ITH Poker Forum

[Damien]

I posted a few hands from Rebuy tournaments recently and found that I should be willing to take more risks during the rebuy period. Quick question... does this only apply to tournaments that have unlimited rebuys? When I play on Full Tilt in a 1R tourney, I'm allowed to rebuy immediately (start with 1500 and can rebuy at 1500, so I rebuy immediately to start with 3000). But not everybody does this, so some players are still able to rebuy if they bust. So, if I've already "used up" my ability to rebuy in a 1R, should I just play it as if it isn't a rebuy? Or even if I haven't used my rebuy, should I take less risks than I would in an unlimited rebuy, since I only get one? Is anybody following what i'm trying to say?

Basically just trying to get some general advice on the difference between a 1-Rebuy and Unlimited-Rebuy.

[Primitive]

A 1R tourney should be played like a freezeout, not a rebuy.

Bying in for the double at once is the right strategy. Everyone with half a stack gives up EV so take notes

[Radford]

If it's a rebuy tourney which is only allowed one rebuy, then you should just play the tourney like a freezeout. I prefer to rebuy immeaditely if you are only allowed one rebuy. This gives you double the chips of any one that decides to rebuy later on if they bust. So you have more room to play with.

[Damien]

Basically what I thought, thanks guys.

[scottishben]

one of the problems with this sort of situation is we do not have any idea what the chip values are worth (is it worth adding x to your stack at a cost of you busting out if you confront a stack bigger than what your new one will be etc.

I have started a thread recently about the cash value of chips precisely on this point. My instincts however are to go against the advice that others have given to some extent. It very much depends on your strategy during the rebuy period/what your goals are for the tourney etc. People will take more risks during the rebuy period. If you do not mind busting out (if you do you should not be playing MTTs) then rebuying straight away would give you best advantage to exploit loose play in opponents but you could easily bust out. I think on balance I prefer this risk as you are maximising what you can exploit. I do not think there is one definative answer and it will depend on how you play and your playing style. Losing players are better not rebuying as it is just increasing their losses. Saving the rebuys for when they are busted is better entertainment -I think though that with strong aggressive players rebuying at the start may be the correct play - this is something though that noone has done a good job of proving one way or the other.

[asinus666]

It's pretty simple. That early in a tournament the bubble factor should 1 or very very close to it. So each chip lost is worth the same as each chip won. We may deduct that all chips are worth the same.
So it should not matter at all whether you buy in twice or once.

But that's just pure math.