At-Home MTT?

Hi folks!

I'm looking to hold what I'm hoping will turn into a bi-annual hold 'em tournament at my house (more specifically, in my basement bar!). A group of friends and I already scheduled the date for February 13th.

I have a question that I can't seem to find the answer to: how are tables balanced? If one table has four players and the other has six, which of the six players moves to the four-player table?

Also, when should hand for hand play begin? Is hand-for-hand even necessary for a tournament consisting of three nine-player tables?

If you've got some at-home MTT knowledge that you wish you would've known when you held yours, definitely drop some wisdom.

Thanks!

1. How are tables balanced? If one table has four players and the other has six, which of the six players moves to the four-player table? The position that is lost is the position you pull from the other table. Example: If you lost the person that would be in BB position, you would pull the person that will be BB from the other table. Two from the dealer, pull the person two from the dealer.
2. Also, when should hand for hand play begin? Is hand-for-hand even necessary for a tournament consisting of three nine-player tables? Hand-for-hand is when the bubble is reached. Not necessary, but helps keep up with the place all in players go out in if points are awarded. Chip count is easier to monitor if every hand starts at same time during hand-for-hand.

Hope this helps and have a fun game. X

Pokerchic has it for balancing tables - the quickest way is when you get an empty chair, take the person that's in the same relative position on the other table before the commencement of the next hand.

With a small field like the one you're talking about you'd only do hand for hand when you're one place away from the money.

It shouldn't be an issue in a 27-player MTT unless you're planning on paying more than eight places though because by the time you reach the bubble you should already be down to a single table. If for some reason you're paying nine places, I'd just start the final table 10-handed to avoid the issue.

@Oz - keep in mind not all card tables are the same size. It might be quite a stretch fitting ten players around one of the smaller tables, but I agree with the final table being 10 if you are playing the top 9.

@OP - sounds like fun - I am going home on leave from Iraq in a few months and my friends are planning a MTT in the timeframe, so hopefully I can get in on some of that - we did one last time I was home on leave - but I'm a cash game player and didn't adopt too well last time.

Good luck and enjoy the game.

Agree with all the above regaurding balancing and hand-for-hand. Do yourself a favor and check out http://www.homepokertourney.com for more great advice (blind schedules, starting chip recommendations, rules, etc.).

The more you plan things out before hand the smoother things will run on the night of the tournament especially if you plan to play yourself.

Isn't there an alternative of moving the big blind to balance tables?

Also can use Poker Tournament Manager to manage times and blind increases, software available on Web to manage, so u dont have to think about...

maake sure u get a tourney clock...there free to get...and very very helpful

i dont know about the tables balance, but about the hand for hand, it starts when you reach the bubble, and keeps until a player is busted
it isnt really necessary but usually helps to not have players stalling time

good luck and have fun at home

Moving a player from one table to the other that was in the same position also allows the new player to the table to get right into the next hand. For instance if you lose small blind and bring the person thats going to be small blind over they can post the small blind. Where as if you break a table and seats are random they have to wait if they come in the SB or BTN.

I'm not sure what caused us to change. I used to host rake free home games and they were a lot of fun. Probably everyone got furious over some way the rule worked out one day and as a group they decided to change the rule. The original rule was swapping the like playing from table to table following the how many seats behind the button the were rule. It was changed to always take whoever is going to be the BB the next hand and move them to the seat where the last player went out at the small table. I don't recall if that rule came from Roberts Rules or the HPT forums.

Thanks for the advice, everybody. I really appreciate it.

I'm going to check into another cheap set of dice-style chips at a local gaming store (I can't afford a kick-ass set just yet).