If you want to play a longer poker tournament that allows for a real battle of skill, start each player with 10,000 chips and play with 30- or 45-minute levels. Here is the structure for a serious tournament. If you want to make sure it lasts, allow players to re-buy until the first break.
If you're still playing beyond level 10, keep doubling the blinds every level from there until one player has all the chips.
Long Tournament Structure
| 10,000-chip Texas Hold'em Tournament Structure | ||
| Level | Small Blind | Big Blind |
| Level 1 | 25 | 25 |
| Level 2 | 25 | 50 |
| Level 3 | 50 | 100 |
| Players take 10-minute break | ||
| Level 4 | 100 | 200 |
| Level 5 | 300 | 600 |
| Level 6 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Players take 10-minute break | ||
| Level 7 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| Level 8 | 2,000 | 4,000 |
| Level 9 | 4,000 | 8,000 |
| Level 10 | 5,000 | 10,000 |