Just say yes to hypers

I've long felt that hyper tournaments on PokerStars are a losing proposition, and have avoided them like the plague. Hyper tournaments have some defining detrimental characteristics:

1. you start out chip-starved
2. the antes and blinds escalate quickly
3. you run up against lots of bingo players

However, my experience in last night's session is forcing me to revise my evaluation of hypers - slightly :-) I will still avoid them like the plague, except in the case of hyper 45 seater sit and gos. Playing 18 seater sit and gos got me really interested in multiple table sit and gos, and when I saw a 45 seater filling up in the PokerStars lobby, I jumped in without noticing that it was a hyper. I ended up cashing, and was hooked just like that :-)

I really think multiple table sit and gos are a third kind of tournament animal, neither sit and go nor MTT, yet sharing some features of both. Since everyone starts playing at the same time, there's no dead money at the beginning, as is the case when you late register an MTT. However, since there are multiple tables, you're insulated from some potential big stack bullies until the tables consolidate, which doesn't occur in a normal sit and go.

What makes a hyper 45 seater different from a normal hyper sit and go, which only seats 6 players? The differences can be summed up in three words: time, panic, and patience. In a hyper sit and go, you have no time, whereas in a hyper 45 seater, you have more time than most players realize. When you realize this, you have a distinct advantage over players who don't. The players who don't realize this play in panic mode from the get go, and soon hit the rail. The players who do realize this can afford to exercise patience, which will often take them a long way.

Tonight, I'm going to play a bunch of hyper 45 seaters; it's my new favorite flavor :-)

buy_in entry players hands entries paid place winnings

  9000  1000       9    29      45    7     6    24300
  9000  1000       9     3      18    4    15        0
  9000  1000       9    52      45    7     2    87075
  9000  1000       9    26      45    7    13        0
  9000  1000       9    26      45    7     9        0
  9000  1000       9    93      18    4     4    16200
  9000  1000       9    30      18    4     7        0

delta: $57,575
Sit and go no limit hold'em balance: $2,383,675
balance: $10,159,239