Strategy for NL Tourny with Rebuys and Add On

[Zybomb]

Next week there is a big organized game in my area with top place paying out over 20,000. Its a 50/100 blinds NL Hold Em with 2500 chips to start (im more used to 50 BBs as opposed to the 25 there are here). The first round is 30 minutes and every round there after is 15. Its a 55 dollar buy in, with rebuys allowed for the first four rounds, and 2 add ons (25 for another 2500) allowed before the break. Most of my experience has come in cash games and in tournies without rebuys, and my experience in rebuy tournies is fairly limited. I was wondering if anyone had advice on how to change strategy for this type of a tournament.
In the past Ive gotten annoyed as hell playing in these type of tournies, when someone comes in with 8x the buy in and has intension on using every bit of it, since he can get outplayed so many times and then catch a lucky break and still be a major player in the tourney. Its also frustrating knowing that in roughly one out of every 3 or 4 hands there will be a preflop all in, which kind of limits you to mucking unless your content on risking all your chips with the hand you have. My usual play is tight aggressive, with flashes of loose aggressive when i think the time (or chip position) calls for it. I limp pretty infrequently and come in for standard raises (usually 3x) in the majority of pots I enter regardless of my hand. It seems many players sit around waiting for a big hand and then push all in hoping to either steal blinds and limps or double up, and can always rebuy if necessary. It also makes players more difficult to bluff, as they will make loose calls knowing they can re enter.

Any advice as how to alter your play for these types of tournaments would be appreciated, and also your opinions on a range of chips youd have after the first 4 rounds to make the add ons worth it (too little, the add ons wont matter much, too much they arent necessary) Im sure if I can have a good position after the first 2 rounds, the next 2 wont be as bad, because the blinds will be up to 200/400 and 400/800, so the 2500 re-entrance wont be a factor during those rounds.... Sorry about the long post and let me know what you guys think

[omahilo]

I just skimmed over your post but I will give my advice for rebuy tourneys...

I take a rebuy right away (if you can, usually you are) so I have more chips to work with. Also since you can rebuy, I loosen up my play alot... I will play suited connectors, 1 gap connectors to try to hit a huge flop to gather more chips. Also always take the addon regardless of your chip stack because more chips you have the better.

Also bring enough money to rebuy aleast 5 times if needed.

[tazmision89]

I'am the complete opposite, I never take re-buys or add-ons. Personally it makes me play on the top of my game.

I am not a big fan of the re-buy and add-ons, I feel that it doesn't make the game more challanging. I mean if your knocked out before the rebuy/add-on period is over, you could essentially double or triple up and be right back in the mix of things.

This is just me and everyones opinion differs.

[ChipFish]

????? ????
Perhaps this little challenge with you and TP should be a re-buy tourney...
Seriously... Not only are you putting yourself at a disadvantage early... but also late....
Why?
Assume you do not rebuy immediately...
You have T1000
A guy doubles up at your table.. and has T2000.
You get pocket aces next hand... He calls your raise, and you push all-in and he calls...
You win....
Instead of winning a 4k pot, you only have 3k.....
The following hand you get Pocket Kings....
The chipleader was just moved to your table... He calls your all-in and you win.... now you only have 6k instead of 8k....
Do you see where I am going with this?
Basically, by not taking an immediate re-buy you are costing yourself potential chips...
Same goes for the add-on.

It is not a smart play, and many professionals will agree... but, whatever works for you.

[Talking Poker]

Actualy, you only have 2k here. 1000 x 2.

And then 4x after the KK hand in your example. Right?

For the record - I completely agree with you here, Chip. I always thought you were supposed to rebuy immediately (and as often as you need to later on - even loosening up a bit when you are just above the minimum) and ALWAYS take the add-on.

[ChipFish]

Ooops... kind of flubbed the math... but you get the idea...

[Zybomb]

the rebuys for this tourny will not let you rebuy immediatley, you must run out of chips entirely to rebuy. I guess the concensus so far is take the add onds regardless of your chip position before the break, so I'll work with that...Im still undecided on how to react to the fact that one out of every 3 or 4 hands there will be an all in preflop during the first round or so...granted, I could slow play a monster and rake in chips, but theres no guarentee I'll be dealt Aces or Kings, so Im wondering if I need to alter my play from how it normally is to deal with this (and the fact that few if any bluffs will work during the first round or so)...you can obviously play looser knowing you can jump back in, but how much more aggressive if at all should I be than I normally am, especially when Id be dealing with at least some % of 'calling stations'...Im thinking see more flops than usual if I can without risking all my chips, and pretty much play your hand...more advice if you guys have would be great