Size Of Buy-in

There is a current thread in Mid/High Stake Forum on initial buy-in amount and its possible effect to the image of the player. I thought this is a better forum for the subject. (I mistakenly posted this in General Theory /forums/images/icons/grin.gif ) One opinion is that a bigger buy-in projects the image of a winning player in the eyes of newly-seated opponents. Another opinion I read from a columnist either in CP or the defunct PD i s that when you buy-in for a large amount the image you project is that of a player who cannot easily be run over and who is prepared to slug it out.

Large stack players surly will attract the attention of other - weakies maybe intimidated but the knowledgeable ones may zero in to gauge whether the LSPs are really winners or just plain lucky and can be targeted if they are the latter.

So, is there really an advantage for a decent or good player to buy in for the larger-than-normal amount?

[Fitz]

I had an incident last week that might be taken as the opposite. I bought into an online 2/4 game for $100; after a few hours and a great run, I was up to almost $500. At that point several new people at the table made comments about why I had brought so much to a 2/4 game. I think a buyin of 50 to 100 big bets is sufficent; if a player wants to bring more than that fine, but I think it can be counter productive.

[Jimbo]

I don't know about others but the only time I ever make a poker decision based on stack size is if they may be going all in during the hand. If I perhaps had the potential of going all in on an upcoming hand I either add to my stack or resign myself to whatever fate the cards may bring me. I prefer to never be all-in during a limit game, P/L or N/L is another matter.

Jimbo

[Clarkmeister]

I generally buy in for 25BBs. If that isn't a convenient amount of chips, I round up to the next convenient number.

I have experimented with buy ins of all sizes and I have become convinced that for me a larger buy in is better. I think it helps your image, especially with new players, and for me at least, it helps my psyche. I can't play properly if I am worried about being near the felt, so I make sure to be well above that level for as long as possible.