Introduction to Poker Tournaments

After a new player is comfortable playing poker online, they’re bound to be curious about the huge pots that some tournaments offer. If you aren’t sure how they work tournaments can be a little daunting to figure out. There’s a few easy things to remember for any new player starting out in online tournament play.

Most importantly, make sure you are familiar with the game that this being played. If Hold’Em isn’t your best game, look for a tournament that plays a different game. It will not be a fun tournament to play if you are unsure about the game rules, and you likely will get kicked out quickly.

Typically poker tournaments require a registration. When registering players will have to pay the required buy-in. This is the amount it costs you to play. Everyone starts off with the same amount of chips, and some tournaments allow rebuys, which allows a player to top off their stack during the tournament. Make sure to check the tournament rules, however, because not all tournaments allow it. Regardless of if rebuys are allowed, once a player loses all their chips, they’re out of the tournament.

Another thing to keep in mind is the prize pool. There is usually a guaranteed amount, but if there’s enough people registered, sometimes the prize pool goes above that amount. You also do not necessarily need to win first place to win money. Depending on the tournament, the prizes can vary widely. Some tournaments you must win in order to gain a ticket- a seat to a bigger tournament at a later date. Others have a payout chart that pays out a varied amount back quite a few places. You may not need to even be in the top 10 to make a profit, so always check all the tournament information before you register.

But what kind of tournament should you enter? Some of the typical kinds you’ll find are Sit and Go, Satellite, and Multi-table tournaments. Sit and Go are the simplest and quickest kind you will find. Almost all poker sites offer this type on an ongoing basis. Once you register and pay the buy-in, the players will all sit at the table until it is full. Once all the seats are filled, the tournament starts and it goes until the last player is standing.

Multi-table tournaments can be a little more complicated. After completing your registration and buy-in players will be seated at different tables. As people are kicked out, the players are reorganized and moved from table to table so players are always sitting at a full table. This continues until there are only enough players to fill one final table. This type of play can be disconcerting to an inexperienced player because it always seems that once you’ve figured out the people you’re playing against you get shifted elsewhere. This type of tournament certainly requires practice and a different strategy than a Sit and Go.

The last type of tournament is a Satellite. These tournaments can be Sit and Go or Multi-table. The buy in is usually small because the prize pool isn’t the goal in this type of tournament. In a Satellite players are competing for a seat at a higher level tournament, such as the Ultimate Poker Tournament or the World Series of Poker

The bigger tournaments will have multiple levels of satellites, with the ultimate prize being a buy-in for one of the big well-known games, sometimes even expenses paid. These tournaments are cut throat and are not for the faint of heart. All the best players come out to try for the biggest prize pools. No matter what tournament you enter, no matter your skill level, it’s always important to have fun playing.