An amateur poker tournament in progress.

A poker tournament is a tournament in which the winners are decided by playing poker, usually a particular style of poker. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 989 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A poker tournament in progress. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 989 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A poker tournament in progress. ... A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a single sport or game. ... For the domestic fireplace tool, see fireplace poker. ...

Contrast this to a ring game, where the game is ongoing with no formal structure to determine a single winner in a certain length of time. Ring games, also called cash games, are live poker games played with real chips and money on the line, usually with no predetermined end time. ...

Entry fees and prizes

In a typical tournament, a player pays a fixed entry fee (called a buy-in) and receives, in return, a certain quantity of in-game currency, called play money, invariably represented in the form of poker chips. Typically, the amount of play money given each player is an integer multiple of the buy-in. Only this in-game "play" money can be used in the game, real money cannot. Additionally, real and play money cannot be interchanged at any time. Some tournaments, however, offer the option of a re-buy or buy-back; this gives players the option of purchasing more chips. In some cases, re-buys are conditional (for example, offered only to players low on or out of chips) but in others they are available to all players (called add-ons). When a player has no chips remaining (and has exhausted or declined all re-buy options, if any are available) he or she is eliminated from the tournament. Harry Trumans poker chips Casino poker chips are special tokens representing a fixed amount of money. ... The integers are commonly denoted by the above symbol. ...

In most tournaments, the number of players at each table is kept even by moving players, either by switching one player or (as the field shrinks) taking an entire table out of play and distributing its players amongst the remaining tables. A few tournaments, called shoot-outs, do not do this; instead, the last player (sometimes the last two or more players) at a table moves on to a second or third round, akin to a single-elimination tournament found in other games. A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout or sudden death tournament, is a type of tournament where the loser of each match is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event. ...

The prizes for winning are usually derived from the entry fees, though outside funds may be entered as well. For example, some invitational tournaments do not have entry fees and fund their prize pools with sponsorship revenue and/or gate receipts from spectators. (These tournaments are referred to as freerolls.) Play continues, in most tournaments, until all but one player is eliminated, though in some tournament situations, especially informal ones, players have the option of ending by consensus. Sponsorship can refer to several concepts: A sponsors support of an event, activity, person, or organization. ... In poker, a freeroll has two distinct meanings. ...

Players are ranked in reverse chronological order — the last person in the game earns 1st place, the second-to-last earns 2nd, and so on. This ranking of players by elimination is unique amongst games, and also precludes the possibility of a tie for first place, since one player alone must have all the chips to end the tournament. (Ties are possible for all other places, though they are rare since the sole tiebreaker is the number of chips one has at the start of the hand in which one is eliminated, and hence two people would need to start a hand with the exact same number of chips and both be eliminated on that same hand in order to tie each other.)

Sometimes tournaments end by mutual consensus of the remaining players. For example, in a ten-person, $5 game, there may be two players remaining with $29 and $21, respectively, worth of chips. Rather than risk losing their winning, as one of them would if the game were continued, these two players may be allowed to split the prize proportional to their in-game currency (or however they agree).

Prizes are awarded to the winning players in one of three ways:

• Fixed: Each placing corresponds to a certain payoff. For example, a ten-person, $20 buy-in tournament might award $100 to the first-place player, $60 for second-place, $40 for third, and nothing for lower places.

• Proportional: Payouts are determined according to a percentage-based scale. The percentages are determined based upon the number of participants and will increase payout positions as participation increases. As a rule, roughly one player in ten will 'cash', or make a high enough place to earn money. These scales are very top-heavy, with the top three players usually winning more than the rest of the paid players combined.

Tournaments can be open or invitational. The World Series of Poker, whose Main Event (a $10,000 buy-in no limit Texas Hold 'Em tournament) is considered the most prestigious of all poker tournaments, is open. The WSOP logo The World Series of Poker is the most prestigious set of poker tournaments in the world. ... No limit may refer to: A way of betting in Poker, see Betting (poker). ... Texas hold em involves community cards available to all players (pictured here on the left). ...

Multi-table tournaments involve players playing simultaneously at dozens or even hundreds of tables. Satellite tournaments to high-profile, expensive poker tournaments are the means of entering a major event without posting a significant sum of cash. These have significantly smaller buy-ins, usually on the order of one-tenth to one-fiftieth the main tournament's buy-in, and can be held at various venues across the country and, more recently, on the Internet. Top players in this event, in lieu of a cash prize, are awarded seats to the main tourney, with the number of places dependent on participation. Chris Moneymaker, who won the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event, was able to afford his seat by winning an Internet tournament with a $39 buy-in. Greg Raymer, 2004 World Series of Poker champion, acquired his seat via a $165 Internet tournament. Christopher Bryan Moneymaker (born November 21, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American poker player who won the main event at the 2003 World Series of Poker (WSOP). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The WSOP logo The World Series of Poker is the most prestigious set of poker tournaments in the world. ... Gregory Raymer (born on June 25, 1964) [1] is a professional poker player. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The opposite of a multi-table tournament is a single-table tournament, often abbreviated STT. A number of places (typically, nine or ten) are allocated at a single table, and as soon as the required number of players has appeared, chips are distributed and the game starts. This method of starting single-table tournaments has caused them to be referred to as sit-and-go (SNG) tournaments, because when the required number of players "sit," the tournament "goes." Sit-and-go tournaments of more than one table are becoming more common, however, especially in Internet poker. A single-table tournament effectively behaves the same as the final table of a multi-table tournament, except that the players all begin with the same number of chips, and the betting structure starts much lower than would likely be the case at a MTT final table. Almost invariably, fixed payoffs are used. A final table refers to the last table in a multi-table poker tournament. ...

Betting format

Betting, in tournaments, can take one of three forms:

• In a structured (fixed limit) betting system, bets and raises are restricted to specific amounts, though these amounts typically increase throughout the tournament. For example, for a seven-card stud tournament with the stakes at 10/20, raises would be $10 in the first three rounds of betting, and $20 in the latter rounds.

• Semi-structured betting provides ranges for allowed raises. Usually, in this format, one may not raise less than a previous player has raised. For example, if one player raises $20, it would be illegal for another player to raise an additional $5. Pot limit is a semi-structured format in which raises cannot exceed the current size of the pot. Spread limit is a semi-structured format in which bets (and subsequent raises) must be between a minimum and maximum amount.

• Unstructured betting, usually called no limit. While blinds, antes, or bring-ins are fixed, players are free to bet as much as they wish, even early in a round of betting. To bet all of one's chips (risking one's tournament life, in the event of losing the hand) is to go all-in. In no-limit tournaments, players will sometimes take this risk even early in the betting; for example, in some no-limit Texas Hold 'Em tournaments, it is not uncommon for players to bet "all-in" before the flop.

The betting structure is one of the most defining elements of the game; even if other aspects are equivalent, a fixed-limit version and its no-limit counterpart are considered to be very different games, because the strategies and play styles are very different. For instance, it is much easier to bluff in a no-limit game, which allows aggressive betting, than in a fixed-limit game. No-limit games also vary widely according to the proclivities of the players; an informal, emergent, betting structure is developed by the players' personal strategies and personalities. The game of poker as played today requires that players agree before play on allowable amounts for betting (called limits), and the use and amount of forced bets. ... Seven-card stud is a variant of stud poker. ... The game of poker as played today requires that players agree before play on allowable amounts for betting (called limits), and the use and amount of forced bets. ... The game of poker as played today requires that players agree before play on allowable amounts for betting (called limits), and the use and amount of forced bets. ... No limit may refer to: A way of betting in Poker, see Betting (poker). ... Emergence is the process of deriving some new and coherent structures, patterns and properties in a complex system. ...

The stakes of each round, as well as blinds, bring-ins, and antes as appropriate per game, typically escalate according either to the time elapsed or the number of hands played. The game of poker as played today requires that players agree before play on allowable amounts for betting (called limits), and the use and amount of forced bets. ... This article describes the common terms, rules, and procedures in the game, but does not cover the strategic impact of betting. ...

Types of poker

While some tournaments offer a mix of games, like H.O.R.S.E. events which combine Hold'em, Omaha, Razz, Stud and Stud Eight or Better and Dealer's Choice events, at which one may choose from a similar menu of games, most tournaments feature one form of stud or community card poker, such as seven-card stud, seven card high-low stud, Omaha Hold 'em or Texas Hold 'em. Both Omaha and Texas Hold'em tournaments are commonly offered in fixed-limit, pot limit, and no limit forms. H.O.R.S.E is a form of poker commonly played at the high stakes tables at casinos. ... Dealers choice is a style of poker where each player may deal a different game. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... // Probably starting about the time of World War II, many modern poker games used Community cards (also called shared cards or window cards), which are cards dealt face up to the center of the table and shared by all players. ... Seven-card stud is a variant of stud poker. ... For methods of splitting a pot, see Splitting poker pots. ... Omaha holdem (or Omaha holdem or simply Omaha) is a community card poker game based on Texas hold em. ... Texas hold em involves community cards available to all players (pictured here on the left). ... The game of poker as played today requires that players agree before play on allowable amounts for betting (called limits), and the use and amount of forced bets. ... No limit may refer to: A way of betting in Poker, see Betting (poker). ...

Tournament venues

Informal tournaments can be organized by a group of friends; for example, most colleges feature poker tournaments. Casinos and online gaming sites often offer daily tournaments. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

However, these are not the only venues. Poker cruises offer tournaments at sea. Most 2005 and 2006 World Series of Poker events took place in the convention center at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vegas redirects here. ...

Major tournaments

The two largest and most well-known tournaments are the World Poker Tour championship event and the World Series of Poker, both held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The World Series has traditionally been featured on ESPN. The World Poker Tour (WPT) is a series of poker tournaments featuring most of the worlds professional players. ... The WSOP logo The World Series of Poker is the most prestigious set of poker tournaments in the world. ... Vegas redirects here. ... ESPN/ESPN-DT, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an [[United States|Amer<nowiki>Insert non-formatted text here--68. ...

The 2005 World Series of Poker was the first held outside of Binion's Horseshoe Casino, though the final few days of the main event were held in the legendary Benny's Bullpen. Future tournaments have been held at one of the Harrah's Entertainment properties; since 2005, the Rio has served as the host venue. The company known as Harrahs Entertainment was founded on October 30, 1937 as a small bingo parlor in Reno, Nevada operated by William F. Harrah. ...

Arguably the most publicized European tournament is the Poker Million, which began in 2000 on Sky Sports, following on from the success of the Late Night Poker television show. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The Poker Million is a major European poker tournament which started in 2000 on the Isle of Man. ... Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of 9 channels. ... Late Night Poker is a British television show in which Poker players, mostly professionals or strong amateurs, compete in a short series of No-Limit Texas hold em tournament games for a prize of approximately £50,000. ...

In addition to these events, there are other major tournaments throughout the year. The World Poker Tour broadcasts a series of open tournaments throughout the U.S. and Caribbean with buy-ins from $5,000 to $25,000, as well as a European event with a €10,000 buy-in. Some of these events are stand alone tournaments like the Caribbean Poker Adventure, but most are held in conjunction with a tournament series being held at the host casino, like the Commerce Casino's LA Poker Classic, the Reno Hilton's World Poker Challenge and the Bicycle Casino's Legends of Poker. For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... The Caribbean Poker Adventure is an annual poker tournament. ... Established in 1983, The Commerce Casino is the largest card casino in the world, with over 240 tables. ... The Reno Hilton is a resort located approx 3 miles east of Downtown Reno, Nevada. ... The Bicycle Casino is the worlds second largest poker cardroom. ...

Atlantic City hosts The United States Poker Championship at the Trump Taj Mahal casino, which has been broadcast by ESPN in recent years. Alternate meanings: See Atlantic City (disambiguation) Atlantic City is a city located in USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 40,517. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

The Ultimate Poker Challenge is a show produced for late night paid-programming time slots on WGN & other networks. It was originally hosted at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, but has since moved to Binion's. The current format has a $660 buy-in event on Saturdays, and a $340 on Sundays, with the final tables being taped the following day for broadcast. A recent $10,000 buy-in event attracted a rather small field and was won by 22-year-old professional Alex Jacob.

The main live poker tournament in Africa is the All Africa Poker Tournament hosted by the Piggs Peak Casino in Piggs Peak, Swaziland.

The Crown Australian Poker Championship also known as the Aussie Millions is fast becoming one of the world's largest tournaments. In the 2007 tournament (Won by Gus Hansen) there were 747 entrants and a prize pool of AUD$7.47 Million. The event has gained sponsorship by Full Tilt Poker and is also filmed for broadcast by FSN. The Crown Australian Poker Championship, commonly known as Aussie Millions is a poker tournament held in Crown Casino, Australia. ... Gustav Hansen (born February 13, 1974 outside Copenhagen, Denmark) is a professional poker player who lives in Monaco. ...

See also

• Tournament director
• Sit and go
• Public cardroom rules (poker)

In the game of poker, the tournament director is the individual charged with running the poker tournament. ... The large and growing jargon of poker includes many terms. ... Public cardrooms are a great resource for those who enjoy playing poker. ...

External links

• Poker tournament strategy essays
• homepokertourney.com - covers "home" tournaments, including blind structures, numbers of chips required, and game timers.