Question about whether to Add-On

[youtalkfunny]

$33 WSOP super on 'Stars. I've got T8000. I can buy T2000 more for $33. I decide it's not worth it.

Early on, I double up to T16,000.

And it dawns on me: it would've been T20,000 if I had added-on.

Sure enough, I doubled again. I was very sad that I hadn't added-on.

Am I looking at this all wrong? Clearly, if I had lost that first double-up hand, I would be GLAD of passing on the add-on, instead of regretful.

What's the rule of thumb on add-ons?

[M.B.E.]

Always add on.

[Lost Wages]

Don't add-on when you have significantly more than the average number of chips, otherwise do. You might want to read "Gambling Theory and Other Topics".

Lost Wages

[ZootMurph]

Also, Tournament Poker for Advanced Players. Tells you the same thing as Lost Wages just mentioned.

[woodguy]

I always check to see if I'm "in the money" at the break. If I am, no add, if not, then add.
**(unless not adding drops me out of "the money" positions, then add, but the chip leaders usually do not add)
Essentially what some of the others say.
I took my cue from Tournament Poker for Advanced Players (TPFAP) by Sklansky.
This can be debated ad-infinitum.
Cheers,
woodguy

[SossMan]

If you feel that you are better than average, you should almost always add on. You would have to have a significant amount of ALL THE CHIPS IN PLAY for adding on to not be correct. Do a search for the thread where Greg (Fossilman) and Lori discuss this. I hate to say it, but TPFAP has this one wrong.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

If I recall Greg's posts on the topic, if you think you're better than average and have less than 10% of the total chips in play, take the add-on.

[M.B.E.]

TPFAP does say that where the tournament charges less per chip for your add-on than for your original buy-in, "you would have to almost always opt to purchase these cheaper chips".

That is the case in the PokerStars rebuy tournaments which the original poster was asking about.

[DrPhysic]

In Poker Tournament Strategies, Suzuki clearly says never enter a tournament for which you do not have the bankroll to take every available add on or rebuy, especially ones that allow purchase of chips at a lower price than the ones originally purchased at buyin.

I presume he intends that you use it. At least that is the way I have played it since reading the book.

Doc