I’m not particularly fussed on these Late Registration rules recently introduced. On old system one would know pretty much how many players, i.e. 50 registered at starting time, and perhaps a few more ‘late’. Now one can have 50 players and 10 minutes later have 90. Extends the game unexpectedly too long. Surely about 5 minutes is enough for those who are a bit late. Cut down the late rego time or put on more games perhaps.
I agree, its the reason I don’t play multi table tourneys, What looks like a quick tourney turns into a all evening affair. Exactly why I only play the SnG’s. With late registration there is no telling how long you have play, what looks like 40 or 50 players turns into 90 or 100 and twice as long as you expected to play. I don’t think there should be any late registration at all.
Since the late registration is chanced more players register by late registration, in the past most players registered in the last 10 mins of the regular time and in the first mins of late registration, now a lot of players register in the last 5 mins of the regular time and by late registration, it is a popular feature for a lot of players.
Of course you never know how many players are in when the late registration is done, but when you register in the regular time (you can not unregister 3 mins prior start) you also not know with how many players the tournament starts because many players register in the last mins.
Also a tournament not takes so much longer with more players (sometimes it took even less time with more players)
Some Examples of last week.
Hold’em Booster. 63 players - took 79 mins 49 players - took 73 mins 83 players - took 90 mins
The Mad Express 81 players - took 83 mins 55 players - took 79 mins 99 players - took 95 mins
Dare It 44 players - took 112 mins 29 players - took 113 mins 39 players - took 96 mins
Open Happiness 80 players - took 121 mins 65 players - took 113 mins 58 players - took 115 mins
The Burnout 79 players - took 83 mins 103 players - took 92 mins 62 players - took 80 mins.
I’m playing European Million today. At 3:00, 55 players. At 3:20, 110 players.
I’m still not clear why players that haven’t learned to tell time are given the same amount of starting chips as players who can and have also spent the first 15-20 minutes of a tourney grinding away. Shouldn’t late entrants at least be paying blinds for the hands they are missing?
Here’s an idea: Start every tournament 20 minutes later than it starts now and do away with late registration.
Well said MrCed. I think you miss the point, Happiness. Citing the length of the game is not the point. The point is that one has a reasonable expectation of the length of the game if there is, say, 50 players at start time (in old system). Now, that expectation grows unexpectedly by perhaps an additional 50 players registering late. As per McCed comment above. It might be nice for tardy players but unfair in my view to punctual players. McCed’s idea about losing chips for late start is well worth consideration. In the ‘real life’ tournaments i play at pubs and clubs a 15minute late arrival loses 1/4 of starting chip stack.