cool new twist to our tourneys

Thought I'd share this idea:
We've started doing something new at our local tournaments. We play 2 or 3 freeze-out tourneys a month with about 30 players.

When we get to the final table, we take a break and auction off the players. Anybody in the room can pool their money, and "buy" one of the players. Obviously, playing ability and stack size will dictate the price. Whoever "bought" the winner gets the whole auction pot. Sometimes, we don't auction them, we just draw them out of a hat at $5 each.

Stole the idea from golf tournaments. It's called a calcutta. It's a great way to keep guys around after they get knocked out (to root for their horse).
But BEWARE! depending on the size of the prize, it can put some nasty pressure on the final 2 or 3 guys.
If the tournament is a fundraiser, the host rakes a peice of the action. It's totally independent of the actual tourney/prize structure. Anyway we've really enjoyed it, and I thought I'd pass it on.

[tonypaladino]

I'm all for sidebets on tourney results, but I don't like having the players at the final table being aware of them. There is too much of a risk of something fishy going on depending on the size of the calcutta pot and how much of a favorite a particular player might be.

[flatline]

I've been to a bunch of tournys that do this. We did it for all the players in the tourny, though. Its fun and keeps you inerested once you bust out. Sometimes it just gets stupid and the calcutta gets bigger than the actual tourny! The key to getting the best of this is to bring in ringers.

[Buckyinsc]

This is fairly common in many Pool tournaments. In every pool tournament I have played in with a Calcutta, the player gets the option of covering half of the bid price paid, and then splits any winnings from the Calcutta with the person who won the bid. Also, a player is allowed to bid on themself, and then they do not split the Calcutta winnings if they win money from the Calcutta. In a large tournament with a Calcutta, they pay out mutiple places just like the actual tournament does.

I think this is a good way to add a little more fun and interest to the game for the spectators who now have a stake in the outcome.

To be honest, I enjoy it the most when we throw all the names in a hat, and draw for $5 or $10 each. The only drawback being you can only let the first 9 people in. The auction can get out of hand. It's fun to not be able to pick your horse. It also allows the players to participate without any worries about tampering because the purse isn't anywhere near as big as 1st prize in the tourney.

[ZenMusician]

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The key to getting the best of this is to bring in ringers.

[/ QUOTE ]

My prop rate might be too high...

-ZEN

would people at the final table be able to get on this? I worked at a country club, and they had an annual golf tournament with a calcutta, and I remember one year a guy bought himself in the auction, and won the tournament. this might not work in poker though.