Upcoming tournament buyin changes on Full Tilt

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Shyam Markus

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Hi all,

I'd like to give an early look at some upcoming tournament buyin changes we have planned on Full Tilt for next month. Note that the below represents the current plan, and the plan can change at any time. So treat the below as very likely to happen, but by no means set in stone. Apologies for the length, there's a bunch to go over!

Why are you making these changes?

This project started last year with a pretty simple goal: Bring satellites back to life on Full Tilt. The trend of falling satellite participation has been an issue for a long time, and it got to the point where almost no SNG satellites were ever going off, and our scheduled satellites were struggling to stay alive. So we knew we needed to do something fairly drastic (having already tried all of the non-drastic ideas).

So we came up with a number of ideas to help satellites, which will be detailed below. The idea with the biggest impact, though, is a complete revamp our of tournament buyin levels. With that change (and the associated changes that stem from that change), we hope to breathe some life into our satellites (and therefore guarantee participation), simplify the full tournament offering (making it easier to see what the offering is), and consolidate a few stake levels (bringing some extra liquidity there, especially in SNGs).

What are the general buyin changes?

So here's what our buyin levels currently look like:

hs9ora.png


And here's what they'll look like when the update happens next month:

dhbdvp.png


For SNGs, you'll notice the $20, $25, and $60 levels have been consolidated into just the $25 and $50.

There is also a more consistent progression from one stake level to the next. Skipping one level is always a 4x or 5x increase, skipping two levels is always a 10x increase (both of these facts will be important when we talk about SNG satellites).

And not to be ignored: The numbers are prettier. It seems silly, but this should make the entire lobby look "nicer."

What are the Sit & Go specific changes?

  • Other than the buyin levels changing in most places, not all that much will be changing for SNGs. The rake will mostly be a "best fit" from the old level, so while it won't be exactly the same at every level (although it will for many levels), it will be pretty close.
  • The Matrix and Steps tabs (and games) will be removed. The Satellite tab will be coming back.
  • Finally, and probably most importantly for this project, all SNG satellites will become "generic" and award tickets instead of T$. The offering will look like this:

301knb5.png


So every 1 table SNG will award a ticket to first place and exactly your money back for 2nd, and every 2 table (12 man) SNG satellite will award a ticket for first place and exactly your money back for 2nd and 3rd. You can then take that ticket and use it for any tournament across the site with that buyin, which will now include SNGs (including another SNG satellite, create your own steps!) *and* MTTs.

For those of you doing the math at home, yes, this also means there will be no rake on these satellite SNGs. This is more to make the math work and because it makes us more comfortable giving tickets instead of T$ than any other reason, but if it brings more players to the satellites because of it, we won't argue. Note that like any offering, this is all subject to change at any time.

What are the scheduled tournament specific changes?

  • Rake changes to regular speed scheduled tournaments will be very small overall. Nothing will be exactly the way it was, but for the most part it will all be within 5% of what the closest fit old buyin used to be. The main exceptions are the micro stakes tournaments which will be going from (for example) $1+$0.10 to $0.90+$0.10, which is about an 11% increase.
  • As part of this restructuring, we took the opportunity to separate out the rake structure of regular speed MTTs from turbo speed MTTs. So all scheduled turbo tournaments (with the exception of the $0.50) will now have approximately 10-15% lower rake than their regular speed counterpart.
  • Super Turbo rake won't be all that different from where it currently is, with the exception of the micro stakes which will now be 10-20% lower than their turbo equivalents (previously they were the same as even regular speed).
  • In addition, all scheduled satellites will now charge 20-30% lower rake than their non-satellite counterparts. So, for example, a $10 turbo guarantee might break down to $9.20+$0.80 (8.7% rake), but a $10 turbo satellite would be $9.40+$0.60 (6.38% rake).
  • We will be removing the Cash and Live Events tabs in the browse area of the lobby, and bringing back the Satellite tab. Cash is mostly a useless tab since you can get exactly the same functionality by simply unchecking Satellites from the All tab (and most people just want to look at Guarantees anyway, and the Guarantees tab will still be there). We may bring the Live Events tab back someday, but for now when we're only doing 0-2 live events at a time, it's not as important to have a separate tab.

What are the other related changes?

  • We will be eliminating Super Turbo satellite "sniping". By this I mean the unsportsmanlike behavior of finding a super turbo satellite that pays out 4 spots and has 4 players remaining, and then waiting for someone to be all-in and looking like they're going to bust, and late registering at the last second (so they now get 5th place and you "snipe" the money position). This will no longer be possible, as we will end late registration before the money bubble (we will be able to control how far off from the bubble it ends, so we'll experiment to find the right balance between letting late reg continue and making sure it can't be gamed).
  • While it won't be ready with the same release as the rest of the changes, we will also be implementing a system where if you satellite into a tournament that's already running, you will be automatically registered for that tournament (just like PokerStars currently does). In the future there might also be special tournaments where if you satellite in you won't be able to unregister (although there are currently no plans for this).
  • Instead of separate Sit & Go, Jackpot Sit & Go, Steps, Avatar Tournaments, and FTOPS subsections within the FTP Store, we'll just have the generic tickets, Game of the Week tickets, and a couple specific tournament tickets (like The Sunday Major and eventually the FTOPS Main Event). The average price of these tickets will be going up. You'll still find the best deals with tournament tickets (The Sunday Major and FTOPS Main Event especially), but they won't be quite as out of line with the rest of the offering any more.
  • The $2 Jackpot SNGs will be changed to $2.50 (since we no longer have a $2 SNG level). At the same time, the $1 and the new $2.50 Jackpot SNGs will go from 5% effective rake to 6% effective rake. Not great news, I know, but it is still the best rake for that format around.
  • We'll also be tweaking the games offering a bit here and there, removing some games and formats that simply aren't being played right now (this mostly applies to SNGs).

Thanks for the wall of text, now make it longer.

The only thing I haven't mentioned that's for sure changing is the tournament schedule itself. That's mostly because it's not finished yet, but also because there are a number of questions still outstanding. The biggest question is exactly how much we want to mess with it. On the one hand we can simply adjust all of the buyins to be a "best fit" with the new buyin levels and make minor guarantee adjustments based on that, and on the other hand we could go all out and with a complete revamp. My personal preference is somewhere in between. I think we'll take a look at what a "best fit" schedule looks like, and adjust from there based on player suggestions and what's been working best.

To that end, here are a set of decisions we're facing that I'd love some input on:

  • The Sunday Major will be going from $215 to $250. Does anyone think this is terrible?
  • For the Sunday Brawl, there's a choice. The "easy" choice is to simply go from $255 to $250, but part of me likes the idea of the Sunday Major being the only real $250 for the week. If given these choices, which would you pick:

  1. $250 buyin, same guarantee
  2. $100 buyin, half the guarantee (side Q: what should the KO bounty be?)
  3. $100 buyin with 2xMET, same guarantee as current

(Note I don't expect many votes for #3, but it's worth offering as a choice since it's still a lower total buyin than #1 if you play both entries, and would for sure allow more players to play in something that has a bigger guarantee.)

  • For the next FTOPS, our Main Event buyin choices are $500 or $1,000. Pick one and explain why. We're already leaning towards one of these, and once we get some feedback I'll chime in and say which and explain our reasons.
  • The T-Rex will be going from $162 to $100, which will obviously bring with it a lower guarantee. It also means that it will be much closer in buyin to the new $25 Triceratops. Does anyone think they'll eat into each other (ugh, pun) too much and should be separated by 30-60 minutes, or are all 3 fine to leave together?
  • Rebuys:
We're planning to do an experiment with rebuys. We want the rebuy to cost the same as the initial buyin, so that players (eventually, when some more technical work is done) can use tickets for their rebuys. In order to do this and still collect rake on the initial buyin, this means that less money will go into the prize pool for initial buyins than for rebuys and addons. So to make this a little more fair (and hopefully promote more action during the rebuy period), we're going to try something. Instead of a "standard" rebuy where you get 1,500 chips for the initial buyin, and 1,500 for each rebuy, we're going to give 1,000 chips for the initial buyin and 1,500 chips for each rebuy.

We're also kicking around the idea of making the "threshold" 2,500 chips instead of 1,500, which would allow you to make 2 rebuys right away (but only ever 2 at a time after that). So the question is, does anyone like this idea? If so, do you prefer being able to rebuy twice right away (for a total of 4K chips) and thereafter only being able to do double rebuys (for a total of 3k chips as usual), or would you rather keep it to one initial rebuy (for a total of 2.5K chips) and normal double rebuys after that? Or even crazier, set the threshold to 3k and allow for 4K chips right away and 4.5K chips after that (triple rebuy always available)? If all of this is deemed too crazy, we may just start off experimenting with the ideas in satellites only and leave the guarantees alone (but I'd rather we went a little crazy here, to be honest).

Let us know what you think about all of this, and if there are any major questions or concerns about any of it.

Where we're going, there is no tl;dr.
 
BluffMeAllIn

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While it won't be ready with the same release as the rest of the changes, we will also be implementing a system where if you satellite into a tournament that's already running, you will be automatically registered for that tournament (just like PokerStars currently does). In the future there might also be special tournaments where if you satellite in you won't be able to unregister (although there are currently no plans for this).

Thanks for all the info on some upcomming changes Shyam, had a quick glance through...would need a bit more time to give a little thought on everything but regarding the above I did have a question/comment.

I for one like the fact that on FTP if you satty into a game that is already running you were not inclined to play it directly (at that time, but could instead play it from its scheduled start on another date), obviously if I was playing the satty I had my day scheduled to play the event if I got in however it was nice to have the option and meant if the satty ran long that you didn't make it in only to be sitting with 10bb.

I know with the previous awarding of T$ it would make sense to have the autoregister so that you know satty entries will be used in the events to boost the #'s, however why the change now if the sytem will be moving to awarding tickets instead? I like the option of playing satty's perhaps throughout the week and potentially stockpiling tickets to do a big mtt grind during the weekend when my schedule can allow for more time, but would certainly have to be more picky on which satty's i'd play if they would put me directly into the game if its currently running.

A thought also just popped into my mind that would be an interesting concept, perhaps something could be implemented whereby players could combine their tickets into a larger ticket to play a bigger tournament....so it would essentially be a situation where I could grind out say 20x5$ tickets from satties and combine it into a 100$ ticket for use in a larger mtt/sng. Again just a thought that jumped into my head, as it could allow a micro stakes player within brm to build their way into a larger event via combining a bunch of smaller tickets. Vice versa could be an option as well where you could essentially break down a 100$ ticket into 20x5$ tickets, just as a thought to allow the flexibility. When thinking in terms of tickets I like my chances with 20x5$ tickets than a single 100$ ticket to have the chance at potentially boosting my br more consistently.

I do hope some increased traffic can be brought about with the changes, as a sng player mainly I love the steps process and especially when the change was brought in to have the top step pay out cash but they just never got any traffic outside of the 6max super-turbo's so it will be interesting to see how the "create your own steps" thing works with having the sng satties and especially with them being rakefree I would hope they get some traffic and increase the sng traffic overall on the site.

Overall most of the changes seem reasonable, but will have some further comments once i get another read and can view the pics from home this evening.
 
BigJamo

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I read something about Avatar Tourneys.
Will there still be The Raptor?

I think its fine otherwise & will make for easier viewing within the lobby.
 
BluffMeAllIn

BluffMeAllIn

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yeah looks like still going to have the avatar tournies (based on mention of the triceratops being 25$ instead of 26$ with the new set-up), just with adjusted buy-ins and possibly some adjustment on the gtd's if required. I'd surmise the raptor will drop to a 2.5$ buy-in.

I'm excited regarding the set-up of the sng satty's and hope they get some good traffic.

Regarding the Sunday major and Sunday Brawl question, I can't see it hurting to have both as 250$ no different than how stars has the Sunday million and Sunday warm-up both being the same 215$ buy-in.......or even if the brawl was a bigger buy-in like the 320$ pko on stars on Saturdays (think its Saturdays)....although with the new buy-in levels obviously would have to be 100 or 250.

If really wanting the only 250$ game to be the Sunday major then perhaps the 100$ with 2xME over the single 100$ as it could very well allow the gtd to stay the same or rather close to it.

I think the change could go either way good or bad, but can't see it reducing any traffic but as mentioned should at least make it appear as if there is more with less levels and therefore more traffic at the individual levels rather than dispersed among several similar levels.

Regarding the re-buy stuff, comments in bold below...essentially applies to both paragraphs.

Shyam said:
We're planning to do an experiment with rebuys. We want the rebuy to cost the same as the initial buyin, so that players (eventually, when some more technical work is done) can use tickets for their rebuys. In order to do this and still collect rake on the initial buyin, this means that less money will go into the prize pool for initial buyins than for rebuys and addons. So to make this a little more fair (and hopefully promote more action during the rebuy period), we're going to try something. Instead of a "standard" rebuy where you get 1,500 chips for the initial buyin, and 1,500 for each rebuy, we're going to give 1,000 chips for the initial buyin and 1,500 chips for each rebuy.

starting with 1k chips vs 1.5k, tbh I hate it unless you plan on changing the structure of blinds as well.....personally I think change the re-buy to be 2k chips and leave the initial as 1.5k as it leaves the initial buyin the same but promotes doing an initial/double re-buy to start and then allow a double re-buy.......so essentially a 3.5k threshold so if players wanted they could take 2x re-buys of the start for 5.5k essentially making it a deep stack game and then a double re-buy would cap at the 4k.

I will add I do not play rebuy's often however with future potential of being able to start of with a deep stack and use tickets for such rebuy's it does make it a bit more appealing


We're also kicking around the idea of making the "threshold" 2,500 chips instead of 1,500, which would allow you to make 2 rebuys right away (but only ever 2 at a time after that). So the question is, does anyone like this idea? If so, do you prefer being able to rebuy twice right away (for a total of 4K chips) and thereafter only being able to do double rebuys (for a total of 3k chips as usual), or would you rather keep it to one initial rebuy (for a total of 2.5K chips) and normal double rebuys after that? Or even crazier, set the threshold to 3k and allow for 4K chips right away and 4.5K chips after that (triple rebuy always available)? If all of this is deemed too crazy, we may just start off experimenting with the ideas in satellites only and leave the guarantees alone (but I'd rather we went a little crazy here, to be honest).
 
BigJamo

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yeah looks like still going to have the avatar tournies (based on mention of the triceratops being 25$ instead of 26$ with the new set-up), just with adjusted buy-ins and possibly some adjustment on the gtd's if required. I'd surmise the raptor will drop to a 2.5$ buy-in.

Yeah I was hoping that was the case.
 
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DON'T DO IT !

More unnecessary change.

OK so I guess it is rhetorical as the opinions are sought after the decisions have been made.

What happens to the existing tickets?
Do they become unusable? (like some pokerstars tickets did).
Or do they just get devalued eg a $26 ticket now worth $25 and a $3.30 devalued to a $2.50 tournament.

Or will fulltilt do the decent thing, hold their hands up to making the changes and honour the tickets at their full value with conversion to T$ if necessary?
 
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Shyam Markus

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I for one like the fact that on FTP if you satty into a game that is already running you were not inclined to play it directly (at that time, but could instead play it from its scheduled start on another date), obviously if I was playing the satty I had my day scheduled to play the event if I got in however it was nice to have the option and meant if the satty ran long that you didn't make it in only to be sitting with 10bb.

Yeah, that's understandable. We'll have a big warning pop up on any satellite that might lock you into the target, so you will know not to play in it if you aren't sure you'll be able to play the target. We're making this change for the simple reason that we want more players who play satellites to play in the target, and since PokerStars does it this way it's clearly an acceptable "industry standard." :)

I know with the previous awarding of T$ it would make sense to have the autoregister so that you know satty entries will be used in the events to boost the #'s, however why the change now if the sytem will be moving to awarding tickets instead? I like the option of playing satty's perhaps throughout the week and potentially stockpiling tickets to do a big mtt grind during the weekend when my schedule can allow for more time, but would certainly have to be more picky on which satty's i'd play if they would put me directly into the game if its currently running.

It will only be the "last minute" (really last hour or so) satellites that will be doing this. Any other satellite you play during the week you can happily stockpile tickets (or T$, since a lot of the scheduled satellites will still award T$).

There will also be plenty of generic satellites that just award tickets of a certain buyin level, instead of to a specific event. These will never lock you into anything (other than that buyin level). This includes all of those new single table SNG satellites.

DON'T DO IT !

More unnecessary change.

Which part? All of it? Do you disagree that satellites are dying faster than just about anything else on the site?

OK so I guess it is rhetorical as the opinions are sought after the decisions have been made.
Nothing was rhetorical. The questions asked were asked before any final decisions were made. Most of the post wasn't asking questions, though!

What happens to the existing tickets?
Do they become unusable? (like some pokerstars tickets did).
Or do they just get devalued eg a $26 ticket now worth $25 and a $3.30 devalued to a $2.50 tournament.

Or will fulltilt do the decent thing, hold their hands up to making the changes and honour the tickets at their full value with conversion to T$ if necessary?
There are two possible things that will happen with each ticket.

  1. You will get a slightly lower value ticket plus T$ to make up the difference (for example, if you have a $26 tournament ticket, you will get a $25 tournament ticket + 1T$).
  2. You will get straight T$ if there's no "best fit" ticket for you (for example, if you have a Sunday Major ticket valued at $215, you will get 215T$).

Hopefully that's acceptable!
 
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Shyam Markus

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Will there still be The Raptor?

Just to confirm - yes there will still be the Raptor. It will now be a $2.50 tournament instead of a $3.30 tournament, but it will still be there.
 
LeeCallaghan

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halfway and I stop but interesting :eek:
I hope it will changes in ALL USA!
 
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jj20002

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and since PokerStars does it this way it's clearly an acceptable "industry standard." :)

Shayam,

thanks for the info,

however I totally disagree with the statement above, i prefer the way FTP handles the satties till now, so the player has the choice either to use the ticket right away or just keep it for a better time, sometimes the blinds gets too big at the current mtt by the time the satty ends

i really dont like the way PS manages the satties in this regard, so please keep them as they are now,

another thing i would like to point, there are 2 daily omaha hl tourneys (26$ BI), but none of them has a satty, 2 weeks ago, the game of the week was omaha hl and most of the satties were full, including the satties for the big game of the week so it looks like a good thing to add some daily basis

JJ
 
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  • We will be eliminating Super Turbo satellite "sniping". By this I mean the unsportsmanlike behavior of finding a super turbo satellite that pays out 4 spots and has 4 players remaining, and then waiting for someone to be all-in and looking like they're going to bust, and late registering at the last second (so they now get 5th place and you "snipe" the money position). This will no longer be possible, as we will end late registration before the money bubble (we will be able to control how far off from the bubble it ends, so we'll experiment to find the right balance between letting late reg continue and making sure it can't be gamed).
Bravo!
This part at least will come a great news to anyone who plays these satellites, especially at the higher levels of buy ins. I won't bore you with my 'poor me' stories. But suffice to say that i'm sure there are many more like me that will welcome this change..... Although i'm sure there will be more besides who will have to rethink their (scummy) tactics.
P.S. Please feel free to retroactively reimburse my lost buy-ins/prizes. ;)
 
BluffMeAllIn

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Curious as to when during the month, even an estimation, that these changes are set to take place?
 
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