no..worst structure of my life was at some newbies house. we played on a very uncomfortable pool table and blinds went up whenever it got to the person who started with the button ::which was me:: so i didnt complain..hehehe. but after we got down to 3 handed, blinds went up every 3 hands, it was so crazy. while i was heads up, i only had like 4 times the BB..all in every handteneight

[teneight]

no..worst structure of my life was at some newbies house. we played on a very uncomfortable pool table and blinds went up whenever it got to the person who started with the button ::which was me:: so i didnt complain..hehehe. but after we got down to 3 handed, blinds went up every 3 hands, it was so crazy. while i was heads up, i only had like 4 times the BB..all in every handteneight

[Mr Monkey]

thats a horrible structure absolutely horrible. the structure i think that should be used in all tournaments is 10000 in chips with blinds starting at 25-50 and levels 30-45 minutes each depending on how many players and how long u want it to last. i always ask the structure before i decide to play. i will not play a tournament unless their is a reasonable starting stack with reasonable blinds. i avoid anything under 3000 in starting chips no matter what the blinds start at.

[teneight]

Mr Monkey said:

thats a horrible structure absolutely horrible. the structure i think that should be used in all tournaments is 10000 in chips with blinds starting at 25-50 and levels 30-45 minutes each depending on how many players and how long u want it to last. i always ask the structure before i decide to play. i will not play a tournament unless their is a reasonable starting stack with reasonable blinds. i avoid anything under 3000 in starting chips no matter what the blinds start at.

people do use different chip dinominations. like the home game i play every week starts you off with 25 dollars, and the blinds start at .25-.25 which is 100 BB..levels are 30 minutes long. it's a really solid tournament. check it out : www.pcshomegame.comteneight

[Spademan]

I once played in a 50 buy in home tourn with T1500 in starting chips, and the blinds started at 749/1499.I was on the button and every player cold called down to me.I moved all-in for T1 and everyone folded.I used my big stack to push everyone around and won the tourn in like, only 3 hours.Worst players ever.

[DaBruins]

Spademan said:

I once played in a 50 buy in home tourn with T1500 in starting chips, and the blinds started at 749/1499.I was on the button and every player cold called down to me.I moved all-in for T1 and everyone folded.I used my big stack to push everyone around and won the tourn in like, only 3 hours.Worst players ever.

(sw)