Blackhawk Tournament Comparisons

[pseudoswede]

This post is horribly outdated. Please do not use.

This will be a continually-updated post about which Blackhawk tournaments provide the best value and will benefit the more skillful tournament players.

Patience Factor is a mathematical equation which helps determine how "fast" a tournament plays--factors include length of rounds, amount of blinds per level, whether re-buys are allowed, etc. (More info) (http://www.pokertournamentformula.com/online_poker_tournament_strategy_patience_factor.h tm)

Skill Level is a determination, depending on the Patience Factor, whether luck or skill will play a bigger role in a player making it far into a tournament. (More info) (http://www.pokertournamentformula.com/poker_tournament_strategy_skill_level.htm)

Obviously, the higher the numbers, the more likely skill will overcome luck.

Even though the first hand of every tounament is limit hold'em, this does not alter the Patience Factor in any way.

Please help contribute to this effort by posting or sending me a PM with the information listed in this thread (http://www.denverpoker.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1555) or any corrections/updates.

Golden Gates Casino
Assumption: Structure is the same for all tournaments. Blind levels are 25/50, 50/100, 100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, then doubles until the end. Rounds are 20 minutes long.


Buy-In Starting Chips Blind Out Time Patience Factor Skill Level
$50 2500 1.80 hrs 3.24 2
$60 2500 1.80 hrs 3.24 2
$60 3500 2.06 hrs 4.25 2
$100 5000 2.38 hrs 5.68 3
$115 5000 2.38 hrs 5.68 3



Colorado Central Station
Assumption: Structure is the same for all tournaments. Blind levels are 25/50, 50/100, 75/150, 100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 1000/2000, then doubles until the end. Rounds are 20 minutes long.


Buy-In Starting Chips Blind Out Time Patience Factor Skill Level
$45 1500 1.72 hrs 2.97 1
$60 2000 1.91 hrs 3.64 2
$115 5000 2.67 hrs 7.11 4



The Gilpin Casino
Assumption: Structure is the same for all tournaments. Blind levels are 25/50, 50/100, 100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 500/1000, 1000/2000, 1500/3000, 2000/4000, then increase 2000/4000 until the end. Rounds are 20 minutes long.

With most of these tournaments, you are given bonus chips if you elect to purchase all of the re-buys at the beginning. Since they are still technically considered touraments with re-buys allowed, the Patience Factors for those tournaments have been reduced by 20%, but the starting chips include all of the re-buys and bonus chips.


Buy-In Starting Chips Blind Out Time Patience Factor Skill Level
$30 (1) 3000 1.94 hrs 3.75 2
$40 (2) 5000 2.38 hrs 4.55 3
$40 (3) 4000 2.17 hrs 4.72 3
$50 (4) 5000 2.38 hrs 5.68 3
$60 (5) 5000 2.38 hrs 4.55 3
$60 (6) 6000 2.57 hrs 6.60 4
$70 (7) 7000 2.73 hrs 7.47 4
$100 (8) 5000 2.38 hrs 5.68 3
$120 (9) 6000 2.57 hrs 5.28 3
$200 (10) 7500 2.80 hrs 6.28 4
$300 (11) 15000 4.68 hrs 17.52 6


(1) - $30 freezeout
(2) - High Noon Shootout ($10 buy-in with 3 $10 re-buys)
(3) - $40 freezeout
(4) - $50 freezeout
(5) - 20/20/20 ($20 buy-in with 2 $20 re-buys)
(6) - 7 Ways to the WSOP Tourney
(7) - $70 freezeout
[8] - C-Note freezeout
(9) - 60/60 tourney with 2000 chip bonus
(10) - Psycho 50 (only calculated with $50 buy-in and three $50 add-ons)
(11) - The Gilpin 300 ($100 buy-in with 2 $100 re-buys)

[Brent_in_Aurora]

Thank you for posting this. The other places for tournaments in Blackhawk/Central City include the Gilpin Casino and Fortune Valley, but there may be more. I emailed them for their structures.

[pseudoswede]

The Gilpin's tournaments are a little usual with the bonus chips you get if you buy all the re-buys in the beginning. I'm trying to get clarification from the author about how to calculate Patience Factors with those kinds of tournaments. Until then, I've posted my estimations for most of the Gilpin tournaments.

Edited to add: Pretty funny. I just saw the author replied this afternoon with the answer.

[loomisdl]

Thanks for posting these.

It looks like Station's couple of extra blind levels really help. I've never played in one of their tournies, I'll have to check it out.

[pseudoswede]

Removed the Nitro tournaments until I get more details.

Added some more Gilpin tourneys.

I'm looking forward to trying out the $70 freezeout at the end of the month.

[scrupboy]

Did anyone see the new Tuesday night structure at Colorado Central Station? I was checking out their website and noticed the new structure and buyin.

Below is information I found on their website:

Tuesday Night No-Limit Hold’em Tournament
Time 7:00pm
$200 Buy-in $20 Entry-fee total buy in $220
One optional re-buy for $100 buy-in $5 entry-fee total $105
Re-buy’s must be taken by the end of the 6th round
All Players Start with $10,000 in chips.
Re-buy’s are worth $10,000 in chips.
Rounds are 20 minutes long.
There will be two limit hands.
Color up’s will be done with a race for odd chips.

Round 1 Blinds 100-200
Round 2 Blinds 200-400
Round 3 Blinds 400-800
Break
Round 4 Blinds 800-1600
Round 5 Blinds 1000-2000
Round 6 Blinds 1500-2000
Break and color up
Round 7 Blinds 2500-5000
Round 8 Blinds 5000-10000
Round 9 Blinds 10000-20000
Break and color up
Round 10 Blinds 15000-30000
Round 11 Blinds 20000-40000
Round 12 Blinds 25000-50000
Break
Round 13 Blinds 30000-60000
Round 14 Blinds 50000-100000
Round 15 Blinds 60000-120000
Break
Round 16 Blinds 75000-150000
Round 17 Blinds 100000-200000
Round 18 Blinds 150000-300000

That's a whole lot of chips for some good deep stack play, but I wonder if the blind structure is a little aggressive which could negate any deep stack play. Can someone post the patience factor and skill level for this tournament.

Thanks!

-Scrupboy

[pseudoswede]

The blinds are stupid fast.

Patience Factor = 4.57
Skill Level = 3

The $100 Gates tourney is better than this (and $200 cheaper) (and a nicer room).

[scrupboy]

Thanks for information!

I thought the speed of the blinds might decrease the skill factor in that tourney. I guess if you treated the tournament as a $325 buy in from the get go and start with 20,000 in chips that perhaps you could get a little extra skill play.

I enjoy the Golden Gates tourneys, but I also like to play in bigger buy in events (pay more lose....... I mean win more). I may give CCS a shot one of these Tuesdays. Station's $110 tourneys are not too bad and give a fair amount of play. Just wish they could accomodate more people.

[pseudoswede]

Updated Central Station's new structure.

Also updated Gilpin's tournaments.

[takeittothehouse]

Great information regarding all the tournament up the hill. I have played in the Gilpin's 300 the last two weeks and the structure is a little different and didn't know if you wanted that information to change the calculations. Either way here it is:

Blind rounds are 30 minutes (huge difference) and go like this:
25/50; 50/100; 100/200; 200/400; 300/600; 400/800; 500/1000; 600/1200; 800/1600; 1000/2000; 1500/3000; 2000/4000; 4000/8000; 6000;12000 and go up by 2000/4000 each round after that.

Thanks for doing all the calcuations, it's a great resource.

[pseudoswede]

Yes, the 30-minute blinds have been already calculated into the formula.

I never noticed the 1500/3000 blind level before, and I have no idea why. Nonetheless, it's irrelevant, because, even with 15000k starting chips, you'll be blinded out well before you reach that level if you choose not to play a single hand.

I did add the 1500/3000 level in the original post for accuracy's sake.

Thanks for the update!

[pseudoswede]

Also added PF and SL for the Psycho 50.

[takeittothehouse]

Thanks for the update the and info regarding the craziness of the psycho 50. All your work is appreciated here.

[thefunkiest]

I will be making my first trip to Blackhawk in April. Have there been any significant changes or additions to the tournament schedules? Any information on the Nitro at the Gilpin? Thanks!

[pseudoswede]

I will be making my first trip to Blackhawk in April. Have there been any significant changes or additions to the tournament schedules? Any information on the Nitro at the Gilpin? Thanks!

I think you can pretty much ignore the list of tournaments in the first post of this thread. All sorts of things have changed up there, and I haven't had the time to update it in a very long time. Sorry.

As for the Nitro tournaments, they are a horrible deal (ultra turbo with a winner-is-the-one-with-the-most-chips-after-an-hour format).