Important, yet often ignored strategy question

[ZeeJustin]

When are the good/bad times to buy into live tournaments? This answer obviously depends on many factors, so feel free to discuss those. I'm especially interested in how specific casinos like Bellagio, Foxwoods, and Borgata differ in their table opening policies.

Obviously, the goal is to end up with as many satellite players and other complete donks at your table as possible, and the least amount of pros as possible.

Generally, the worst time to buy in to a tournament is after it starts; not because you miss out on hands, but because you end up at a table with lots of direct buyin players that haven't been looking forward to this tournament for weeks (read: pros).

BTW, if you don't think this is an important question, you are dead wrong. It makes a very significant difference in your overall tournament equity.

[GTL]

you pretty much answered your question. not at the last minute.

[Ignacio Munoz]

Well ZeeJustin, I think you should buy in the night before the tournament starts. Then again on the morning of the tourney. And then also an hour before it starts. And just before the cards in the air. And finally ZeeJustin, you should buy in an hour after the tourney has begun. Your overall tournament equity should be through the roof with all these entries (I think you know what I'm talking aboot [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]).

[betgo]

Don't most tournaments distribute people to tables based on some formula and not absolutely based on entry time.

I know low buyin daily tournaments that distributed people to table by entry time had much looser and probably softer tables from the people who entered at the last minute. I assume it would be different for major tournaments.

[ZeeJustin]

[ QUOTE ]
Well ZeeJustin, I think you should buy in the night before the tournament starts. Then again on the morning of the tourney. And then also an hour before it starts. And just before the cards in the air. And finally ZeeJustin, you should buy in an hour after the tourney has begun. Your overall tournament equity should be through the roof with all these entries (I think you know what I'm talking aboot [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]).

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! For once, I was actually caught off guard by one of these jokes, and actually found it funny! NH.

[ZeeJustin]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't most tournaments distribute people to tables based on some formula and not absolutely based on entry time.

I know low buyin daily tournaments that distributed people to table by entry time had much looser and probably softer tables from the people who entered at the last minute. I assume it would be different for major tournaments.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a big part of what I'm asking. I know different places use different algorithms.

[BigBuffet]

Every tournament I've been in have given me a seat assignment card that are in a random pile or else a computer generated seat assignment.

This is true for tribal casinos, wsop, Bellagio, you name it.

[ZeeJustin]

[ QUOTE ]
Every tournament I've been in have given me a seat assignment card that are in a random pile or else a computer generated seat assignment.

This is true for tribal casinos, wsop, Bellagio, you name it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, they are always *somewhat random*, but they never know how many players they are going to get, so how many tables do they open up at a time? Usually it's not many at all. Sometimes they will only have 3-4 tables open even when they know they will have hundreds of more signups.

[Tyler Durden]

[ QUOTE ]
Well ZeeJustin, I think you should buy in the night before the tournament starts. Then again on the morning of the tourney. And then also an hour before it starts. And just before the cards in the air. And finally ZeeJustin, you should buy in an hour after the tourney has begun. Your overall tournament equity should be through the roof with all these entries (I think you know what I'm talking aboot [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]).

[/ QUOTE ]

lol vnh

[mastr]

btw ZJ, strongly disagree for WSOP just so you know. The way they were doing alternates was making full tables of alternates, aka waiting for 10 people to busto then adding a table of 10 alternates, which were INCREDIBLY soft. Just something to keep in mind.