M Value when playing tournaments

MrCaspan

I have heard of few players discuss M value when playing in tournaments IE "I had a M of 9 so....."

Can anyone explain what the difference to using Big Blind vs M is really? Or is it just another way to get to the same conclusion that you are short stacked haha.

Take 10,000 chips and if the Big Blind is 1,000

BB Math
10,000/1000 = 10 so I have 10 BBs left,

M Math
10,000/500 = 20 / 3 as you will have to post 3 BB per rotation of the table (also don't forget if there is anti you might have to do 20/5 to account for that extra BB you have to post)

When I look at that math, BB is so easy to calculate and easy to apply I.E. Anything under 20 BB is danger zone and under 10 BB is time to start shoving any high broadway card or any pair. AN you can use that to examine a players shove against you if he has less than 15 BB

Why would you use M value over BB values. Is there something extra to be gained by the extra thinking to calculate this value over BB?

trigs

M = your stack / (small blind + big blind + antes)

It's a more accurate measure of one's stack in relation to the cost of one round.

MrCaspan

Yeah my math was the same I guess just broke it down into smaller parts. So why does the cost of a round at the table mater?

trigs

It's just a good standard to measure by so you can have an idea of how many more hands you can survive.

Bfillmaff

It's from Harrington's book if you want to read further. (Makes more sense in the context of the book.)

MrCaspan

Which book? Just checked Amazon seems like he has about 20 of them!

compuease

Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No Limit Tournaments, vol's 1-3

I used to have them but sold them all a couple of years back. Maybe somebody on here has them that you can borrow for all the good work you do.

MrCaspan

Dave lent me this one but I have not read it yet I'll put I next on my list

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compuease

You should start at 1 though... P.S. I read all three a couple of times but it didn't help me win races or have my hands hold up.. ymmv...

MrCaspan

I have a few to read here!

DrTyore

# of BB left is fun...

But imagine a situation where you have 1000 chips left.. and the blinds / antes are 50 /100 (SB / BB) but a 50 ante.... in the BB model, you have 10 big blinds left, so .. kinda middling level. However, with a 10 person table, the pot is 750... or each orbit's cost. Do you feel you have 10 hands left, or.. 1.3 orbits? It's more accurate to use the M value.

Mark

MrCaspan

Thanks Mark. I'm going to read the books to so I can learn more!

compuease

DrTyore;413660 wrote# of BB left is fun...

But imagine a situation where you have 1000 chips left.. and the blinds / antes are 50 /100 (SB / BB) but a 50 ante.... in the BB model, you have 10 big blinds left, so .. kinda middling level. However, with a 10 person table, the pot is 750... or each orbit's cost. Do you feel you have 10 hands left, or.. 1.3 orbits? It's more accurate to use the M value.

Mark

I think Mark was imbibing at this point, math might be a little off.. you are right, read the books, although I find that if you know the player and his tenendancies it is more helpful..

trigs

Read Sklansky's "Theory of Poker". The best beginner book there is.

DrTyore

compuease;413664 wroteI think Mark was imbibing at this point, math might be a little off.. you are right, read the books, although I find that if you know the player and his tenendancies it is more helpful..

Can confirm... math bad, point remains same.

Mark