Poker Orifice
And Still...
Platinum Level
Interesting take.
If they are so bad, isn't this good for us? (if we're good I mean)
Are you aware that there are some regs. who have a late-reg. strategy where it enables them to mass multi-table on account of having an excellent short stack game & the fact that it makes it easier for them not having to adjust as much from table to table if a large amount of their tables are relatively later stages (or at least not deep stacked early stages). I personally know of a cash game pro (obviously very familiar with playing on 100bb stacks) who adopts this very strategy very often when playing MTTs. When I had mentioned to him that I was considering transitioning to playing MTTs he was surprised that I wouldn't also be taking on this approach (approach being 'late reg. as many games as possible'). fwiw, this guy isn't just any cash game pro. He is (or was) the winningest low stakes cash game player anywhere.
Also, many of the top MTT players will be late regging many MTT's as their day winds down so that they can keep the number of tables up (vs. just playing on fewer and fewer tables as the day starts to wind down. Instead they can maximize ev by late regging & entering Hyper Turbo mtt's which incidentally are often scheduled at the time of day that puts them later in the day in many pros schedules.
Why would they be doing this if they weren't finding it to be profitable?
tldr: sometimes what appears to be donks, aren't donks at all.
Poker Orifice
And Still...
Platinum Level
I wish Late Reg. was shorter as well.
When they first started having late reg. online I think it was max. 1 hr. long. Then I believe it was ACR that stretched it out to 4hrs. where it became almost the norm. Sure it makes the prizepools bigger and helps operators to advertise larger guarantees (which I believe attracts the fish and recreational players) but I think it mostly benefits the pros & regs. (not the operators as much) for many reasons.
I think late reg. should be max. 2hrs. (I'd prefer 1 hr. but it's not going to happen unless it's a Hyper turbo).
Worst than late reg is 'unlimited re-entry' or allowing anything more than 1 or 2 re-entries.
Goggelheimer
Legend
Platinum Level
This may be good if you are not regulated. If you can play only 4 tables due to regulation, this is not the way to play poker tournaments.
This late reg strategy does not minimize variance, it maximizes it under these circumstances.
SPANKYSN
Legend
Loyaler
True…the real action begins when registration ends…I sometimes go late into freerolls …especially if I plan to blast away and see where I stand on closing…if I’m up bi, I try to play normally to win…if I get knocked out the first hand, I lose nothing…including my time.
G
Geo90
Rock Star
Platinum Level
I enter many games late in the morning with 20-30-40BB, then I try to play a little more aggressively to double my stack. If I don't succeed, I add 1-2 rebuys, but this is definitely not the best tactic. because then I miss out on the deep game and lose the advantage we're learning for, but I don't always have time to play from the beginning. However, when I win a ticket to a bigger tournament or get in, I always play from the beginning.
CRStals
Moderator
Moderator
Late registration is a tough one for me. On one hand, being in a tournament - specifically a bigger tournament - from hand 1 is very important. Deepest stack, most room for errors, and the ability to settle in and get solid reads on the table. On the other hand, late registration is a good way to remove the complexity of tournament poker and play a simple shove / fold strategy to double up and if it doesn't work - re-buy! So long as the late registration isn't too long, allowing players the ability to sneak into the money, especially if fewer players than expected entered.
S
sulema
Rising Star
Bronze Level
I prefer to register as late as possible in a tournament without elimination rewards. But in tournaments with rewards, it's better to register after a minute has passed, because then you're already entering covering another player.
lauestla
Legend
Platinum Level
I like late reg, but only when it is not too long, 1 hour maximum.
I often choose to register late when I play a freeroll and want to avoid the crazy shoves (and their bad beats) that happen during the first 30 minutes of the game.
When I register about 45 minutes after the start, I cover some players, the blinds are not very high yet and some of the professional gamblers are already out.
So I can decide to play my usual game if I have available time , or to choose a "shove or fold" strategy if I don't have time to waste.
And I like to have these 2 options.
But I have to say that I never play those huge tournaments with 2 or 3 hours of late reg.
I am not patient enough.
So late reg YES, but "never ending" late reg NO
I often choose to register late when I play a freeroll and want to avoid the crazy shoves (and their bad beats) that happen during the first 30 minutes of the game.
When I register about 45 minutes after the start, I cover some players, the blinds are not very high yet and some of the professional gamblers are already out.
So I can decide to play my usual game if I have available time , or to choose a "shove or fold" strategy if I don't have time to waste.
And I like to have these 2 options.
But I have to say that I never play those huge tournaments with 2 or 3 hours of late reg.
I am not patient enough.
So late reg YES
, but "never ending" late reg NO 
antonis32123
Legend
Loyaler
I don't like late registration at all . They give you 150 or 200 or more| blinds initially, [hey have 2 to 5 hours of late registration , you try to have patience and wait for this period to pass . It's very boring . Especially in ACR . A lot of time to wait until [he blinds go higher . So boring If only the late registration was no more than 30 minutes , 1 hour at the most . The ideal scenario for me would be if we had no LR at all . If games lasted less , far less
Falzee
Legend
Platinum Level
5 to 10 minutes is ok. Beyond that, I try to avoid those games. Replay is notorious for showing 20 to 30 players, and then, by the time late reg ends, there are 40, 50, or more. Then you end up in a game with more tables than what you expected when you joined..
mardi1987
Visionary
Platinum Level
I'm not a fan of late registration, but in some tournaments I use it. I start PKO games from the beginning, some free games so I don't waste a lot of time I use late registration and look for quick duplication so I can continue
S
skaterick
Legend
Loyaler
i think 30 minutes of late entry is fine for most online tourneys . the bigger sites americans have access to (ACR /BCP ) often have as much as 4 hours, which is ridiculous . doubling or tripling up early does almost no good as huge blinds will surely catch you long before the bubble . and so you gotta just keep gambling ! it also penalizes those who are only firing 1 bullet . i will also add that i find the replay policy of picking up unplayed stacks after 18 minutes is silly too . sometimes you cant get there right at the start , and opening the site + finding your table is a chore as well . 30 minutes to get to your seat seems more reasonable , though you dont have to allow that much late entry .
bremp555
Rock Star
Platinum Level
Nice question, because late reg is one of those topics where almost everyone has an opinion. From a more “pro‑grind” point of view, the big advantage is that you skip the longest, lowest‑blind part of the tournament and start closer to the money, so your chips are worth more in pure payout equity terms. It can also be great for time management and hourly: you play fewer hours per event, can register more tournaments in a session, and you avoid sitting there card‑dead for two hours just to bust right when late reg closes.
On the other hand, you do give up a lot of edge when you miss the softest part of the field and sit down short‑stacked against the players who survived. Deep‑stack early levels let good players use post‑flop skill and play many pots versus weaker opponents, while when you join late you are mostly in push/fold spots with higher variance and a lower bb/100. Personally, the setup that feels best is to start on time in really soft or slow‑structured events, and then use late reg more aggressively in big‑field, regular MTTs or satellites when the schedule is packed and I care more about volume and hourly than about “playing the whole story” of the tournament.
On the other hand, you do give up a lot of edge when you miss the softest part of the field and sit down short‑stacked against the players who survived. Deep‑stack early levels let good players use post‑flop skill and play many pots versus weaker opponents, while when you join late you are mostly in push/fold spots with higher variance and a lower bb/100. Personally, the setup that feels best is to start on time in really soft or slow‑structured events, and then use late reg more aggressively in big‑field, regular MTTs or satellites when the schedule is packed and I care more about volume and hourly than about “playing the whole story” of the tournament.
lyki67
Visionary
Platinum Level
I think that late reg of max 30 minutes is ok But there are times for late reg with 2 hours and more. That is to much. I accept this very long late reg times only by bigger buyins and big quaranted price money.
