20 minutes vs. 15 minutes level duration. Effect on EV and variance?

[beachbum]

I find that I'm having a lot of trouble at Party's regular (not Super) tourneys. I'm talking about buy-ins from $20 to $50. It seems like those times when I can't build my stack in the first hour, the blinds are then 50/100 and I find myself near push-or-fold mode preflop. This is because the blinds increase every 15 minutes. My finishes seem to be bunching up in the 30%-50% range of the tourney field, which fall smack dab in this early 2nd hour timeframe.

However, in the Super tourneys (one every day of the week) the blinds last 20 minutes. So after the 1st break, I can come back to blinds at 25/50 and still see about 20 more hands before I enter push-or-fold mode. This again is assuming I've had an uneventful first 4 levels.

My question is: Is it worth playing the non-Super tourneys other than for practice? Even if you do well, the payouts are much smaller. Also, since there are satellites for the Super's, it makes the field juicier. I'd like to consider myself an above average tourney player, so do 15 minute levels (opposed to 20 min) cut into my EV too much?

Has anyone else thought about this? Anyone else know how going from 15 min to 20 min levels affects EV or variance in results?

[cracker69]

i agree exactly with what you are saying. It all depends on your tourney style. I play very tight in tourneys, so slower blinds allow me to wait for bigger hands. I have the same problem that if I dont get anything in the first hour, i am at a push mode and then its a crapshoot.

I think playin the 20 min blinds is a HUGE advantage and I dont it whenever possible.

69

[SoBeDude]

I think about this a lot, as one of my favorite tournies uses 12 minute levels now. I'm pretty sure when they started, it was 20 or at least 15 minute levels. This is a R/A tourney though so you need to be loose/aggressive early and try to build a quick stack while the rebuy period is still on. (and ya can't be afraid to do multiple rebuys)

Overall, I think the shorter time per limit decreases the skill factor in the game. It increases the luck. You have to get hands, hit and win big pots quickly. You don't have time to be patient and wait for real hands. What this does is give the 'fish' who plays way too many hands and gets an early lead a big advantage.

Tough to overcome.

-Scott