When are you ready for a bigger stakes tourney?

Just wondering if I am ready for a 1000 dollar buy in tourney this weekend. I have been playing quite a few tournaments in the last couple of months. On average I am in the top 15% of the field in 70% of the tournaments I have played. Biggest being a 200 dollar buy in to a tournament of 140 people. I took 8th. I have one 5 of the last nine free tournaments I have played in. never more than 50 people in them though. I have played in two bigger tournaments in the last year. both 250 buy-in with over 240 people. one I was out fairly early with ak against kk flop was a k 4 rainbow. the next i took 43rd and lost with ak suited on the button to a big blinds pocket AA. I am debating on my right move. Am I ready or do I need to take more time and play in min buy in tournaments longer?

If you can afford to play it (your BR)
then why not ?
The experience would be good,
and it would be good experience.
If the loss would cripple your BR,
then its not advisable I suppose.
Can you afford it ?

Yes I can afford it. Just want to be smart with where I spend my BR. Am I better to play in several smaller buyins or one bigger one. On average this tournament I am talking about has around 250 people each year. a lot of which are bigger players. I am not intimidated at all but want to make the best decision for myself. There is a satellite tonight for 100 dollars and will give spots to the number of entries that can be paid for based on the tournaments buy ins. thinking about doing that too. what do you think and what is your experiance? thanks for your reply!!

I am only a recreational player m8,
but I would say if your BR is OK,
then go for it.
There are lots more experienced players than me here,
perhaps they could give you more constructive advice.
whatever you decide to do,
best of luck to you.

There are several things to consider. You will run into stronger and more experienced players than you are finding in the free tournaments you have done well in.

Check out the tournament structure and think about the structures of the buy-ins you have done well in. The structure is always hugely important to me.

Last - do you want to invest that much in 1 tournament?

I play the free tournaments to practice patience. I have played with highly skilled players in cash games and such. I have never payed attention to the structure really. I guess I do best when the blind levels are further apart. I guess because i usually play tight until have a great reads at the table and then pick my spots to bluff based on what i think the other players are holding. reading people is my biggest asset. I have never left a tournament on a bluff.

Mikey, are we talking live or online here? And welcome to Cardschat.

live tournaments

Thanks!

mnmikeykunz said:

live tournaments

Thanks!

Click to expand...

No info on where you are at, but you might be limited as to what is available. Careful responding here as in the beginning you only get 7 posts per day.

When you get a chance, give us more details about who you are and where you play. We don't have many big stake live players, so you can definitely teach many of us some stuff, and along the line get a free education.

Players of interest (here at CC) for you would include Egon Towst, who even made it to a webcast game and we got to watch him play live.

mnmikeykunz said:

There is a satellite tonight for 100 dollars and will give spots to the number of entries that can be paid for based on the tournaments buy ins. thinking about doing that too. what do you think and what is your experiance?

Click to expand...

I would suggest that you play the satellite if it seems likely to generate at least two seats. A satellite which generates only one seat may be too luck-dependent - you can easily come second if some other guy has a lot of luck. But, assuming you have an edge over the field, finishing in the top two is more than twice as easy as finishing first.

Playing the satellite will give you a clue as to where you stand and what the opposition is apt to be like. If you win a seat, that`s obviously fine. If you fail to qualify because of a beat but the field seems soft, it may still be worth your $1k to buy in direct. However, if the standard of play seems good and you fail to qualify, save your money.

mnmikeykunz said:

I play the free tournaments to practice patience. ...... I have never payed attention to the structure really.

Click to expand...

I don`t wish to seem rude, and perhaps there isn`t enough evidence here to form a judgement, but those two statements wouldn`t suggest to me that your level of experience is yet up to high stakes MTTs.

I have played a lot of MTTs and looked at PTRs for a long time and I have no concept of what top 15% in 70% of tournaments really signifies, especially considering that top 15% usually doesn't finish ITM.

You sound like you would be better off playing a few smaller buy in tourneys. If you happen to get a bad beat or just a bad run of cards in the $1k tourney than, depending on your BR, you lose a lot in one game. Remember, even the best MTT players don't cash every time. If you play a few smaller buy ins, you will be OK if you happen to have a bad run/beat etc. since you plan on a playing a few.
I also like Egon's idea about trying to satellite into the event if that is an option also.. very smart cuz you could get in cheaper and or see how the competition is.
On the other hand if $1k isn't a big hit to your BR than by all means go for it.

when i'm blazed.

^ really un nessisarly.

And for the OP i say sat into the game if possible, that way you wont feel the hit on your BR ( whatever size it may be) as much. if you REALLY want to play in it tho and your BR is not an issue, I still SAT into it xD just feels better knowing you didnt have to pay the full amount for a nice tourney.

darkassassin89 said:

^ really un nessisarly.

And for the OP i say sat into the game if possible, that way you wont feel the hit on your BR ( whatever size it may be) as much. if you REALLY want to play in it tho and your BR is not an issue, I still SAT into it xD just feels better knowing you didnt have to pay the full amount for a nice tourney.

Click to expand...

words of wisdom here ^

Thanks Poker

Based on your response I would definitely recommend that you not play in it - you are not ready for that yet.

I would not recommend the satellite either - especially if there is only 1 seat.

Yea honestly if you have to ask us for our permission to play higher, then you are probably not ready i do agree iwth Dakota.

Also - sounds like you would do best in deep stacks - look for tournaments with 30 min blind levels if possible. 20 is as low as I would go.

Look for 5000-10,000 starting chip stacks. I personally prefer at least 7500 but will play with less sometimes.

Yeah doesnt sound like you are ready.

As a more general answer to your question about when you know you should move up.
You dont. I mean there's BRM of course, and you should beat the lower levels first, but besides that the only way to really know for sure is to try.

Thanks for the advice all.

I played a cash game last night 1/2 nl. Bought in for a hundred. Played six hours and cashed out at 500. Lost about 300 on my last two hands. One was my kk against aa. He only had 120 and was sb. I was 3rd to act and raised 15 with two callers behind me. He pushed and so did I so we were heads up. The very next hand I had j9 suited in the bb. 4 callers of 10 infront of me. Flopped a straight. King high. Turn was a nine. Sb bet 15 I raised to seventy five. Guy behind me pushed all in for the rest of my chips. There were two hearts on the board. I folded as he was pretty tight. He showed me aj. So good fold.

As far as the tournament goes I am going up tomorrow night to play the satellite. 100 dollars and they give one seat per ten players. Usually 3-6 seats I was told. So we will see.

The structure is 15000 in chips and 50 minute blinds. Two day tournament. Don't think I will buy in if I don't win a seat. I will keep you all posted.

mnmikeykunz said:

Yes I can afford it. Just want to be smart with where I spend my BR. Am I better to play in several smaller buyins or one bigger one. On average this tournament I am talking about has around 250 people each year. a lot of which are bigger players. I am not intimidated at all but want to make the best decision for myself. There is a satellite tonight for 100 dollars and will give spots to the number of entries that can be paid for based on the tournaments buy ins. thinking about doing that too. what do you think and what is your experiance? thanks for your reply!!

Click to expand...

sometimes if i want to play in a bigger buy-in game, and am worried about it. i just don't let myself play, until i have won the buy-in at the lower levels. then i don't stress as much if i don't cash.

http://www.canterburypark.com/Poker/FallPokerClassic/tabid/146/Default.aspx this is the tournament.

3-6 seats, that makes it def worth SATin to Gl to you if you go through with it.

So how did it go?