Well, We're Movin' On Up!

Although I have covered many aspects of poker and how they relate to your bankroll and everyday financial concerns, one area I really haven't discussed is moving up in buy-ins when playing tournaments. There are so many opportunities now to play tournament poker, which requires a different strategy than ring-game play. But, all that aside, what limit-poker events should you be entering and what are the benefits of one buy-in amount versus another? There is everything from the freeroll event (which is generally just what it appears to be, free to enter) to the $25,000 final event of the World Poker Tour. There also are semifreerolls, in which you pay a registration fee to enter but the prize pool is preset and the registration fee is used to cover the cost of gifts, drawings, lavish buffets, and so on. Some of the California ladies events are perfect examples. At The Bicycle Casino, there are four ladies-only events a year that cost $8 to enter, but the ladies get a lot in return, plus a $3,000 prize pool. There also are buy-ins in many price ranges in just about any cardroom in any state where you can play. But where do you fit into the picture? What other options are there? What are the steppingstones, and do you get more bang for your buck at the higher buy-in, larger prize pool tournaments?

The answer is multifaceted. There are cardrooms such as The Orleans in Las Vegas that offer two tournaments every day – that's right, two a day, every day! In addition to its annual Orleans Open, where it also offers two daily events, you can play a tournament at noon and again at 7 p.m. There are different events on different days. Go down the Strip a bit, and you will find the same idea on a nightly basis at The Mirage, with slightly higher buy-ins, but a different event each night. There also is the event that I direct at the Oasis Casino Resort in Mesquite, Nevada, where there are seven events in five days and room rates so low that you can't stay home as cheaply. The Oasis event is a semiannual tournament, but the casino regularly offers tourneys in which the amount of your starting chips depends on the number of hours you played to qualify. So, how do these tournaments differ and which is best?

There is no best; it depends. In the freerolls or very low registration fee events, you get a minimal amount of chips to start and the rounds are fast. You may get only $500 in tournament chips to start, begin at the $15-$30 level, and get only 15 minutes of play per level. Now, that is fast! But, what you must realize is that the casino is providing you the place to play, the dealers, food and/or drink service (depending on geographic locale), and all of the other staff needed to run the event. So, you are getting a lot of bang for your buck. I often hear players complain that a tournament's rounds were too fast or there weren't enough chips to start. I ask them how much it cost them to enter. "Well, it was a freeroll," they tell me. Poker players like to complain, let's face it!

Now, when you move up to the events with $30-$50 buy-ins, you may get the same minimal amount of chips, but you usually will get slightly longer playing rounds. Even if the rounds increase from 15 minutes to 20, that is an improvement. The casino is charging a reasonable "juice" to play, and can therefore let you play a little longer.

Move up again, to the $100 buy-in events, and what have you? It's likely you will get more chips to start and longer playing rounds. So, again, you are getting more play.

Where does this leave you, the novice player, when you're deciding how to spend your tournament buy-in money? You need to ask yourself several questions: Why are you playing and what are you hoping to do? Are you hoping to win very big cash prizes? If so, you likely need to look at the $500 buy-in and higher events. Are you looking to hone your skills and learn how to play a short stack and all the nuances that go along with tournament poker? If so, the freerolls or micro buy-in events may be for you. Do you want to go for the gold once in a while? Can you afford it? (Have you considered that most people who enter tournaments lose?) Well, if you want to go for that one brass ring, do it. You will get plenty of chips and enough time at each limit to splash around a bit, make some errors (in limit poker), and still possibly survive. Decide on your goals and remember that yours will not be the same as mine, or your neighbors', or your best friend's. That is why they are your goals!

The bottom line is that you generally get what you pay for. The more you spend, the more you can expect to get. Whether that is in the form of more starting chips, longer rounds, or free stuff, you will get what you pay for at any reputable cardroom. My main advice to you, before moving up, is to know your limits and your bankroll, and act accordingly. Buy in with your brain, not your ego, which is best left at home. Class dismissed.

As always, please contact me with your column ideas, questions, and comments. For poker cruise information, see www.cardplayercruises.com. You also may call the Card Player Cruises office in Las Vegas at (702) 655-0919, or outside Las Vegas at (888) 999-4880.