MTT Structure Analysis

I played my first live tourney at the Taj in AC last night and did okay. Ended up going out somewhere under 20 with 2 tables left out of 53 players.

Here is the structure:

Level, Ante, Blinds (Increase every 20 minutes, and start with 10,000 chips)

1 * $25-$50
2 * $50-$100
3 $25 $100-$200
4 $50 $200-$400
5 $75 $300-$600
10-min BREAK, color up
6 $100 $500-$1,000
7 $200 $800-$1,600
8 $300 $1,200-$2,400
10-min BREAK, color up
9 $500 $1,500-$3,000
10 $500 $2,000-$4,000
10-min BREAK, color up
11 $1,000 $3,000-$6,000
12 $1,000 $5,000-$10,000
13 $2,000 $8,000-$16,000
14 $3,000 $10,000-$20,000
10-min BREAK, color up
15 $5,000 $15,000-$30,000
16 $5,000 $20,000-$40,000
17 $10,000 $30,000-$60,000
18 $10,000 $50,000-$100,000
19 $20,000 $60,000-$120,000
20 $20,000 $80,000 $160,000

Somewhere during the 7th level I had a pretty large stack of around 30,000 and realized that my M was only around 7. Most of the players had even less than I did with maybe one or two close to me or higher (only on my table, didn't look at the other table's stacks).

I have a few questions:

1) Is a tournement with type of layout even worth playing?

2) If it is worth playing, what kind of approach is needed. I used the tight-loose approach and found it pretty usefull until someone sucked out on me with gut shot on the river.

Would a looser limping style be more effective in the beginning to accumulate chips, maybe taking a few more gambles earlier on than usual?

Any advice or insight is appreciated.

You should check out any Harrah's casino ie. Show boat, caesars, Wild Wild West, or the marina, slightly better structure and NO ANTE'S.
I usually go to the Showboat . They have a tourney this Saturday at noon,
225 + 25 buy-in 50,000 guaranteed. I'll be there.

Horrible structure, plays similar to an online tourney with 5 min blind levels

7 $200 $800-$1,600
8 $300 $1,200-$2,400
10-min BREAK, color up
9 $500 $1,500-$3,000

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Wow, BB goes up a huge 800 from 7 to 8 and only 600 from 8 to 9? And I love that huge ante of 1/3 the SB on 9. This structure sucks, I wouldn't bother playing this.

You should check out any Harrah's casino ie. Show boat, caesars, Wild Wild West, or the marina, slightly better structure and NO ANTE'S.

Click to expand...

No antes sucks even more than a huge ante IMO. Why are you happy about there being no antes? It's pretty much what makes the blinds worth stealing... they create a much needed action and force you to make moves. As long as they're 1/5 or 1/4 the SB, I say bring them in.

You want a crappy structure? We played this ridiculous tourney in Reno while we were there for brewfest. It was a bit over an hour long and had four blind levels.
1. 25-50
2. 50-100
3. 100-200
4. 200-400

Starting stacks: 1300 chips (since everyone did the optional add-on for dealer tip). 15 minute levels

At the end of four levels there is one final hand and winners are determined by chip count. The one we all played in had like 33 entries and paid three places. I made it down to the end and because of the stupid flippin' time thing on level four wound up in 4th place after the final hand.

Yeah we all played it for fun because we were there, but that tourney totally blows.

I can't really state weather or not this is a bad structure since that's the only type of live tourney's I've ever played in, acouple of local bars down here in ottawa, have had similar types of tourneys in the past, but the blinds didn't get raised for about 15minutes, the starting chips were only 1500, and antes didn't come in untill the 200-400 level, I was used to those types, but, the buy-in was only 20, and first was usually 600, depends on the buyin to really for me to really get upset over it, Like I said I don't mind these