How does this blind schedule look?

[nolanfan34]

Home tournament tonight. Expecting between 32-35 people. Players start with t200 in chips. So, how does this look? Tweaking the blind schedule to balance including some play, yet making sure it ends before sunrise, is always a challenge.

Too quick of an increase in the middle portions? At the end?

7:00 – 7:45: $1/$2
7:45 – 8:30: $3/$6
8:45 – 9:30: $5/$10
9:30 – 10:00: $10/$20
10:00 – 10:30: $15/$30, $5 ante
10:30 – 11:00: $20/$40, $5 ante
11:10 – 11:40: $30/$60, $10 ante
11:40 – 12:00: $40/$80, $10 ante
12:00 – 12:20: $50/$100, $10 ante
12:20 – 12:40: $60/$120, $20 ante
Blinds double each 20 min at this level

[Lottery Larry]

"7:00 – 7:45: $1/$2
7:45 – 8:30: $3/$6
8:45 – 9:30: $5/$10"

Pretty huge jump in the first few rounds, from 100:1 to 20:1. 45 minute rounds are pretty long, however, so it might balance out.

"9:30 – 10:00: $10/$20
10:00 – 10:30: $15/$30, $5 ante"

$30 a round, then $95 a round? big jump disguised by the antes.

"10:30 – 11:00: $20/$40, $5 ante ($120 per)
11:10 – 11:40: $30/$60, $10 ante ($170+ per)
11:40 – 12:00: $40/$80, $10 ante" ($150 or so per round)

With T6600 in chips out there, the average stack won't be very high. I wouldn't be surprised if this is over around 11:30-11:45.

Let me know how this runs and how the players like it. Shortening the rounds and increasing the cost of playing might make the end more of a crapshoot than you may like?

[KJL]

[ QUOTE ]
"9:30 – 10:00: $10/$20
10:00 – 10:30: $15/$30, $5 ante"

$30 a round, then $95 a round? big jump disguised by the antes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, that is too big of a jump. You might want to try making the antes $2 or $3. Otherwise it seems like a pretty good structure.

[Mithrandir]

First 2 rounds are too long. And the jump from 1-2 to 3-6 might be too big. Start the antes in the 3rd round at $1.

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
First 2 rounds are too long. And the jump from 1-2 to 3-6 might be too big. Start the antes in the 3rd round at $1.

[/ QUOTE ]

The first two are that length by design, to try and make people feel like they're getting their money's worth.

Thanks for the other thoughts on the blinds/antes. I didn't think about how much of a jump that really is. The thing is, I color up and get rid of the $1 and $2 chips during the first break usually. But that's an interesting idea, to start with a lower ante.

[eMarkM]

I've been trying to come up with that balance, too. I haven't run a tourney myself, but I'm gathering my equipment to start hosting such events and I've been thinking about that "perfect" structure. Honestly, I think you have yours upside down. To me, a really good structure with balance of play with length would be one where it's faster in the beginning rounds and slower at the end when it counts. Of course, no one ever runs them this way, not even the big events.

The thinking is usually that you want the early rounds slower so everyone "gets there money's worth". This is done at the sacrifice of any play at the end when it really counts and you end up with an all-in fest devoid of skill so that a few more people at the beginning can have a little more action. I say make early rounds the 20 min shorter ones and the later rounds longer with the blinds incrementing up less. Doubling every round is not good, IMO, especially at the end when you're playing for the money.

Okay, this means more players are eliminated early in the name of getting the thing over with, but perhaps I can assume side games will begin once enough are knocked out, so that may not be all bad.

Also, I think your antes are a little top heavy for the blind levels. Don't make your antes anymore than 10% of the BB and shoot for 5%. I've played these pumped up ante tourneys before and they really suck too many chips and make the preflop pots way too big and encourage all-in action. For me, nothing kills a tourney structure more than lopsided antes.

[nolanfan34]

Yeah, I made some changes to the schedule. Here's the new look.

Blind Schedule:
7:00 – 7:45 $1/$2
7:45 – 8:30 $3/$6
8:45 – 9:30 $5/$10
9:30 – 10:00 $10/$20
10:00 – 10:30 $15/$30
10:30 – 11:00 $20/$40
11:10 – 11:40 $30/$60, $5 ante
11:40 – 12:00 $40/$80, $5 ante
12:00 – 12:20 $50/$100, $10 ante
12:20 – 12:40 $60/$120, $10 ante

I think it'll be a little more balanced that way. Especially pushing the antes back until later.

I understand what you're saying about the structure times being upside down. Frankly, with this group, I don't mind the way the structure is set up, because 90% of them don't think of stack size the way a 2+2 MTTer would. They don't think "I'm under 10BB, I need to make a move". They'll sit there and wait for a good hand most of the time.

In other events that we've had (this is the 8th or 9th I think), the blinds have risen a little more slowly toward the end of the tournament. But with this one starting so late, it's going to have to be a bit of a shootout near the end.

[Lottery Larry]

" To me, a really good structure with balance of play with length would be one where it's faster in the beginning rounds and slower at the end when it counts. Of course, no one ever runs them this way, not even the big events."

If you have all the time in the world, lengthening the end rounds can be good.

You want people to get some play for their money before they bust out, or they won't come. Then the shootout portion will be for a lot less money.

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
Let me know how this runs and how the players like it. Shortening the rounds and increasing the cost of playing might make the end more of a crapshoot than you may like?

[/ QUOTE ]

We ended up starting at about 7:15 or so. 33 players, on 4 tables. Only lost about 5 players in the first two levels. Didn't get down to the final table until the 20-40 level.

Finished at about 1:30, when the remaining 3 decided to make a deal, instead of finish it out, because they had reasons they had to be up the next morning.

So, overall, I think it worked out OK. The blinds at the end still make it a bit of a crapshoot, but not too bad.

[Quicksilvre]

It's good to hear that it worked out...but that's one helluva jump from level one to two! I would've put something like this together:

$1-$2
$2-$4
$4-$8
$6-$12
$6-$12 ($1 ante)
$8-$16 ($2)
$10-$20 ($3)
$15-$30 ($5)

and then go back to what you had before. I like how you have the early levels longer to keep more folks in early, though. Of course, if you add more levels like this, you'll need to tighten them up a bit to make sure everyone gets home at a reasonable hour.