Poker tournament
A poker tournament is a type of card game of poker . It is usually carried out according to the freeze-out system, a kind of knockout system . In contrast to the cash game , players cannot have their chips paid out in cash at any time, but receive their prize money for the place they achieved in the tournament.
The preferred variant of poker played in tournaments is Texas Hold'em , which has largely supplanted Seven Card Stud , which dominated until the 1990s . Is played u. a. in major poker tournament series such as the once-a-year European Poker Championship in Velden am Wörther See and the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas , which was played in Binion's Horseshoe from 1971 and has been played in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino since 2005 .
Tournament rules
Freeze-out system
At the beginning of the tournament, the seats will be determined by means of a raffle. The assigned seats may not be changed during the tournament.
After paying the entry fee ( entry fee , buy-in ), each participant receives the same playing capital, e.g. B. a certain number of units ( units or bucks ). The players must always leave their chips on the table so that they can be seen by everyone, inserting them is not permitted.
In the freeze out system , the blinds or the ante and the split limit (with no limit only the blinds or the ante) are set according to a time or other plan - e.g. B. after a certain number of games - increased regularly. As a result of this inflation , the game becomes more and more expensive, so that participants gradually drop out one by one.
The following table gives an example of increases:
| Small blind |
Big blind |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 4th |
| 4th | 8th |
| 6th | 12 |
| 10 | 20th |
| 20th | 40 |
| 30th | 60 |
etc.
Each player receives a complete hand ("hand") as long as he has at least one chip of his own. If a player runs out of chips during a hand, a side pot (see below) is played.
Participants who run out of chips are eliminated from the tournament.
Race for Chips
Before the ante or the blind is increased , a so-called race for chips can take place, in which the chips worth the previous ante or the small blind, which are no longer required, are removed from the game.
Each participant's small tokens are exchanged for larger units as far as possible. Thereafter, each participant receives a card for each remaining unit of tokens to be withdrawn.
Single Winner Race for Chips
The player with the highest card receives the entire amount after collecting the tip. For example, if three players each have two twenty tokens (3 × 2 × 20 = 120), the tip, namely 20 bucks, is withdrawn and the winner receives two fifty tokens.
Multiple Winner Race for Chips
In this variant, the players with the highest cards win. In the example above, the player with the highest card and the player with the second highest - this can of course be the same person - each receive a fifty token.
In the Race for Chips the natural ranking of the cards applies (starting with the highest): Ace - King - Queen - Jack - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 .
If two players have the same cards in the range, the color decides (starting with the highest):
Spades ( ♠ ) - hearts ( ♥ ) - diamonds ( ♦ ) - clubs or clubs ( ♣ ).
Side pots
In order to have a valid hand, each participant must make the ante. If a player runs out of chips during a coup (the player is said to be all in ), a side pot is played; H. the main pot ( main pot ) is taken aside. The remaining players are as normal and give their inserts in the side pot (also side pot ). The winner only wins the pot (or several pots) in which he has still bid. Multiple side pots can be played in a single game if required.
Example : Suppose there are still three players A, B and C fighting for the pot. A bets 200, B decides to hold, but only has 50 bucks, C also holds, which equalizes all bets. The main pot now consists of three times 50 units of A, B and C, as well as what was already in it before, the side pot of 300 units, namely 150 units each of A and C. A and C now fight on and bet their others Bet in the side pot. If A (or C) has the best hand at the end, he wins the main and side pot because he has bet in all pots. On the other hand, if B has the best hand, B only wins the main pot, since B was not involved in the side pot; this goes to A or C, depending on which of these two has the better hand.
If bets are placed in a side pot, players who are all in will not be taken into account in determining who will open a betting round; they are no longer involved in the side pot.
Simultaneous elimination of several players
If two or more players are eliminated at the same time within a coup, the larger capital decides at the moment of the elimination. If this is also the same, these players will each receive a single card after they are eliminated, and the placement will be determined according to the rank of these cards. The same ranking applies as in a Race for Chips .
Prices
The order of elimination determines the placement of the individual players. The player who last won the entire game capital is the tournament winner. The players who advance into the prize ranks finish the tournament in the money (short: itm , German in money ). Such a conclusion of the tournament is more rarely called a money finish . The prize pool is divided among all players in the prize ranks, with the prize money increasing with better placements. The tournament winner receives around 10 % of the total prize pool for large fields of participants and around 30% of the total prize pool for high-roller events with few players.
Rebuy and add-on
Rebuy
In many tournaments, such as B. the European Poker Championship , it is allowed to the players after they have lost their playing capital, to buy themselves back against payment of an additional amount in the tournament ( rebuy in or short rebuy ).
Rebuys are usually not allowed for the entire duration of the game, but are mostly limited to the lower levels; the number of possible rebuys is specified in the tournament announcement.
Add-on
An add-on is another possibility to increase the playing capital (between two games) by purchasing. Add-ons are only offered, if at all, in tournaments with a rebuy option and are independent of the current playing capital. Add-ons are often possible after the rebuy phase (i.e. mostly in the first break) and usually offer the purchase - compared to the rebuy - at more favorable conditions.
The number of add-ons is usually limited to one.
Bets
In the US and UK, it is common practice in major poker tournaments for participants to bet on the outcome of the tournament . The prevailing type of bet is the Calcutta auction ; the Calcutta takes place either before the start of the tournament or after the first day of play - so even participants who have already been eliminated from the competition can still win the tournament.
additions
Sit and go tournaments are a special form of tournament. These tournaments do not take place at fixed times, but start when the required number of players has arrived.
