Tourney Noob - Some Questions

[martindcx1e]

Ok so I've decided to start playing tournaments regularly, and I have some questions b/c I've strictly been a cash player for quite a while. The fields I'll be playing will probably be like from 300-700. I didn't see this stuff in any of the stickies so hopefully yall can help me out or point me in the right direction...

1. What kind of variance should be expected? What's an average # of tournies to go without cashing? If I go like 20 tourneys OTM should I be worried?
2. What kind win% can an average tourney player expect in the longrun? How about top 3 or 4?
3. I've read the Harrington books - is anything else a MUST read?
4. So far I've only played tourneys at FT. I like their slow blind structure. What other sites have good structures? Also, is Stars considered a good structure or not? It seems pretty fast compared to FT, but lots of great players play there so it can't be that bad right?

That's it for now. Thanks in advance...

[thenonsequitur]

I just joined PS, and I have to say I really like their deepstacked (5000 starting chips, 10/20 initial blinds), 30-min blind tourneys. Gives an edge to more conservative players, of which I am one.

Here's some more info on them:
http://www.pokerstars.com/poker/tour...ory/#deepstack

[drmcboy]

1) Lots of varience. 20 OTM won't happen all the time but will happen.
3) Not for tourneys specifically, I think ToP is required for all players.
4) PS is faster than FT, also FT has more deep stacked tourneys. PS does have more rebuys so they have their share of deeper stacks too. I like UB for 100+, under that it is OK, similar to stars.

[NLHE lahooozaher]

I just joined PS, and I have to say I really like their deepstacked (5000 starting chips, 10/20 initial blinds), 30-min blind tourneys. Gives an edge to more conservative players, of which I am one.

Martin as a fellow cash game donk that also plays MTTs regularly I can say these would probably suit you very well since you seem to be a good cash game playa. Stars doesn't have very many but they're worth it. You have to have alot of time devoted to it though since it usually takes between 6-8 hours to even cash about 11-13 hours to finish.

The stars structure does seem a little bit faster than ft but if you play the rebuys you're also playing deeper stacked so this doesn't matter as much so I'd also recommend the rebuys. They are very soft. Absolute has a fantastic blind structure, esp. in rebuys since stacks are much deeper.

As far as blind structure goes I'd have to say that UB > Absolute > Full Tilt > Stars in regular tourneys.

[martindcx1e]

I just joined PS, and I have to say I really like their deepstacked (5000 starting chips, 10/20 initial blinds), 30-min blind tourneys. Gives an edge to more conservative players, of which I am one.

Martin as a fellow cash game donk that also plays MTTs regularly I can say these would probably suit you very well since you seem to be a good cash game playa. Stars doesn't have very many but they're worth it. You have to have alot of time devoted to it though since it usually takes between 6-8 hours to even cash about 11-13 hours to finish.

The stars structure does seem a little bit faster than ft but if you play the rebuys you're also playing deeper stacked so this doesn't matter as much so I'd also recommend the rebuys. They are very soft. Absolute has a fantastic blind structure, esp. in rebuys since stacks are much deeper.

As far as blind structure goes I'd have to say that UB > Absolute > Full Tilt > Stars in regular tourneys.

i never considered absolute before. i'll look into it. i really only want to be playing tourneys that take like 6 hours at the max. i'm a big fan of the 300-500 fields. i would love the low ps rebuys if they weren't so massive. thanks for the info...