You know the feeling. You just busted. Maybe it was a bad beat. Maybe it was your fault. Either way, you’re back on the sidelines with the tournament clock ticking, having to ask yourself the one question every player wishes they never had to: should I rebuy?
Hang around the live tournament scene long enough and you’ll hear all sorts of justifications for why people throw good money after bad, never asking themselves the only question that matters: Do I have an edge?
Not in general. Not across an entire tournament series. Right now, in this field, with the stack I’m about to purchase. Do I have an edge?
Do I know how to play as the short stack at the table? Am I comfortable navigating a 20bb stack? Do I understand how to apply pressure with 15bb from the button? Do I have a plan for how I’ll play all my hands blind-versus-blind 10bb deep? Do I actually know how to make the decisions I will certainly face, or am I just waiting for a spot that feels ‘good enough?’
To be completely honest, this is where most players lie to themselves. They think of a rebuy as a reset button, but that’s not what it is. It’s a doubling of your investment in a worse spot than the one before it. Lower average edge. Fewer hands to work with. More pressure to perform right away.
So unless you’re a 100% “for fun” player and couldn’t care less about the money or the results, in addition to asking yourself “Can I afford it?” make sure to also ask “Are the right factors in place?”
Start with the field. How strong is it? Are there players still making clear mistakes? Are they folding too much, calling too light, or generally failing to adjust to short stacks?
What about the structure? How much time is left before levels go up? What’s the average stack now and will you still be within striking range? None of these factors mean you definitely shouldn’t re-enter, but at the very least, you should make yourself aware of what kind of challenge you’re signing up for.
And most importantly, make sure to ask yourself: how am I feeling inside my head?
What sort of mindset is leading me toward the cage? Am I calm and measured, or am I still tilted over how I busted? Am I re-entering with purpose, or with frustration? Can I take a bad beat again and keep playing my A game, or will it definitely lead me to spiral and punt another stack away?
