Rebuy & Add on tourneys. Advice needed....

[Pondy]

I've recently started playing all the Garranteed tourneys on stars. However they are mostly R&A.

I need help on how you should play these tourneys up to the 1st break (when the r&a period is over), as i started making notes about people from the start the other day, but had to scrap all notes because the tourney was played like a play money game - nearly everyone all in every hand.

What's the best way to play until the r & a is over?

[JeanieJ]

Play smart. Don't be afraid to take chances.

Honestly notes can be a waste of time in those tournaments. The size of the tournament alone makes it unlikely you'll play the same people very often. Notes become more handy later in tournament stages.

Don't let the all ins scare you off good hands. Before the Rebuy period is over people will push with anything.

[runout_mick]

Sorry Pondy, but there's no "best way" to play the start of a rebuy tournament. It's probably the most situation dependent phase of any tournament. Really try to pay attention to the individual players and their tendencies during the rebuy period.

If the table plays like sloppy joe day at the mental ward, then sit back and wait for your big hands (and don't be scared to press them hard). If the table's playing tight like a freezeout, then splash around a bit. If there's 2-3-4 people getting all in after the flop, see that flop with some suited aces and med pps hoping to get in with your flush draw or set. If if if if...

Every table establishes it's own flow early in a rebuy, so it's critical to find your place in the mix before too long. Just keep your eyes open, and before long you'll find the niche that you can exploit.

Sorry I couldn't be more help... good luck.

One Tidbit: To be sitting decent for post 1 hour play, you will want to have about 10-12k by the first break. Average is ussually 5-7k, with some monster stacks at 35-40k. 10-12 seems to be the normal 'Goal' to attain during the first hour.

Edit: A few more things... The first responder was correct in saying "Don't be afraid to take chances."

There is a lot of all in action at most tables during the first hour (especially the first level or 2). When you are 60/40 or better you need to be ready to have your chips in the pot and hope for the best.

Also - if you are not prepared to rebuy do not play, though it is probably smart to give yourself a limit. I personally give myself the buyin +5. A lot of people suggest an immediate rebuy, I personally do not. Often times I can make it through with just my original buy-in (doubling in the first few hands) and then the hour add on. But if I rebuy, I double rebuy at that point. I allow myself 2 double rebuys (in addition to the add on and the buy in).

I saw a post a while ago which made sense. The poster said there are basically two strategies:

1) rebuy early and often and play like a maniac hoping to grow a huge stack for the post-rebuy stage. Daniel Negreneau proly used this strategy in a WSOP rebuy event last year -- I think he rebought like 27 times!

2) rebuy once and press your top hands

I take the 2nd approach. I rebuy before the first hand is dealt. I will try to see a lot of flops cheaply since blinds are so small relative to stack size and I can really get paid off during the rebuy period if I hit the flop. I aim to build a much bigger pot than normal if I do hit the flop hard since my opponents are taking a lot of rebuy-type gambools. Same goes pre-flop -- I get a lot of play on my rediculously large pre-flop bets w/ monsters.

Even with the more conservative 2nd approach you need to be ready to rebuy a couple of times if your aggressive play w/ good hands ends up busting you. You still want to grow a big stack so you must take a lot of chances which of course means you might go broke. If I go broke I will usually rebuy twice in a row (to get to twice the starting stack). If I go broke again I usually say it's not my night and leave the tourney -- unless I'm on mega-tilt from the bad beats and just throw in a couple more rebuys! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[SparrowHawk]

Reviving this thread!

I look at rebuys like this. It doesn't matter what your chip stack as it pertains to other players. This is true for any tourny. What matters is your stack to blind ratio. I have successfully sat through the first hour without playing a single hand and only lost 25% of my stack.

I think if your not getting any cards to play with within the 1st half hour...don't even bother trying to force your hands..just so you might double up.

IE: I started with 2500 in chips, blinds at 25/50. toward the last 10 minutes of the rebuy I had 1900 left. Why push it and spend the money. I am a going to add on anyway in 10 minutes.

Let the maniacs throw all there money in. Let them build big, big stacks...great!. When I do get a hand after the rebuy...I am going to double through them.

I approach rebuy towards with a stronger gambling attitude, but still play them fiscally sound.