For those who like having multiple chances to screw up and still keep a big chip stack, re-buy tournaments are perfect. Re-buy tourneys give people the opportunity to buy chips back as soon as their stack falls below the starting amount, and even buy back into the tournament after busting out.
Now some people will try and say that re-buy tournaments are a crapshoot where maniacs are constantly raising and playing overly aggressive since they can fall back on a re-buy whenever they lose a substantial amount of chips. However, there is actually a fair amount of strategy involved when playing re-buy tourneys. And that strategy will all depend on if you’re playing freerolls with re-buys, limited re-buys, or unlimited re-buys.
Freerolls with Re-buys
Most people are only in these tournaments because the entry is free. With this being the case, they aren’t too keen on paying money after losing chips or busting out. Since most people won’t be re-buying, you can use this to your advantage by re-buying whenever the chance arises. Some people might not think it’s worth the cash, but if re-buys are $1 and the prize pool is $500 or more, 8-10 re-buys can pay off in the end.
Limited Re-buys
One nice move you can make right away in these tournaments is to let your chip stack fall below the starting amount, then re-buy more chips right after this. Whether you’re one of the blinds or you play a cheap hand with bad cards, you should take advantage of this to grab an early chip lead. After doing this, you should play aggressively with your second re-buy. Once you are down to your last re-buy, you should be more conservative until the first hour is almost over, at which re-buys normally stop.
Unlimited Re-buys
These tournaments are the closest to the aforementioned crapshoots since people will be playing really aggressively because they know that they can just re-buy again and again. First off, make sure you have plenty of re-buy tournament experience before playing these. Also, extend the range of starting hands that you’re willing to play because you can’t play tight in these tourneys. Mid-pairs and suited connectors should be played more liberally when unlimited re-buys are involved.
