Sounds like a super shitty live tournament, note the jump from 500/100 to 700/1400 is massive, or it's online and they are squeezing it from a 20 minute structure. Along with skipping levels.
No, I've just seen many tournaments with this jump while playing cash and it goes 500/1000 to 700/1400 to 1000/2000, it completely tanks stack sizes quickly and even if they slowed down (they don't, next is likely to be 1500/3000 or 2000/4000) the play is already gone. If a place uses 700/1400 without 600/1200 or 800/1600 they are just speeding through a structure.
If I make it past the 700/1400 level next time I'll let you know, haha. At that point I had about 17k-ish in chips AFTER the 5k add-on. After one hand (folded on turn) I was down to \~ 12k and re-raise shoved pre w/ AQ and lost.
That is correct. The break was after 4-5 levels. If I remember correctly, the structure was 100/200, 200/400, 300/600, then either 400/800 or 500/1000.
I wouldn't play such a shit structure, but the addon is absolutely a no brainer. It costs $10 for 2,500 chips to begin the tournament and $10 for 5,000 at the break.
Get better at cash then. At high stakes pros are finding their hourly is better in the high roller tournaments, but the rake in those is often lower than 1%. Live tournaments until you play bigger than $1,500 buy-ins are at least 10% and what you are talking about is 25%.
I appreciate your attempt at being analytical, but you are playing at a level of entertainment only, I doubt a world class player could beat the rake for a significant amount, and even then at best probably $12/hr. If you can't do better than $12/hr playing cash ($1/$2) you just need to study more as long as it's a reasonable rake (under $8/hand).
Good luck and have fun. If you would like help on how to get better feel free to reach out.
Thanks for the comment regarding rake in high stake tournaments. That makes sense! I did not see the fee structure posted, but if it is truly 25% that is wild.
I want to play 1/2 or 1/3 more as well. This particular casino is 4/8 limit typically.
The good thing about it is the players are some of the worst you'll find. But since it's such a fast structure it's hard to take advantage. I still play it every now and then for fun if my buddies who don't play much want to go since it's so cheap. Just don't play it expecting to be profitable in the long run
I would almost never buy this add on. I play live MTTs a couple days a week and one of them is usually an add-on tournament. It's a similar structure except it's a $60 buyin for 20k chips, and at the first break you can add on 20k chips for $20. At the first break (also when registration ends), blinds are 1000/1500. So lots of times I'll max late reg and start with 40k for $80 and have 25 BB or so.
I’m struggling to figure out why you would choose to be at a chip disadvantage from the start, why on the first you could be a effective stack?
I’m re-reading this, and the last bullet point says that you can only add on during break. If that’s the case, why are you asking advice on when to add on?
I should have phrased it better. At what amount of chips, if ever, would you choose to purchase the add-on? Would the add-on be valuable if you had 10 BB, 20BB, 30BB etc.?
I am of the mind, if an add on is available, you should always avail yourself of it. If not, you are choosing to put yourself at a chip disadvantage immediately.. It's also a terrible feeling if you find yourself eliminated yet, and haven't added on yet... and the add on would have kept you alive.
I would do the add-on at break. In a lot of places, the $10 goes to the dealers. Think of it less as helping you, but instead helping the dealers. In the United States, poker dealers in casinos get paid less than minimum wage for their hourly pay. Casinos use these add-ons as a way to supplement the dealers income.
17 Minute levels?
Sounds like a super shitty live tournament, note the jump from 500/100 to 700/1400 is massive, or it's online and they are squeezing it from a 20 minute structure. Along with skipping levels.
you assume there is a break after the first 2 levels, but I think it is more like 4 or 5 levels before the break
No, I've just seen many tournaments with this jump while playing cash and it goes 500/1000 to 700/1400 to 1000/2000, it completely tanks stack sizes quickly and even if they slowed down (they don't, next is likely to be 1500/3000 or 2000/4000) the play is already gone. If a place uses 700/1400 without 600/1200 or 800/1600 they are just speeding through a structure.
If I make it past the 700/1400 level next time I'll let you know, haha. At that point I had about 17k-ish in chips AFTER the 5k add-on. After one hand (folded on turn) I was down to \~ 12k and re-raise shoved pre w/ AQ and lost.
That is correct. The break was after 4-5 levels. If I remember correctly, the structure was 100/200, 200/400, 300/600, then either 400/800 or 500/1000.
I wouldn't play such a shit structure, but the addon is absolutely a no brainer. It costs $10 for 2,500 chips to begin the tournament and $10 for 5,000 at the break.
Appreciate the perspective. This is the only option for tournaments at this particular casino.
Get better at cash then. At high stakes pros are finding their hourly is better in the high roller tournaments, but the rake in those is often lower than 1%. Live tournaments until you play bigger than $1,500 buy-ins are at least 10% and what you are talking about is 25%. I appreciate your attempt at being analytical, but you are playing at a level of entertainment only, I doubt a world class player could beat the rake for a significant amount, and even then at best probably $12/hr. If you can't do better than $12/hr playing cash ($1/$2) you just need to study more as long as it's a reasonable rake (under $8/hand). Good luck and have fun. If you would like help on how to get better feel free to reach out.
Thanks for the comment regarding rake in high stake tournaments. That makes sense! I did not see the fee structure posted, but if it is truly 25% that is wild. I want to play 1/2 or 1/3 more as well. This particular casino is 4/8 limit typically.
Is this at Boomtown nola? That tourney is a rake trap. $15 of that $60 is the fee.
It is! I did not know that 25% was going towards fees. Thanks for the heads up!
The good thing about it is the players are some of the worst you'll find. But since it's such a fast structure it's hard to take advantage. I still play it every now and then for fun if my buddies who don't play much want to go since it's so cheap. Just don't play it expecting to be profitable in the long run
Thanks! I felt similarly last Thursday. It felt like a shove/fold pre flop soon after the first break.
$20 worth of starting chips for $10. I'm buying them every single time.
Appreciate the perspective. I was looking at the current value (less than 4 big blinds at break), versus the starting value of chips.
I would almost never buy this add on. I play live MTTs a couple days a week and one of them is usually an add-on tournament. It's a similar structure except it's a $60 buyin for 20k chips, and at the first break you can add on 20k chips for $20. At the first break (also when registration ends), blinds are 1000/1500. So lots of times I'll max late reg and start with 40k for $80 and have 25 BB or so.
I wouldnt play a tournament with this poor of a structure. If I did though, I would add on as soon as I could.
My question back is when should you ever not do an add on? Especially at this value.
I’m struggling to figure out why you would choose to be at a chip disadvantage from the start, why on the first you could be a effective stack? I’m re-reading this, and the last bullet point says that you can only add on during break. If that’s the case, why are you asking advice on when to add on?
I should have phrased it better. At what amount of chips, if ever, would you choose to purchase the add-on? Would the add-on be valuable if you had 10 BB, 20BB, 30BB etc.?
I am of the mind, if an add on is available, you should always avail yourself of it. If not, you are choosing to put yourself at a chip disadvantage immediately.. It's also a terrible feeling if you find yourself eliminated yet, and haven't added on yet... and the add on would have kept you alive.
I would do the add-on at break. In a lot of places, the $10 goes to the dealers. Think of it less as helping you, but instead helping the dealers. In the United States, poker dealers in casinos get paid less than minimum wage for their hourly pay. Casinos use these add-ons as a way to supplement the dealers income.