Late Registering - As a strategy

[midgetfactory]

i never register late, i can see no advantage to it whatso ever, unless of course you wer out and there was a tourney you really wanted to enter. dont be afraid to bust out against those terrible players at the beginning of tourneys, if you have good cards get them in, over time you will come out on top....

 

[LarkMarlow]

This sounds like a new challenge for me. Enter the same tourney for 50 days. For the first 25 I will register on time. For the second 25 I will register just before the late registration closes. See which 25 I do better in. Of course there are other factors involved but hmmm sounds like fun.

This does sound like an interesting/fun challenge. I think if I were to do it though I would alternate tourneys (first on time, 2nd late, 3rd on time, 4th late, etc.). Though there is no mathematical basis for the phenomenon, there seem to be days when I'm running hot followed by days that I'm not. Alternating would eliminate that factor.

 

[Oil_Fan]

I've had success in both scenarios. I honestly believe that it depends on the type of tourney you're talking about. On Friday, I entered in $2.20 NL HE on poker stars 45 minutes late right before the break. By the time registration ended, a total of 2400 people had entered and the average stack was $3500 or so ($3000 starting). So I really wasn't behind and the blinds were still quite low. Now would I do that on a turbo...not a chance.

 

[dj11]

Case in point for my philosophy (pro late registration).

Last night, $5 + rebuy at stars 50K Gaurantee.

Late registered about 45 minutes late. Immediate rebuy, and patience, little steals or wins , and an add-on. Total investment $15.50. After the add-on period was over I was a little above average in chips.

finished ITM for $50+ several hours later. And btw, it was a gigantic suckout that took me out. Was in good position to make it much deeper.

 

[dmorris68]

Case in point for my philosophy (pro late registration).

Last night, $5 + rebuy at stars 50K Gaurantee.

Late registered about 45 minutes late. Immediate rebuy, and patience, little steals or wins , and an add-on. Total investment $15.50. After the add-on period was over I was a little above average in chips.

finished ITM for $50+ several hours later. And btw, it was a gigantic suckout that took me out. Was in good position to make it much deeper.

LOL, check the September MTT thread -- I had almost exactly the same experience and outcome in the $3 10.5k gtd rebuy on FT last night. $12.30 invested, 5.5 hours and out 31/1737 for $50, with AA all-in on the flop called by 2nd pair who went runner runner for a str8. Weird!

 

[kmixer]

This week I have played in a few MTTs and registered on time for a few and late for a few. I am having a really bad week so i have no idea which was better since I lost them all....lol....but

What I did notice was that if your early stage game is weak then registering late may actually be to your advantage. I took note of my stack at the end of the registration period and was below starting stack size for all except one of them. This is very bad news for me since I am a very tight player especially early in the tourney. So I thought wow if I had registered at the end I would be in better shape then I am right now.

So there are two choices for me. 1) improve my starting game 2) always register late. I think in the long run choice 1 will be the one that I work on.

 

[kmixer]

I know this isn't the same as registering late but last night I started my FTP to find that I was 2 hours late for the daily Dollar that i forgot to bank my registration from and ended up ITM.

 

[PNJs_dad]

I know this isn't the same as registering late but last night I started my FTP to find that I was 2 hours late for the daily Dollar that i forgot to bank my registration from and ended up ITM.

That's pretty cool LOL.

 

[intiekkeko]

I am still making my mind up about late reg

I find in the freerolls and the low buyins sometimes getting rid of the allin fish's before they get a chance to suck out on you so late reg is something I sometimes use in those situations

but for bigger buyins I prefer to start at the start and get the chance to put my skill to the test

inti

 

[KoRnholio]

Wow... a lot of misconceptions, gut feelings and tin foil hat wearing in this thread.

Give me a table full of donkies (cash game or tourny) and a one way ticket to Valuetown and I'm a happy camper.

 

[dj11]

I believe your misconception is that u think u can get heads up in hands early, and thus exploit those donkeys. How many times have you been in a family pot early in a tourney? That is a situation that is way way to much like a lottery for me, and most of the folks here who realize late registration can offer a good deal.

So while I agree I would love to go heads up with those donkeys I don't/won't want to go 6 heads vs me with a herd of those donkeys. I don't even want to allow myself to get tempted by uncalculatable pot odds into joining in the fray.

Wow... a lot of misconceptions, gut feelings and tin foil hat wearing in this thread.

Give me a table full of donkies (cash game or tourny) and a one way ticket to Valuetown and I'm a happy camper.

 

[KoRnholio]

I believe your misconception is that u think u can get heads up in hands early, and thus exploit those donkeys. How many times have you been in a family pot early in a tourney? That is a situation that is way way to much like a lottery for me, and most of the folks here who realize late registration can offer a good deal.

So while I agree I would love to go heads up with those donkeys I don't/won't want to go 6 heads vs me with a herd of those donkeys. I don't even want to allow myself to get tempted by uncalculatable pot odds into joining in the fray.

There's lot of good hands that play well in multiway pots, whether it's limped or min raised (donkies favorite move). Suited connectors, small pairs, Axs, Kxs. You can play a lot more hands when you know guys aren't going to be reading hands well against you, or making the right size raises.

You WANT guys to do dumb stuff like min raise with AA after there's a few limpers. You'll call with say 76s and take a cheap flop. If you hit gin or a nice combo draw, you can have a good chance to stack the guy who is misplaying his aces.

 

[larrdawg69]

Personally I get in asap and try to get as many chips as possible. Sometimes it might be good only if the trny has over 5k entries to let the donks weed out. It's entirely up to the player.

 

[dj11]

There's lot of good hands that play well in multiway pots, whether it's limped or min raised (donkies favorite move). Suited connectors, small pairs, Axs, Kxs. You can play a lot more hands when you know guys aren't going to be reading hands well against you, or making the right size raises.

You WANT guys to do dumb stuff like min raise with AA after there's a few limpers. You'll call with say 76s and take a cheap flop. If you hit gin or a nice combo draw, you can have a good chance to stack the guy who is misplaying his aces.

Unfortunately, that is not how EARLY PLAY happens. After half an hour maybe, but at the start of damn near every public tourney, at almost any buy-in I have done over 5 years, the early hands are the most damaging. Sure every now and then things go my way, but overwhelmingly they don't.

Early on, ego's are involved by kids wanting or thinking they can establish dominance over the table.

I have found that I don't handle that situation well, and have determined that I will do better by either not showing up or late registration. I prefer the late registration over not showing up on time as I don't lose any blinds at all that way.

In other words, if I register early then show up late, I've been blinded down, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. If I just plainly late register, I come in with a full starting stack, a large chunk of players who I probably wouldn't have challenged are gone and IMO my whole situation is better. I understand I might be relatively short stacked, but never am I less than half average.

 

[KoRnholio]

Unfortunately, that is not how EARLY PLAY happens. After half an hour maybe, but at the start of damn near every public tourney, at almost any buy-in I have done over 5 years, the early hands are the most damaging. Sure every now and then things go my way, but overwhelmingly they don't.

Early on, ego's are involved by kids wanting or thinking they can establish dominance over the table.

I have found that I don't handle that situation well, and have determined that I will do better by either not showing up or late registration. I prefer the late registration over not showing up on time as I don't lose any blinds at all that way.

In other words, if I register early then show up late, I've been blinded down, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. If I just plainly late register, I come in with a full starting stack, a large chunk of players who I probably wouldn't have challenged are gone and IMO my whole situation is better. I understand I might be relatively short stacked, but never am I less than half average.

To be honest, if you're having problems with early deeper stacked play it might be that you are pushing a bit too hard with top pair/overpair type hands (as indicated by the "early hands are the most damaging" comment).

Deep stacked play is about implied odds, which favors the suited connectors/small pairs hands, rather than the big pairs/top pair top kicker type hands. Obviously the donks will be playing dominated hands like KT and will usually be paying off your AK when a king flops, but those times they outflop you can be costly if you aren't using pot control sometimes with your one pair hands.

 

[Grinderinoz]

I'm not a fan of late registration, you miss out on a chance to chip up early and often, when you do register late the blinds are already high and this in turn affects your decision making.

 

[engman]

I think it is a disadvantage, because you do not play until it comes back to your big blind. It is better to play vs. a smaller field if you are a good player before people late register in. If you register late, you also run into people who already have more chips than you, so it could become harder to overcome a person w/ dominant chip stack before you've even played a hand.

 

[jakeras10]

I might try this tonight for a $2 tournament. Probably buy-in 10 minutes before the add-on period. I will post my results if I get any at all. Always gotta try something new.

 

[pappasqueaks]

I perfer to show up early and play tight for about 10 mins so all the loose players are either gone or moved to other tables. Entering late like Phill hellmuth styles is worse than the donkeys goin all in because u enter when blinds r high and ur outchip 2 or 3 to 1.

 

[jakeras10]

Well I just looked at the chip stack and the blind levels and its a 3000 chip stack game in the beginning, so whenever you enter in when the rebuy/addon period is over or the first hour for that matter you would have 150bb so having a chip stack of 12,000 wouldn't be so bad. I know that you would miss a lot of all-ins from the donks and bad players, but I am just gonna try this out and see what happens.

 

[Boston1993]

Don't like late entries.

I know a few people who say they like to register late because it gives a chance for many of the donkeys to be weeded out. They say that, especially at the start of a tourney that people tend to just shove atc and hope for a miracle and usually get it against someone who called with a good hand. They wish to avoid that scenario. However, while that may happen a few times, i would rather start on time and have the chance to take those atc shoving donks money and bust them out and gain a chip lead. Plus you can gain info on other players who have started on time. Any advantage you have over another person in poker is a good thing.

I can understand that the clan/group putting on the tournament doesn't mind late entries as it means more money for the pot and for them. In Full Tilt for the past several months I have earmarked Late Entries (LE) just to satisfy myself that it is wrong. If they allow late entries, why not put the password on all tournaments in the program and they would surely increase the money. But, still have a cut off, period. I've played 3-10 minutes and went out of the game to have several come in with 1500/3000 chips and I'm simply a viewer now. I still play the games, but rarely have any luck. Probably a bad player, but that's life I suppose. It still irritates me to see LE pop up on the screen with 1500 chips and I have 100. What are my chances of recovery?

 

[KoRnholio]

I perfer to show up early and play tight for about 10 mins so all the loose players are either gone or moved to other tables. Entering late like Phill hellmuth styles is worse than the donkeys goin all in because u enter when blinds r high and ur outchip 2 or 3 to 1.

Yeah exactly. It seems silly to miss out on all the opportunities by registering late. If you register an hour late, you've missed probably 70-80 hands and likely at least one KK or AA that may have led to a donk doubling you up.

I registered 30 mins into a tourny today, blinds were still 15-30 (just about 25-50) with a 2500 stack. Still reasonably deep, but if I had registered on time and folded every hand preflop, I'd still have had about 2400 chips.

 

[mauikisi]

Advantages of registering late:
1) Some people are already eliminated.
2) Nobody has a read on you when you show up. (Doesn't matter much at low stakes)

Some advantages of registering on time:
1) You get to use your skill advantage over a greater number of hands.
2) You have longer to develop reads on players.
3) People begin to get reads on you, which you can exploit. (Doesn't matter much at low stakes)
4) You come in with a higher stack-to-blinds ratio.
5) You are in the game when fish are still around, spewing their money away. If you wait 20 minutes some of the biggest fish will be gone.

Things to note:
Registering 20 minutes late does *not* mean you'll last 20 minutes longer (tournament time). The blinds will be higher so they'll eat into your stack quicker. So maybe you'll advance another 10 minutes, and that is not going to get you significantly closer to cashing.

Chips = power. So while coming in late might mean that some people are knocked out, coming in as a shorter-than average stack is a bigger disadvantage than outlasting those people who went out early.

That´s the main reason why i think that late registration is a disadvantage

 

[spiderman637]

i didn't say that. i was saying some people i know think that way. i like playing with suckers.

Lol !!!
All said, i prefer to enter the game at level 3...Just feel comfortable to start from that level !!!

 

[santa fe slim]

I see no advantage to registering late, probably more of a disadvantage. I have done it a few times but not as a strategy...just because I was late getting to the tourney.
In general, my preference would be that late entires not be allowed at all.