[BruceZ]

Personally, I think that you should reward greater number, since there are only 18 a year or so.

The problem is that this can conflict with correct monetary strategy, for example, by causing a player to pass on opportunities to double-through for fear of busting and ending up in a low place. I'm assuming that the players are concerned with actual money as much or more so than their ranking. Normally if you are out of the money, it makes no difference how far out of the money you are. Low placement does not necessarily correlate with low skill, and can be more associated with bad luck. Most of the battle of skill takes place between those on the bubble, those who just make the cut, and those who don't. This would suggest a fairly sharp cutoff after the money places.