Strategy question for 1 Rebuy/1 Add on MTT

[NotFadeAway]

I entered a 1 Rebuy/1 Add on multi table tournament on PokerStars yesterday and it got me thinking about something.  When is best to do the rebuy:  right away, after you get busted, or is it best to observe for a bit before deciding what to do?
Just to make sure this question makes perfect sense, I should mention that you start with 3000 chips and can add 3000 with a rebuy (no matter how many you have), but can only add one rebuy.  So, if you rebuy to 6000 and go bust, you can't rebuy again.  After an hour the rebuy period ends and you can add on for 6000 more chips (that one's obvious.)

My assumption was that you use the rebuy no matter what, but I wasn't sure if the best move was to rebuy right away and have a lot of chips, or try to lower variance by saving it for if you go bust.  I preferred the immediate rebuy and started the tourney with 6000 chips, but I don't know which move is best.

I'm curious what everyone else thinks about this, so:  which is better?

[Detroitdad]

First off, I would like to play in a Poker Stars Tourney like that. Is is just called 1 rebuy/1 add on?

I would take your approach. I would rebuy immediately, and start with 6k. I'm guessing that is what most did? Lets say half rebuy immediately, and you don't. What happens if you get into a big hand with someone, and double up. Your possibly losing chips here.

What if your crushing in chips at the time of the add on? Do you still do the add on? I think yes, but that is just my opinion.

[NotFadeAway]

First off, I would like to play in a Poker Stars Tourney like that. Is is just called 1 rebuy/1 add on?

I would take your approach. I would rebuy immediately, and start with 6k. I'm guessing that is what most did? Lets say half rebuy immediately, and you don't. What happens if you get into a big hand with someone, and double up. Your possibly losing chips here.

What if your crushing in chips at the time of the add on? Do you still do the add on? I think yes, but that is just my opinion.

I had doubled up in the first hour (from 6000 to around 12000) and thought I had to take the add on.  It was a $2 mtt, with $2 for the rebuy and $2 for the add on, and you got 6000 for the add on.  I don't see how that can be passed up (not because of the size of the buy in, but just for the value.)  It's a real good question, though, if you're doing great.  I assume I'd add on just because I'd hate to pass on chips, but I don't know if it's the best value or not.

[holdemholmes]

First off, I would like to play in a Poker Stars Tourney like that. Is is just called 1 rebuy/1 add on?

Usually they will be listed as: ($22 NL Holdem 1R, 1A). They usually have a few of these a day atleast from what I have seen.


As for when to rebuy, I would go with what DD said. If most of the table rebuys to start, I'm rebuying, if not, then I wait till if I bust out.

[luckystraights]

My guess would be to rebuy straight away because...

1. A lot of donks will do this and wont' to build big stacks quickly, if you have a deep stack u can benefit more from there spew.

2. If you save your rebuy for later on, by the time you use it, you may not be in a great position to still be in contention for the tourney anyway.

I would also always take the add on.

EDIT: When it comes to the best value of the add on, I suppose it will come down to the pay out structure, perhaps the size of the field too, I'm not sure how I would rationalize a decscion based on these things, so would probably play it safe and always add on.