Questions about Poker Tournaments

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Anakin

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Hey everyone! :)

I'm just a casual poker player, I know nothing about tournaments or casinos, but I'm currently writing a novel. The story's not primarily about poker, but a tournament does occur once or twice as a side-event. And as I like to get my details right, I've opened this thread to ask all sorts of questions with everyone being invited to throw in some answers. ;)

My first questions are:

1) When registering for a poker tournament (in a casino for instance)... how much information do you need to reveal about yourself?
Is it common (or in any way useful) to give them your phone number? Name? ID? Adress?

2) Is registering always necessary? I've done a little research on websites of casinos and there they say it's better to pre-register.. does that mean it's (theoretically) possible to just sit down at a table and join a tournament?

3) How much money's at stake? I know this is a very vague question, but what kinds of sums are generally won at a table? Is the range huge? (Like: a few bucks up to tens of thousands?)


Thanks a lot in advance! :)
 
Carl Trooper

Carl Trooper

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Hey everyone! :)

I'm just a casual poker player, I know nothing about tournaments or casinos, but I'm currently writing a novel. The story's not primarily about poker, but a tournament does occur once or twice as a side-event. And as I like to get my details right, I've opened this thread to ask all sorts of questions with everyone being invited to throw in some answers. ;)

My first questions are:

1) When registering for a poker tournament (in a casino for instance)... how much information do you need to reveal about yourself?

You hand them a card that the casino provides you usually. Its a card that you need to provide your license with in order to obtain. Once you have the rewards card, this is what is used to get comps and stuff for the casino. You put this card in slots, it gets you points. You show it to poker dealers and they swipe it when you sit at a table, to earn you points. Basically think of it as a club card for a Sams Club.

Is it common (or in any way useful) to give them your phone number? Name? ID? Adress?

Bigger tourneys may require a photo ID along with their casino card, but when signing up for a tourney they don't ask for your phone number.

2) Is registering always necessary? I've done a little research on websites of casinos and there they say it's better to pre-register.. does that mean it's (theoretically) possible to just sit down at a table and join a tournament?

They recommend pre-registering because of 2 things. Their main reason is because they want people to register and play. Obviously its a business and they want people in. Another reason they base that off of is they tell you it will help avoid long lines (which is true many times) If you are going to Vegas for a WSOP tourney and decide to register at 12pm for a 1pm tourney... you may have a long wait.

You can't just "Sit down" at a table and be in the tourney. You always have to register at the Cage/Cashier to get a buy-in slip and then present it to the table you're assigned to before you get your chips.


3) How much money's at stake? I know this is a very vague question, but what kinds of sums are generally won at a table? Is the range huge? (Like: a few bucks up to tens of thousands?)

You said it yourself. Very vague. Tourneys range from daily $50 events to the WSOP Big One for One Drop 1 Million Dollar buy in. I would say on "average" your decent size tourney buyin would be around the $500 range. Anything over $1000 is considered a higher buy in.

Thanks a lot in advance! :)

Answers in bold!
 
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Anakin

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Thank you, Carl Trooper. Your answers are very helpful! :)
 
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Anakin

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4) How does a player get his cash? Would it be possible to collect a day (or week?) after the tournament? Or does everyone get in line right after leaving the table to get the money? Carl Trooper mentioned a casino card... I guess with such a card it should be possible to get the cash even days (weeks/months?) after the tournament. Does every big casino use casino cards? Or are some still vintage 1920s-like? :D
 
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