Dilemma

[wEbMaStEr]

I just won a freeroll (well it was 500 frequent player points) entry tourney, (Top 9 qualified and i was chip leader out of about 150 people andddddddd i took out #10 guy, who had been going all in A LOT so i felt really satisfied with my performance :D ) which qualified me for a $215 seat in a $250,000 garaunteed payout tourney on sunday 4pm est.
Now, 1st place in this tourney comes with a $75,000 or so payout, i think 9th gets about $1k and payouts down to about 27th i think gets about $250 or so.
My dilemma is ........

Should i play in it?

I can unregister and take the $215 in tourney $'s (using them to enter any other tourney i choose)
4pm est is 9pm Uk time and i gotta be at work for 7 the next morning (i haven't made the switch to full time poker pro yet) so getting into the money is gonna take me till about 1 am i reckon.
Also i gotta think.... this tourney has about 250 people registered already, i reckon by start time there will be around 500 people

So what do i do?
I really want a shot at $75k oh boy do i!
but the odds are overwhelming? (i dont usually do well in multi table tourneys, this was my best finish ever.)
Do i play it safe and use the $215 to buy into sit and go's where i can maybe convert it into $1k without toooooo much trouble if i'm careful.
Or do i reach for the brass ring and maybe fall short?

(i think i already know the answer
but thanks for letting me put my thoughts down and i would appreciate thoughts in return.)

[Ninja]

I would say take the money and run. $215 is a lot, especially when you win it from a freeroll. $75k is a lot, which means that some of the best players there will be at this tourney. I'd say just take the $215-You don't want to lose it by getting knocked out of a tourney.

[ballbp]

Take the cash and build it in S&G's. I'd play higher buy-ins though so the payout is bigger. If you lose a couple of $50 tourneys then go play some $10 ones to try to get back up. Make sense?

[j0sh]

how good of a player are you? if you think you have a chance in the big tourney, then play in it. If you're uncomfortable with that idea then definately unregister and use the $215 elsewhere.

I'd play in the big tourney

[Absolution]

There's always the 'moneymaker' factor. Even if you're just decent you could win. Poker is still gambling at heart. Anybody can win. But, like you say, you could play some SNGs, double your money and then enter the tournament with those winnings. Win Win!

[cayouche]

This is how I would look into this:

Being tired at work is definately not an issue, thanks to the greatest discovery since sliced bread, coffee!! In Europe, your coffee is alot stronger than here in America.
Also, if you win $75k, that's a pretty damn good excuse for being late at work or even taking a day off.

If you think you have a chance, do it. If you do and you lose, at least it didn't cost a thing.
However, if you really need the money right now, play it safe and unregister.

[Nighttrain]

Take the money and play smaller tourneys...cause at that level you need to play killer poker....I mean those cats play!So I say take the money and whip the little fishes until you develope shark teeth!!!!!

[wEbMaStEr]

lol.
well i must say 1st off that i fully expected every single post to say "go for it! play the tourney! etc"
so thanks for some sensible advice.

Here is my decision.

I'm going to take the money and walk away.

here are the reasons (if anyone still cares now )

I'm not really a multi table tourney player (yet)
This $215 right now represents 1/3 of my current roll, if at any other time someone suggested i enter a tourney for $215 i would just laugh, the odds against me placing in the money would be huge.
I am a really good 2 table sit&go player and i am certain i can at least double this money. (modesty )

I am not just gonna throw this cash into my roll and forget about it, i am gonna play some higher entry s&g and enter the $50 nl multi tourney tonight.
i'll let y'all know if something remarkable happens
thanks again for replies

[Nighttrain]

congrats....You made the right play.The roll is more important than a chance at big money.Good luck on building it up 8)

[cayouche]

If you take it that way, you made the right desicion. There's no rush, you'll get more chances to win big.