expected value of tournament play

[Flint{$N}]

If you are a "good" tournament player, how often would you expect to place in the money or win the whole tournament (assume a player pool of 200).

No real way to answer this, other than to say, a "good" tournament player will place in a "good" amount of tournaments, relative to an "average" player. Still won't win outright very often, though.

There are threads outlining these sort of expectations (I think there is mention in the stickie?), which tend to emphasize ROI over ITM.

Here ya go...

6. What is a good ROI/ITM%/FT%?
Difficult question to answer, generally many have said that any positive ROI is a good one, 100 is solid. As for ITM, anything over 10% is good, and MTT guru Sirio has said his records haven’t shown any player above 20% with a decent sample size (this is for online tournaments with fast structures, deeper stacks and slower levels should allow a skilled player to break that cap).

[Flint{$N}]

whats ITM?

[wmspringer]

In the money

[Flint{$N}]

so saying that 100% ROI and about 10% ITM is good, why don't people stick to ring games?

sorry for these questions
I'm thinking about adding tourneys to my daily/weekly grind. Just trying to justify it.

[ QUOTE ]
so saying that 100% ROI and about 10% ITM is good, why don't people stick to ring games?

sorry for these questions
I'm thinking about adding tourneys to my daily/weekly grind. Just trying to justify it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the main attraction for tournies is, well, they're fun. And, of course, there is the chance for a BIG cashout!

[img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[beachbum]

I've been thinking the EXACT same thing, Flint. For one, it keeps things fresh and fun. Two, there's that bit of a thrill there of winning a big one. Your (and my) hourly rate probably won't nearly be as high as when we grind out our cash games, especially until you reach an advanced skill level, but it's a nice way to break up the monotony.

FWIW, I think the added +EV in playing tourneys and developing this game is the possibility of making a name for yourself. The overlay of possibly acquiring sponsors, affiliations with online poker rooms, revenue from endorsing poker products like apparel, etc. might make it worth your time. Actually, I'm going to try and start playing 6 tourneys per week along with my limit cash games once the new year starts. Oh, and figure the EV overlay of being famous. As an acquaintance/friend of Phil Gordon, believe me the remote chance of living the type of life he leads is worth the hourly rate sacrifice, IMO.

[Flint{$N}]

i hear you beachbum

thats another thing as well- i play limit SH games. NL tourneys are diffinately fun but I doubt i'd ever become famous.

didn't phil gordon retire from the tech boom a millionaire? if i was in that situation, i'd be playing tournaments all day long!

[beachbum]

I play 5/10 limit SH myself and will be moving to 10/20 shortly. I think my NL tourney game has gotten better playing SH because it's taught me how to play "poker" and focus more on player reads.

Phil was definitely well off when he got into poker so that obviously helped. But he's made the most of his successes and pretty much has become a celebrity.