is your "M" really important?

[slickpoppa]

This guy thinks so:

[mudbuddha]

m = stacksize/(blinds+antes)

the reason M is important is because if you consider your blinds only, when you play live with ante's too. It gives a better, more accurately your position vs the blinds.

[illegit]

[ QUOTE ]
i know since HOH people have been using this term alot. first of all i find calling this calculation "M" is annoying. i hate hearing My "m" is..

secondly doesnt this significantly different than just saying..20BB. i almost never when playing in a tournament worry about how long its going to take me to blind out.

i do understand the importance of stack size, just the stupid term "M" that makes me stop reading posts.

this isnt intended to be a flame or rant i just want to know actually if it is that importnat. if youre "M" is 5 or lower consider yourself short stacked why does this have to have a new term?

[/ QUOTE ]
To answer the question, yes it's important.

As i'm sure multiple posters have pointed out, as long as there are no antes then figuring a ratio of stack/BB will give you the same info needed as the ratio of stack/BB+SB. Since most tournaments have antes though 'M' is needed as a concept. Just in terms of simplicity and efficient communication expressing your tournament situation as a single number i.e. "My M was 5" is a lot simpler than explaining your tournament situation as a string of variables "My stack was 10,000 and the blinds were 1000/2000 with a 75 ante". Why say the latter when the former conveys all the same information a lot more simply? Wasting time is fun?

[Beachman42]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i know since HOH people have been using this term alot. first of all i find calling this calculation "M" is annoying. i hate hearing My "m" is..

secondly doesnt this significantly different than just saying..20BB. i almost never when playing in a tournament worry about how long its going to take me to blind out.

i do understand the importance of stack size, just the stupid term "M" that makes me stop reading posts.

this isnt intended to be a flame or rant i just want to know actually if it is that importnat. if youre "M" is 5 or lower consider yourself short stacked why does this have to have a new term?

[/ QUOTE ]
To answer the question, yes it's important.

As i'm sure multiple posters have pointed out, as long as there are no antes then figuring a ratio of stack/BB will give you the same info needed as the ratio of stack/BB+SB. Since most tournaments have antes though 'M' is needed as a concept. Just in terms of simplicity and efficient communication expressing your tournament situation as a single number i.e. "My M was 5" is a lot simpler than explaining your tournament situation as a string of variables "My stack was 10,000 and the blinds were 1000/2000 with a 75 ante". Why say the latter when the former converys all the same information a lot more simply? Wasting time is fun?

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. An example (10 handed) Hero's stack = 3000

1. BB=200, SB=100, then M = 10
2. BB 200/SB 100/Ante = 25, then M = 5.45

This is a standard level increase on most live tourneys that absolutely kills the weak tighties. Knowing this is a real asset when playing against them.

[nath]

See, I always use M, but I just calculate the pot size for each round at each level anyway.
It's especially good to do this rather than xBB if you play on sites with higher-ante structures (UB, Full Tilt, Bodog are the ones that cone to mind).

[Lloyd]

[ QUOTE ]
Listen to ansky/lloyd, use common sense.

I've never calculated my M at the table. Its just another way of representing your stack-size. I use BBs. If there are antes, then i say to myself "Self: you have 6BBs...and there's an ante. You need to push more now." Pretty easy, no?

[/ QUOTE ]
I will say that I always calculate my "M" whenever I win or lose a big pot, or if the blinds go up. The first time I ever did this was at last year's WSOP. I was in a supplemental event (second chance) and because the blinds were changing so fast I felt like I constantly was calculating "M" and adjusting accordingly. Variance, of course, but I wound up winning that event and I do attribute at least part of it to "M" specifically. While it requires a slightly more complicated math step it is more accurate than just how many BBs, it takes into consideration the antes, and if implemented correctly in its modified form takes into consideration shorthanded play. But again, I don't care what it's called but conceptually it is the most accurate way of taking into consideration your stack size when deciding what types of hands to play and how hard you have to push those hands.

[fro_dude]

The "M", the number itself isn't what's important. What's important is that you are aware of the changing dynamic at your table as the blinds and antes rise and that you have a continuing adaptation to the conditions as they vary. "M" basically just gives a simplistic numerical value to certain conditions that develop at the table as the blinds and antes rise. Each player adapts differently to these changing conditions, and it is important that you are always one step ahead in your decision making and adaptation.

[jackaaron]

Just wanted to add, being able to calculate other people's M is helpful as well. I'm sure posters can give many examples of knowing someone else's M (and knowing your opponent knows his own M), and knowing they can steal this person's blinds, or call an all in, etc. (Obviously there are other considerations, I'm just M can factor in, and any information you can gain is helpful.)