P
ph_il
...
Silver Level
So, I want to start playing casino MTTs and I have some questions for those who play them frequently.
1. Since I'm new to casino tournaments, should I start off with small buy-ins to get my feet wet?
Most small buy-in tournaments look like they have really poor structures, but I found one I like and am interested in playing.
$55 buy-in
500 starting stack
5-10 blinds, 15 min levels
50 max seats
No rebuy/No re-entry
$500 added to prize pool
50 BBs starting is a bit eh, but I feel comfortable playing that stack size. I feel like this tournament will play like a (hyper?) turbo 45 man SNG. What I do like is the no rebuy/rentry and the added money to the prize pool, which you don't see too often in low buy-in tournaments. It's also in a good location, only 20 min away from me.
It's also very easy on my wallet. I don't have a live poker BR, but I do have a steady income I can use to play and try to build a BR. $55 is something I can afford and I can comfortably play this MTT 1-2x a month.
2. Or is it better to play larger buy-in tournaments with better structures and bigger prize pool?
I have found casinos about 2-3 hour driving distances that offer tournaments with $125-$300 buy-in and 10K GTD-40K GTD prize pool. Their structure is also much better with deep starting stacks and 30-40 min blind levels.
$125-$300 doesn't sound like a lot, but it's more than I can afford to spend on a regular basis. If I were to save up for these games, I'd be playing these less frequently than the $55 buy-in. Also, 2-3 hours of driving doesn't sound fun and, again, I have to take that into consideration. There are local casinos much closer with similar buy-ins, but they offer much smaller prize pools.
I'm also very intimidated by the size of the buy-in and feel like I'd be playing very scared, especially it being my first tournament.
3. So, if you were in my position, would you rather play the $55 more frequently, but it has a poor tournament structure or the bigger buy-in + larger prize pool less frequently, but with the much better structures? For those who do play casino tournaments, did you start off playing the lower buy-in games?
4. I do know we have a staking section on this forum, which I could use to possibly get some backers for the larger buy-in, GTD tournaments. While I have thought about it many times, I feel silly asking for a stake for something I have no experience with. I would like to use in the future, but-assuming I play the $55-how many tournaments should I have under my belt before I request a stake? And is it best that I show some type of profit as well before making a request?
1. Since I'm new to casino tournaments, should I start off with small buy-ins to get my feet wet?
Most small buy-in tournaments look like they have really poor structures, but I found one I like and am interested in playing.
$55 buy-in
500 starting stack
5-10 blinds, 15 min levels
50 max seats
No rebuy/No re-entry
$500 added to prize pool
50 BBs starting is a bit eh, but I feel comfortable playing that stack size. I feel like this tournament will play like a (hyper?) turbo 45 man SNG. What I do like is the no rebuy/rentry and the added money to the prize pool, which you don't see too often in low buy-in tournaments. It's also in a good location, only 20 min away from me.
It's also very easy on my wallet. I don't have a live poker BR, but I do have a steady income I can use to play and try to build a BR. $55 is something I can afford and I can comfortably play this MTT 1-2x a month.
2. Or is it better to play larger buy-in tournaments with better structures and bigger prize pool?
I have found casinos about 2-3 hour driving distances that offer tournaments with $125-$300 buy-in and 10K GTD-40K GTD prize pool. Their structure is also much better with deep starting stacks and 30-40 min blind levels.
$125-$300 doesn't sound like a lot, but it's more than I can afford to spend on a regular basis. If I were to save up for these games, I'd be playing these less frequently than the $55 buy-in. Also, 2-3 hours of driving doesn't sound fun and, again, I have to take that into consideration. There are local casinos much closer with similar buy-ins, but they offer much smaller prize pools.
I'm also very intimidated by the size of the buy-in and feel like I'd be playing very scared, especially it being my first tournament.
3. So, if you were in my position, would you rather play the $55 more frequently, but it has a poor tournament structure or the bigger buy-in + larger prize pool less frequently, but with the much better structures? For those who do play casino tournaments, did you start off playing the lower buy-in games?
4. I do know we have a staking section on this forum, which I could use to possibly get some backers for the larger buy-in, GTD tournaments. While I have thought about it many times, I feel silly asking for a stake for something I have no experience with. I would like to use in the future, but-assuming I play the $55-how many tournaments should I have under my belt before I request a stake? And is it best that I show some type of profit as well before making a request?