Another when

One of the poker questions for which I will never have a permanent answer is the question of when is the best time to join an MTT. Sometimes, I'm convinced that the answer is before the tournament has officially started. At other times, I'm convinced that the answer is as late in the late registration period as you possibly can. At still other times, I'm convinced the answer is that it doesn't matter at all when you join. I can make plausible cases for each of these viewpoints.

This is an excerpt from last Thursday's post. I realize I left out an important when - namely, as near to when half of the late registration period has elapsed as you possibly can. That would have come in mighty handily last night. There are two problems with joining before a tournament has started:

1. there's no dead money in the prize pool

2. you have less of a chance of outlasting the late registration period

There are also two problems with joining as late in the late registration period as you possibly can:

1. the antes and blinds will be bigger, but your starting stack size won't be

2. there will be more big stacks, and every big stack at your table has the potential to bully you off your hands

Last night, I joined before the tournament had started. It would have been more prudent for me to wait a while before joining. The thing is, I don't like having to wait to play, so I typically don't :-)

style flavor buy_in  entry players entries paid place winnings

MTT   NLHE   174000  26000       6      47   12     -        0

delta: $-200,000
MTT NLHE balance: $42,313,268
2021 balance: $16,491,500
blue distance: $704,200
balance: $94,156,953