MTTs -- What's the Point?

[Rhone]

OK, I'm not quite a beginner, but this is a beginner's question.

I don't get multi-table tournaments. Not 2-table SNGs, but the big ones with hundreds or more competing against each other. You spend a lot of time chasing a very slim chance of winning a lot of money. Do decent players really have a positive ROI entering these things? Obviously you only have to win one big one to have a positive ROI for a very long time, but on average, for a good but not great player...?

I've been playing limit online for about 9 months now, and have worked my way up to 3/6. This afternoon I entered a MTT for the first time, just for kicks, some $5+1 thing on Empire that attracted about 300 people. Busted out after two hours in 55th place or something like that. And all I could think about was how much I could have made two-tabling 3/6 for those 2 hours.

So, I'm just curious. What attracts people to these games? Is it the chance to play a lot of hands safely for a little money? Or is it more the same thing that makes people buy lottery tickets, a chance at a big win?

Thanks for any responses. I'm particularly interested in hearing from players who enter MTTs on a regular basis.

Rhone.

[ThaSaltCracka]

the potential pay out for a win makes it worth it. You pay $10 for a tourney that may have 600 people. If you make the final table, you can earn upwards of $2k. Plus they are fun man. I find ring play boring and monotonous, but tourney play is fun, because there are always chips moving all over the place, plus lots of dead money early on.

In the big tourneys, sometimes I just like watching the "players left" total. Sometimes it looks like a stop watch. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Chris Daddy Cool]

tournaments are fun. it's a way to compete to see how well you do against other people. and there really is no greater thrill then clawing your way against a large field and make it to the final table. its an awesome experience.

also you are also wrong about the profitability of tourneys. good solid tourney players will be able to place in the money consistently and also at times get real deep into them and even win them. add into the consistency of placing in the money and making the final table and top prize earn, tourneys can easily be +EV for players.

[slickterp]

i agree. basically, everyone in the tourney doesn't have an equal chance of winning. there are always several players who have a good chance, a bunch who have some chance, and alot who have essentially no chance.

[smoore]

The attraction for me is all that dead money. Anyone who thinks about thier game like a 2+2'er is getting a big overlay for thier small entry fee due to all the morons. This opinion comes from $10 and such buy-in's. I've taken a shot with some $20 tournaments, but not enough to really form an opinion.

[pokerstudAA]

Alot of dead money....huge prizes compared to entry fees. They can take a long time but if you are still playing after 6 hours I bet you have a smile on.


What kind of rake do you pay playing 3/6 for 4 hours? Compare that with the entry fee.

I also like watching/reading all the players names who are getting knocked out as they go. They pile up fast too. It seems like a 2000 person tourney is down to 1000 after about 1 hour.

[Pepsquad]

For you Rhone, there is no point to playing MTT's. That's not an insult, it's a compliment. You're obviously a skilled 3/6er (+2 BB/100) so 95% of the time, you will have made more in your ring games than in an equal amount of time playing an MTT. MTT's greatest attraction is for the NL ring game and SNG crowd. For you, I would suggest an MTT with a little more meat on it. Perhaps a satellite which could be parlayed into a WPT seat?

[Rhone]

I'm not sure what about my original post promoted such a facetious reply, but whatever.

Thanks for all the responses. Maybe I'll find the fun in MTTs and start playing them, but I doubt I'll be very good at them, since I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to no limit. I also need to develop a bit more stamina I think. Six hours, yikes.

Rhone.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I don't play a whole lot of multis, partially for the reasons you cite, but you got me to check on my MTT ROI and hourly rate.

209 hours since 1/1/04

+ $2,021 for the year, or $9.67/hour

ROI of 53.54%

Since I basically play 2/4 ring games, seems like a decent use of my time after all.

Thanks for prompting me to do the math. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

edit: forgot my Stud/8 multis. Added them in. ROI went up a bit, Hourly rate went down a bit.

[ctv1116]

The possibility of a 2K payday from a $10 initial investment is why people do it. Its like the lottery, except for many its a very +EV lottery.

[Rhone]

[ QUOTE ]


209 hours since 1/1/04



[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Kurn, thanks for the reply. Could I ask how many separate tourneys this represented? just curious...

rhone.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

102

[mcteecho]

About a month after I started playing poker, I won a $30+3 MTT on Party - about $3,800. Just used incredibly mechanical strategy from Helmuth's book. Gave me a big BR with which to learn to play the game properly - just moved from .25/.50 to .5/1 ring games. Still play MTTs, using the same mechanical startegy, with great success - played 5 on the weekend, won one and finished ITM in three others.