[jamby]

We'll have about 8 people playing and this group prefers cash games by far. I'm hosting though so I'm offering a tourney/cash game compromise. There's not really enough room for a loser's game though so I'd like to have a quickie tourney a la a SnG that will be followed by a cash game for the rest of the night. I could use suggestions on chipstacks and a blind schedule. Deadicated dealer so that should speed things up. I'd like it to last about 1 1/2 hours max if possible. Thanks!

[links_slayer]

T5000 (8xT25, 8xT100, 8xT500) with 8 players with 15 minute levels should last an hour and a half or so....

25/50
50/100
100/200
200/400
400/800
600/1200
800/1600 <--Should end here using 4% rule
1000/2000
2000/4000

[ACE'S FULL]

Originally Posted by links_slayer

T5000 (8xT25, 8xT100, 8xT500) with 8 players with 15 minute levels should last an hour and a half or so....

25/50
50/100
100/200
200/400
400/800
600/1200
800/1600 <--Should end here using 4% rule
1000/2000
2000/4000

This is an excellent structure... I will have to try this during my next game.

[mirageII]

links_slayers' looks pretty good

We do T3000 for 5 or 6 players (20 minute rounds)

20 x 25
10 x 100
3 x 500

Plenty of chips (not something you will have a problem with lol ) keeps it loose for the first couple of levels

25/50
50/100
150/300
---------------------- colour up greens (25)
300/500
500/1000 <---- usually finishes here
1000/2000
2000/4000

just a thought

mirageII

[Double Eagle]

I like this.

Tex's TEARS Single Table Satellite.

[cdnmoose]

Originally Posted by Double Eagle

I like this.

Tex's TEARS Single Table Satellite.

500-1500 WTF?

[cdnmoose]

For my one tables this structure works well
2500 starting, 20 min blinds, runs more like 2 hours but you can cut the time to 15 min.
2 t500
13 t100
8 t25

25/50
50/100
150/300
200/400
300/600
400/800
500/1000
1000/2000

[Double Eagle]

Originally Posted by cdnmoose

500-1500 WTF?

From Tex's website:

Tex Morgan's Tournament Evaluation And Rating System

Tex's TEARS began as a way for a professional poker player to rate the playability of a given tournament. Over the years, and with input from many of the world's best players, Tex's TEARS has grown into a powerful tool for players and tournament directors alike. Probably the best-known aspect of Tex's TEARS is the level structures. By careful selection of forced bets (such as antes, bring-ins and blinds), Tex's TEARS provides a gradual increase in the amount a player is required to pay each level. These gradual betting increments are considered by many players to be the hallmark of a good poker tournament. The level structures, however, are not enough by themselves. A sufficient number of chips must be given at the start of the event to allow players the time to maximize their skill before the rising forced bets eat away at their chip stacks. This is why Tex's TEARS also defiines a minumum number of starting chips that needs to be given for each level structure. When a casino advertises that their tournament uses "Tex's TEARS Structures & Starting Chips", players know exactly what to expect - and this may be the greatest benefit of the Tex's TEARS system. The knowledge that your money will be well invested in a quality tournament - before spending money on airfare, hotels, meals and buy-ins.

[jamby]

Thanks everybody for the quick and complete feedback. Much appreciated. Links, I'm leaning toward yours for the upcoming game right now since this group likes hefty starting stacks. This is all great info though. I've heard of Tex's TEARS, but never really understood it. Thanks for the explanation DE. Looks like an awesome structure and I want to understand it better and employ it at a future tourney that I can put a bit more thought into.

[hod]

What a timely coincidence this thread is - I'm playing on saturday and will be playing a reasonably quick paced tourney first, and onto the cash game after when the beers are really flowing.