One of the options that most often attracts attention is the rebuy or ‘rebuy’ option in poker tournaments. Having more chips is always a successful option, but it is not always possible or even inconvenient. In this article you will find all the keys for this process in the tournaments or tables of this game.
First of all… What is rebuy in poker? When can you rebuy in poker? There will be ‘freezeout’ tournaments, preferred by some players, in which this option does not exist. If you run out of chips, the game is over. Then there are the rebuy poker tournaments, where you can include it at certain times and once you are down one chip from the starting stack.
Finally, there are the ‘addon’ tournaments, where you can add chips at any time, whatever. In fact, this is one of the most frequent strategies of many players, who try to participate in the table with more powerful stacks. But, how much is it worth to rebuy in poker? The normal thing will be to incorporate the same initial ‘stack’, but it can go up depending on the times you rebuy.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of rebuying in poker?
These are some of the advantages, whether yours or your opponents, of rebuying in poker:
It eliminates the variance, that is, it dilutes the effect of good or bad luck in the short term. Give a second chance to the most solid players
Increases the total prizes of a game, as there is more investment and chips at stake
Allows the rebuyer to play with a more powerful stack
In shorter tournaments or even small tables, lengthen the game. With the need for fewer players, there is more play.
But all that glitters is not gold. The ‘rebuy’ in poker has some drawbacks that it is necessary to take into account:
- It can be a way of losing money in matches and/or times that are not ideal. It is important to know when to leave if the game situation does not go well
- It would mean an exit from your bankroll if you are not able to control the situation and keep a cool head
- It will put you at a disadvantage against your competitors if you cannot follow the buyback level
On many occasions, a bad beat can push us to buy back. Precisely if we are in a moment of tilt, it may not be the best idea.
Extends the game, which should be considered by some participants
In any case, the best resource will be a constant audit of ourselves, the table where we play and the relationship with each other. If we cannot repurchase and/or take advantage of this resource, the ideal will be to choose a freezeout table, or a tournament with less buy-in.
How to use the ‘rebuy’ in your favor in poker
Considering the pros and cons of using the rebuy in poker tournaments, it is especially relevant when we can use it to our advantage in tournaments:
- Using an early rebuy or an add-on at tables where we can be dominant and take the initiative. In turn, move away and try not to isolate ourselves against this player profile
- Rebuy only if we have had a ‘bad beat’ and we believe that we can recover what we lost, and in turn, look for melee with players who may be making bad decisions
- Choose no-rebuy tables if you don’t have a budget to rebuy, or look for a more conservative buy-in that allows you to rebuy. We do not want a disadvantage before our competitors
- Decide before the tournament whether or not to rebuy, or whether to keep that option open. Nothing to decide hot
- Avoid repurchasing if that means a departure from our budget or bankroll to bet. Remember to only play with what you can lose
Finally, it is important to know the poker rules, to know when you can rebuy and when not. Do not be catched by the bull!
Poker strategy, the basis
A frequent mistake is to make the rebuy an axis of the poker strategy. Although it is a valid resource, the central thing in our game must be the knowledge and the ‘know how’ at stake. The rebuy should be a quick and agile yes/no or it depends decision, and never be a headache in the game.
Although it may seem silly to you, poker requires maximum concentration on the game itself. Your rivals will go 100%, and if they don’t you should take advantage of it, so disconnecting from what is essential can make you lose that hand that was decisive. In other words, you don’t want to get to X or Z if you’re on ABC, but it’s important to know Z so it doesn’t work against you.
If you are just starting to play real money poker… consider freezeout tournaments!