How to handle re-buys

ChuckyB · #1 07-22-2005, 12:02 PM

We play a weekly tournament with a pretty regular group. If someone comes late, and we know they're coming, we blind them off until they arrive. But when the blinds are 25/50 out of a 5,000 stack, it's pretty meaningless.

We've run into a problem with handling re-buys when the blinds get higher (ie. 200/400). Players will get knocked out, go for a smoke and then re-buy. That seems wrong, because other players are essentially playing short-handed and risking their chips, while the re-buyer risks nothing.

Should we make players re-buy immediately...then if they want to take a break, it's at their own risk? How do you do it?

Khabbi · #2 07-22-2005, 12:42 PM

This feels like a really obvious answer, but since it's the first response I'll post what we do:

Re-buys have to occur immediately as soon as players are knocked out in our tournaments. That way, like you said, we don't have people skipping blinds for awhile and then coming back to play at their leisure.

ChuckyB · #3 07-22-2005, 01:05 PM

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. We're pretty lax with a number of the rules...and posting has been one of them.

Do you limit the re-buys in any way? We haven't because if someone wants to re-buy for 5,000 when the blinds are 1,000-2,000 and I have 65,000 in chips (which happened last week), I don't mind.

Lottery Larry · #4 07-22-2005, 01:40 PM

Exactly. You can give a one-hand grace period at a home game, if the rebuyer is in the process of getting chips and you don't want to hold up the action. But no sitting out.

This is especially important when you get really close to the end of the rebuy period, especially if add-ons are allowed. If you want to sit out, then buy the chips and fold your hand every time without looking.

Bulldog · #5 07-22-2005, 01:41 PM

I'll give the second obvious answer of the thread:

Yes, rebuys must be limited in some way, either in number allowed per player, or cut off at the end of a predetermined level. If not, a tournament could continue forever.

Lottery Larry · #6 07-22-2005, 01:45 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Do you limit the re-buys in any way? We haven't because if someone wants to re-buy for 5,000 when the blinds are 1,000-2,000 and I have 65,000 in chips (which happened last week), I don't mind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some people don't like rebuys, because they aren't comfortable with people being overly aggressive with hands (since they can buy back in). A lot of rebuy tourneys I've seen limit the rebuy period to the first 3-4 rounds, or first hour.

I agree with you- if people want to buy in at a severe disadvantage, feel free to put in your money!

If you have time constraints, cutting off the rebuys at some point can help you complete close to your goal. Otherwise, chips keep coming in faster than reasonable blind progression will cripple the big stacks and your tourney could take forever.

TN_POKER_MAN · #7 07-22-2005, 03:00 PM

I'd make them rebuy immediately and blind them off if they wanted to take a smoke break.

Most tourney's stop all re-buys after a set amount of time.

I prefer add-ons instead of re-buys. Add-ons allow a short stack to buy more chips. Re-buys usually require a person to go broke before getting more chips (thus creating very aggressive play at cutoff time).

For instance, if you have 600 chips at the 1 hour mark you can only add 400 chips (pro-rata costs). If you had 1200 at the 1 hour mark, then you are not allow to add any chips.

ChuckyB · #8 07-22-2005, 03:26 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'll give the second obvious answer of the thread:

Yes, rebuys must be limited in some way, either in number allowed per player, or cut off at the end of a predetermined level. If not, a tournament could continue forever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would it be so bad to have people keep buying in for 5,000 chips when you've got 75,000 and blinks are 1K/2K? They're throwing good money after bad. And as you would assume, only the bad/unknowing players do it.

Bulldog · #9 07-22-2005, 04:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'll give the second obvious answer of the thread:

Yes, rebuys must be limited in some way, either in number allowed per player, or cut off at the end of a predetermined level. If not, a tournament could continue forever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would it be so bad to have people keep buying in for 5,000 chips when you've got 75,000 and blinks are 1K/2K? They're throwing good money after bad. And as you would assume, only the bad/unknowing players do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I buy in for 5k when you have 75k, I have a 6.25% chance to win. If I fail and rebuy for 5k when you have 80k, I have a 5.88% chance to win. And so on, until eventually I win.

ChuckyB · #10 07-22-2005, 05:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'll give the second obvious answer of the thread:

Yes, rebuys must be limited in some way, either in number allowed per player, or cut off at the end of a predetermined level. If not, a tournament could continue forever.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would it be so bad to have people keep buying in for 5,000 chips when you've got 75,000 and blinks are 1K/2K? They're throwing good money after bad. And as you would assume, only the bad/unknowing players do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I buy in for 5k when you have 75k, I have a 6.25% chance to win. If I fail and rebuy for 5k when you have 80k, I have a 5.88% chance to win. And so on, until eventually I win.

[/ QUOTE ]

Totally true...but we're not playing with and infinite number of dollars. And if you're buying in for 5,000 chips with blinds soon going to 2K/4K...are you good enough/smart enough to meet that 5.88% (which diminishes each re-buy)?