Button Ante In Tournament Format

[JPainTrainSicko]

Hello all,

After talking to the floor of Playground Poker Club I've learned of a new format that is said to be the future of tournaments. It's called a "button ante", what this is is the button each hand pays for the tables antes and the game plays the same as any other aside from that. The logic behind it is to reduce errors and to speed up the game. One person paying an ante as opposed to the entire table each hand they said has increased the hands per hour by 3-5 hands. They also informed me that Vegas has begun to adopt this format.

Here's what curiosity it has sparked in me, what strategic adjustments do you think this will provoke? Will the button be more incentivised to play, will position be even more critical, will the blinds be even more incentivised to defend????

Appreciate everyone's thoughts and ideas
Below I attached a sample structure sheet for an event using this that I plan to play

 

[Acesinthebig]

I don't see too much in the way of change that this creates. The button is supposed to play a little more aggressive so nothing really changes there. The blinds will still play the same. Any tournament with antis creates more action regardless of when they are payed. Basically you are just pumping the pot which creates more action. Its like having 2 BB's in play. I would definitely be interested in giving this structure a try, and look forward to hearing some other opinions. You are basically paying the same if you paid an anti every hand, this will just cut down on time and confusion.

 

[JPainTrainSicko]

My curiosity also for this is if the ante will stay static at an extra bb or if it would adjust based on number of players.... Seems static from what I read. Which definitely bloats the pot more that the typical ante structure.

 

[Debi]

It can't stay static and be fair imo.

Did they say who in Vegas was using this structure? Cause I have never heard of it and it has never been used at any casino I have played at.

 

[Jillychemung]

Here is an explanation of how a uk casino uses the button ante and supposedly it has been in use at the Aria.

'
Explanation of Button Ante

In the majority of our tournaments at Dusk Till Dawn we are now operating a ‘Button Ante’ system, whereby the player on the button pays a single ante, rather than every player posting a small ante (the Small Blind and Big Blind still post their blinds as normal).
We have introduced this system as a means to increase the number of hands dealt per level. Collecting antes from every single player can be a slow and laborious process for the dealer, often having to remind players to post; having to make change for some players; spending time working out who the culprit is if one gets missed.
By having a single player taking care of the antes (with the aid of having the button in-front of them to help remind them it is their turn), we can reduce the time taken between hands as well as reduce the stress for players and dealers having to deal with multiple antes every hand.
Further advantages are that it reduces the need for as many small denomination chips to be on the table, which will make chip stacks easier to count; stops small chip ‘hoarding’; ensures the Cost Per Round Percentage remains stagnant throughout the tournament (rather than having the large fluctuations that a traditional ante structure can bring, such a 100 chip ante at 500/1000 becoming a 200 chip ante at 600/1200).
The only real issue with this system is for the situation when the Small Blind is eliminated from the tournament resulting in a ‘dead button’ on the next hand. We have decided that the simplest and fairest way to deal with this is to have no Button Ante posted in this occurrence.
Size of Button Ante

When 7-9 handed, the button ante is equal to the size of the Big Blind.
When 3-6 handed, the button ante is equal to the size of the Small Blind.'

 

[Debi]

I played at the Aria last month and they were definitely not using this system.

 

[JPainTrainSicko]

The person I spoke to never mentioned a specific casino using the button ante.

Very interesting article and explanation. I hadn't even considered dead button situations and def happy to see the ante reduced for short handed play.

Overall I like the benefits the article lists, faster game and reduces need for small chips and change making of antes.

 

[JPainTrainSicko]

Update on the button ante

Talked to 2 people at playground and both agree, the button ante is static.... Maybe that will change as many places using it decrease it to the small blind as players in the hand decrease. Also in the dead button situations there is no ante

 

[discintildeath]

I definitely appreciate playing more hands/hour as you can do more in the way of skill and strategy, but I would think this definitely would change the way you play the big blind. Since you already are playing the button more aggressively with position now every time you are the button you have chips invested. Interesting that vegas is changing it up and adopting this IMO.

 

[vitorbonatto]

seems promissor, players on the early game will be opening with more hands to win the dead money, imo its gonna be a way to pass faster by the early game to the middle game

 

[Bone23]

Sounds interesting. Would like to give it a try and see how it changes the game if it changes it at all. Anyone here who has played it and is willing to share the experience?

 

[cgcook38]

I played at the Aria last month and they were definitely not using this system.

Hi all. Looking at playing Aria’s tourney tomorrow night and went looking at blind structure. Looks like the they have finally adopted a version of this. Except BB pays the ante. I don’t see anything about it flexing as play gets short. I do see that there are occasional 3:2 BB:SB levels. I’m definitely considering just playing the smaller buyin at PH or MGM just because I don’t want to feel uncomfortable with the structure. But 30 minute blinds!

https://www.aria.com/en/casino/poker.html