MTT bankroll
 

YES, i did a search, but the search feature here is just too slow and cumbersome to use effectily.

So:

I've never really played many MTTs since I got serious about poker, I've always thought that the cash games were where the real money was, but now I'm thinking that there's just too many weak players in the tournaments to NOT learn how to play them. On a whim I entered a Stars $10+1 stud/8 tourney, and took second. the next night, i played a tribeca $8 NLHE tournament, won that one... cashed in a couple more since then, and now (of course) I'm thinking "man, I should really learn this stuff".

I KNOW- sample size. But I'm willing to play a bunch more tournaments to see if i can get legit-good at them (as opposed to lucky-good). I've taken the $600 or so I've won in tourneys and set it aside as my tournament money (my BR is much larger)

My question is this: What level (buy-in) of tournaments should i be playing, in terms of percentage of my overall bankroll? I have been assuming it's <1%, and hae thus been sticking to small buy-in tourneys.

and, if you would take the time to answer the same questions I'm sure you get asked like 10x weekly, what % of the time should a good player expect to cash? do you measure overall sucess by RoI, % of cashing, wins, what? TYIA.

Re: MTT bankroll
 

I am just getting started as well, so I'll try to lend a hand from a beginner's perspective. I have similar questions, maybe we can get some experts to weigh in if we make it interesting enough.

My thoughts are that a BR of 40-50 times the buyin you plan to play most often should be sufficient. I am going with 2500 and I usually play 50s or 20/30 rebuys with a 100 once a week. I figure that a run of 50 times out of the money is extremely unlikely, and that ITM's can keep you afloat as you shoot for the real goal - final tables, top threes, and wins.

In general, I think the meaningful categories you can put in are:

Out first hour/Out second hour/etc..../Out on Bubble/ITM/Final Table/Top Threes/Wins. Maybe even track when you bust by level, that sort of thing might help you identify the phases of the tournament where you make the most mistakes or take the most risks (for good or bad).

Obviously, a final table in a 100 person tourney is obviously not the same as making one in a 600 person. So I plan on keeping records in several groupings based on tournament size.

I am trying to come up with an overall statistic to measure the rate at which I finish ITM or make FT's, etc. that is weighted for tournament size. In other words, if I play hundred tourneys with two hundred people where exactly twenty make the money, the average player makes the money ten times, the final table 5, and the top 3 1.5 times. I think a weighted ratio for each of those categories (where 1.00 = average, 2.00 = made twice as many as average, etc.) would be valuable. Maybe with a multiplier for buyin level, to reflect that making the money in a $300 means more than in a $10. If you are interested, I'll post the system i come up with once I have it worked. I think setting and hitting goals like "cashing twice as often as average" can keep you feeling good when you hit a run of not making final tables.

Of course, dollars in pocket is the stat that outweighs all others, but if you are the type to want a more thorough evaluation of performance according to key benchmarks, I think something along these lines could work.

Thoughts?

Re: MTT bankroll
 

Every time someone asks this question I always suggest satellite MTTs with buy ins of around $10. That way you get practice at playing MTTs so that by the time you have won a few entries you should also have a degree of experience. My goal is to 'save' up 25 $150+ MTT free rolls before starting to play them (I currently have about 15).

The problem I have with the low entry fee MTTs is that even if you do well you don't make a significant amount - it would be easier to grind out the earnings playing SnGs. With the higher entry fee MTTs you have the opportunity to win an amount that would impact your br (and life, perhaps [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]) which for me is the only reason to play MTT as opposed to SnGs (variance issues etc.)

Re: MTT bankroll
 

I like that idea a lot. I won my way into a 300 this weekend, played and lost. Wanted the experience but maybe in the future I'll save it until I've gotten better.

Re: MTT bankroll
 

Greats posts so far.

I'm interested in your tourney tracking idea, please keep me informed. A private message when you get it finished would be greatly apprecaited.

Re: MTT bankroll
 

This is an intresting thought. I haven't played a sattilite tournament yet, I think I'll give a coupe a shot.

Do you multitable MTTs?