Live tournaments...do you prefer lower or higher buy ins?

martycaridi · Mar 23, 2019

When playing in tournaments, do you always look available? Or do you pick a higher level, hoping to weed out some of the players who play anything hoping to catch? At the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, the lowest buyin for tournaments is $50. On a weeknight, you may get anywhere from 50-70 players. Inevitably you get a lot of splashing around because a lot of players just think that “hey, it’s $50. So what if I lose?”. Do you look for tournaments that might be a little higher to buy in, but weed out those players?

Dchoyt82 · Mar 29, 2019

martycaridi said:
When playing in tournaments, do you always look available? Or do you pick a higher level, hoping to weed out some of the players who play anything hoping to catch? At the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, the lowest buyin for tournaments is $50. On a weeknight, you may get anywhere from 50-70 players. Inevitably you get a lot of splashing around because a lot of players just think that “hey, it’s $50. So what if I lose?”. Do you look for tournaments that might be a little higher to buy in, but weed out those players?

I personally will play from $35-90 live but that's because it's all I can afford. See to me $50 is Alot of money. Online I'll play mcros like 50c-$2 buy ins.

Man I would love to be able to play in a $250 buy in. I just know it's only going to take me 1 win even at $50 buy in. I'll make enough to have a poker budget and as it builds, work my way up kinda like online.

Mortis · Mar 29, 2019

Lower buy-ins for me, mainly because that's what my bankroll allows.

Highest I've straight bought in for was $135. I sattelited into a $250 game for a $35 buy-in (plus a rebuy). Lowest buy-in (not including free bar tourneys) I've done at a casino was $30.

Sam's Town in Vegas has regular $20-$25 buy-ins, but I have yet to play there.

If the option is there for major tours, I'll try and satellite into a bigger event. But we only get the Heartland Poker Tour and Run Good Poker Series in Kansas City .

SPANKYSN · Mar 29, 2019

I have only played in small buy-in tournaments ($80 the highest)...have not done well, cashing the min cash twice in about 9 or 10 tries. I seem to have better results in cash games.

jovan123 · Jun 16, 2019

Depending on your skill level and bankroll management you should start low and move up as your skill level increases

fishfood80 · Jun 18, 2019

I play as high as my bankroll allows. I've played quite a few 600 dollar deepstack tourneys at foxwoods and cashed in 3, and believe me there's still plenty of splashing going on lol. Mostly I'll stick to the 50 to 150 dollar range though. I'd love to jump into the 1000+ dollar tourneys when my bankroll gets big enough.

SoCalGrndR1 · Jul 4, 2019

I usually play buy ins ranging from $100 - $250. I play most at The Bike, Commerce, and The Gardens casinos. Starting in Mid January there are series at these 3 casinos that given a couple week(s) gaps series will go straight through Mid September.

I look more at the tournament structure than the buy in. I like longer levels 30+ mins.

SoCal

thwenth1983 · Jul 6, 2019

Poker live.

I started playing poker in 2018, and I played live poker only once, but I will play other times, here in Rio de Janeiro has the Rio poker club, and has an excellent tournament for what is starting and that costs only 10 reais or $ 2 , 62.
online poker or live poker, both are good to play.

Debi · Jul 6, 2019

It is more about your bankroll, skill level and rake than which attract the weakest players. Tournaments under about $125-150 tend to have very high rake so I avoid those as much as possible.

But play the highest you can afford and have the skill to play in. As the buy-ins increase so does the average skill level - but there are plenty of fish at all of the levels we are discussing in this thread.

vuk011 · Jul 6, 2019

In Austria, I play tournaments with buyins from 30e - 150e. Online I play small and micro buyin tournaments. When I rebuild my bankroll, I'll go for more expensive online tournaments lol.. but first BANKROLL

Alexander Rubcov · Jul 6, 2019

In expensive tournaments, you can always qualify via satellites.Now starts a live tournament in Sochi in August from 888 poker.It can be selected from 0$

chippyrob · Jul 6, 2019

low buy ins have lots of aggressive fish high limit buy ins have alot less players but no end of sharks i guess the question is what do you prefer fishy donks or sharks ? not much of a choice lol

Robert

Alfaomega · Aug 8, 2019

Lower buy-ins for me, mainly because that's what my bankroll allows

Alfaomega · Sep 2, 2019

I have only played in small buy-in tournaments.

Chief talking bull · Sep 3, 2019

I think the lowest I would go on a live tournament is $120. The prize pool has to be worth your while in order to make a trip to the casino. When I go to play at the casino I'm looking to make a score. It's not just fun and games for me.

joshjlee · Sep 4, 2019

Tourny

Low buy in big gtd

PLAYFUL1 · Sep 4, 2019

I prefer the $100 buy=in live tournaments, you tend to play more quality players

zawada956 · Sep 11, 2019

i prefer tournament which buin max 100 e

Ryan Laplante · Sep 11, 2019

Stick in your bankroll!

But, that being said, I prefer events with good structures and player pools.

High buyins often have good structures, but much tougher games.

Players who "don't care about the $$" and gamble exist at every buy-in level. They are how you make $$.

kowrip · Sep 11, 2019

I prefer to play in tournaments with $100 - $300 buy-ins. I find that with lower buy-ins, players don't take it seriously and my raises don't get any respect. When players have some serious cash involved, they think twice about calling your all-ins. Plus, the top prizes are very nice, generally in the $5000 - $15000 range.

youri · Feb 2, 2020

It depends on your bankroll.

TpaEnforcement · Feb 2, 2020

I just played in a live poker tournament on Thursday night. The buy in was $50 it was fun. I finished 8 the place out of 285 players in the club. I really like it a lot. I am going to play in them every 2 weeks. But now I am playing the 165 buy in cause I have won the money for that type of buy in now. Live tournaments are fun and exciting. I want first place in my next tournament I play in hopefully it works out then I can play in them alot. The club I go to is a very small club I play. Winning a little at a time is good to build myself a bank roll. Not sure my paychecks it is great.

maxmaster10 · Mar 26, 2020

i think it`s depend of my pocket...lol

DancingNancie · Apr 1, 2020

Game selection depends on bankroll and comfort. If you are uncomfortable in a larger buy in event the chances that you play scared are much higher that you're dead money. You have to be able to play comfortably in any game.

I will play any game that I feel I have an edge even if that edge is minuscule. I can pick on certain opponents I know aren't comfortable in the bigger buy in events. Like the saying goes, if you can't find a sucker in the first 10 minutes of a game then you are the sucker.

Poker_Mike · Apr 2, 2020

martycaridi said:
When playing in tournaments, do you always look available? Or do you pick a higher level, hoping to weed out some of the players who play anything hoping to catch? At the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, the lowest buyin for tournaments is $50. On a weeknight, you may get anywhere from 50-70 players. Inevitably you get a lot of splashing around because a lot of players just think that “hey, it’s $50. So what if I lose?”. Do you look for tournaments that might be a little higher to buy in, but weed out those players?

Pick your spots and make those players PAY YOU!!

Yes, sometimes they will get there. And yes they will put you to difficult decisions when they shove on you on the flop and all they have is a naked flush draw.

Eventually you will get to know the players and their styles.

Good luck !

Live tournaments...do you prefer lower or higher buy ins?

martycaridi

Enthusiast

Dchoyt82

Enthusiast

Mortis

League Breaker

SPANKYSN

Legend

jovan123

Enthusiast

fishfood80

Rock Star

SoCalGrndR1

Enthusiast

thwenth1983

Visionary

Debi

Forum Admin

vuk011

Legend

Alexander Rubcov

Rock Star

chippyrob

Rock Star

Alfaomega

Enthusiast

Alfaomega

Enthusiast

Chief talking bull

Visionary

joshjlee

Rising Star

PLAYFUL1

Legend

zawada956

Enthusiast

Ryan Laplante

CardsChat Pro

kowrip

Rock Star

youri

Rock Star

TpaEnforcement

Visionary

maxmaster10

Rock Star

DancingNancie

Rock Star

Poker_Mike

Legend

About CardsChat

Our Community

Our Site