Tournament structure

[franco]

I play in a few local home, low buyin games around NYC. Buy in is usually $30. You get 4,000 in chips and the blinds are 15 and sometimes 12 minutes long. 20 players. Blinds start at 25-50, 50-100, 100-200, 200-400, etc. These games seem like lotteries to me. One or two moves early and you are in an all-in fest.

Questions: what is the best way to play in these games. And, if you could change the structure would you and what would it be?

Games should last 3 hours or so.

I tried to change the chips and blind levels and no one is going for it.

thanks

franco

[LuckyLloyd]

2500k chips; 15 min levels.

25 / 25
25 / 50
50 / 100
75 / 150
100 / 200
150 / 300
200 / 400
300 / 600
400 / 800
500 / 1000
600 / 1200
700 / 1500

20 players means 50k chips in play. As such, after 2 hours and 45 mins you will only have 33 blinds total in play. So it will naturally end around that mark (if not before).

In the structure you are currently playing the blind jumps are too steep. And after 45 mins a starting stack is 10 BBs. The above should allow a more gradual progression and a deeper game early (more fun). If it is finishing too early just make the starting stacks 3k. Good luck.

[LuckyLloyd]

Oh and, the best way to play such a game is to have a VEERRY tight range for the first 30 mins. You need to win the first pot in which you voluntarily commit chips.

Thereafter tighten your open raising range so that you only open a pot if you are happy to be all - in with your holding. And widen the range with which you are 3 - bet shoving all - in. In a crapshoot, your chips should be going over the line in one action. Avoid limping or calling raises and subsequently folding. If you are playing a pot you need to win it.