PRACTICE OPPORTUNITY # 5:
You can use most of the tournament strategie we just outlined when you play a low-limit, no-limit holdem tournament in an on-land casino. In fact most small-stakes tournaments that are played in on-land casinos are rebuy events. Small buy-in tournaments sponsored by casinos usually do not allow rebuys, although that is changing and some online sites these days do allow rebuys.
In a rebuy tournament, when you run out of gaming money, you can put in more money and receive another stack of chips. This discussion of rebuy strategy has Been adapted from about Poker Tournament Tips from the Pros By Shane Smith.
The type of tournament you enter determines a major part of your playing strategy. In freeze-out events (those with no rebuys allowed), your primary concern in the early stages of play is making it to the next level in good shape. Therefore your poker strategy might be more conservative than it would be if you could buy more chips if you went broke.
Most low-stakes tournaments in on-land casinos are not freeze-outs they allow multiple rebuys, either when you go broke or fall below a minimum chip count, plus an add-on at the end of the rebuy period. With so many opportunities to refill your monetary canteen at the rebuy oasis, your strategy will differ from freeze-out tournament in which you cannot quench your thirst for chips except by winning principles them.
In most cases, you will need to take advantage of the rebuy and add-on options to be one of the top finishers. Therefore when you enter a rebuy tournament, take enough money with you to cover two or three rebuys and the add-on. For example, if the entry fee is $20, plan to spend $40 to $60 on the tournament (one or two $10 rebuys and the $10 add-on). If you are on a limited bankroll, it may be better to save your funds for a live action game or for a freeze-out event because your insufficient bankroll can become a significant drawback in playing poker optimal rebuy tournament strategy.
When you go broke, it usually is correct to rebuy. If your winning expectation seems to be favorable you feel confident that you can win and there will be a big pay-off-rebuys so long as you feel comfortable with the number of times you do so. Although I have seen players make an excessive number of rebuys, I believe that they probably should have accepted the decision of the advanced stud poker gods who decided not to smile on them that day, and bow out of the fray. Remember that the main reason you're playing the tournament is to get a big return on a small investment.
Deciding whether to add on usually is determined by your chip status shifting thinking when the add-on option comes up. If you are low on chips, add on. If you are the chip leader, do not add on. And if you are in a middle chip position, add on.
Who has the chips may also be a factor in deciding whether to add on, particular in small on-land tournaments (ten to thirty entrants) where you know most of the players. If you see that a very weak player who has Been on a lucky streak holds one of the top chip positions, it probably is wise to take the add-on option so that you will have additional ammunition to use in taking advantage of his weak play. But if a strong player extrastuff is top dog and you have a small stack, it probably will not increase your chances of a win enough to justify the add-on. If you are playing a tournament with a lot of entrants (more than fifty or so), most of whom you don't know, it is more difficult to determine the skill level of the players in top chip position. In that case, use your best judgement within poker.