Inaugural Event

See CPT1.pdf for chip distribution, blind structure, prizes, and other details.

From email:

Welcome to the "Chem Poker Tour"! (Please forgive the cheesiness)

I was originally going to hold off until Monday morning to send an email, but due to the overwhlemingly positive response, I figure I'll start now and reply to new additions as I hear from them.

I've been thinking about organizing a multitable No Limit Texas Hold'em tournament in the Chemistry Department (...) for over a year now, and it's finally time I stop thinking and do something about it. I'm hoping this will be the inaugural event of perhaps a monthly "Chem Poker Club"-like ritual, but that's up to the rest of you.

By the way, most of you replied to my original email, but some of you didn't. If I added you without your consent, it's because I know you play poker (either because I've played with you or you were recommended by someone I've played with) and I figure you're just too lazy to actually reply. ;) If you want to be REMOVED from this list, let me know. Also, if you know someone who'd like to be added, get them to email me ASAP.

Okay, so here's the scoop: I've got the chips and cards ready to go - they're in my office right now! I've been developing a tournament for the past few weeks (has it been months?), testing various blind structures through online simulations. I've come up with 3 or 4 versions I like, and have finally decided on one. It's attached as a .pdf file (generated from an Excel spreadsheet). I don't want to change it much, and I know I can't please everyone, so please save your "recommended improvements" for a future tournament. For example, I was originally going to go with a "shoot out", but then decided to include "re-buys" and "add-ons" so players who bust out early won't be terribly discouraged. That may not be popular with everyone, but I've decided to stick with it.

... I'm sending you an "eVite" (you should receive it within the next hour or so), which acts as your official invitation to this event. On it, you can vote for your preference of date (or state that either/neither is good for you) and feel free to voice any opinions you wish to share with everyone. It will also include some extra information about the tournament.

If you can't make it to either of these days, don't worry about it. Based on the response I received in only about 24 hours, I'm feeling pretty confident that this won't be the last Chem Department poker game!

Oh, and in case you're a little rusty with some of the terminology or the rules of Texas Hold'em, I recommend the following web sites (and I also recommend filling out any contest surveys they have going... one paid for my chips!):

HomePoker.com (a Toronto-based site)
HomePokerTourney.com

Hope to hear from you soon (through the eVite),

Jeff

From evite:

The chips and cards are ready to go! Now it's time to play some cards!

Please email me if you haven't already received the PDF file with tournament details. In summary:

- $10 buy-in gets you $100 in chips with denominations printed on them for your convenience.

- There is 1 optional $10 re-buy per player ($100 in chips) before the end of level 6 when chips = $0. The re-buy must be made immediately upon busting out (i.e. you cannot bust out at level 3 and re-buy at the end of level 6).

- There is 1 optional $5 add-on per player ($50 in chips) during the first break (after level 6). All remaining players are eligible for the add-on.

That means you only need $10 to play, but you might want to bring as much as $25 in case you bust out early or need a little extra help along the way. All money goes into the prize purse. There is no "house cut" - we do not have a gambling license!

- Blinds start at $1-$2 and increase regularly. There will be a computerized poker clock displaying the current blind level, time remaining in the current level, and next blind. There are no antes in this tournament.

- The tournament is designed for 25 players or less (mainly due to chip constraints). You must reply to this eVite to reserve a seat. If you do not reply, it is assumed you will not play and your seat will be filled by someone else.

- The game will start promptly at 20:00. You must show up no later than 19:30 to determine seating, go over rules, etc. If this will be a problem, please let me know in advance.

We will likely play in ... starting with 3 tables of 8. When the number of players becomes 16 (and eventually 8), players will fill 2 (and 1) tables. Please note that we do NOT have a liquor license. ... That's all I'll say about that. However, please bring any food or beverage you plan to consume.

The "chip out" procedure may seem complex at first, but it's a fairly standard way to remove obsolete (and introduce higher valued) chips as the blinds increase. It is only made slightly complex because of the number of chips and players involved. I will explain it as it occurs (during each break). Admittedly, this will likely be the largest live tournament I've hosted, so it's important that everyone listen carefully and follow instructions closely to ensure it goes smoothly. If you'd like details in advance, I'll explain in an email by request.