Since the huge growth of WSOP popularity during the mid-2000s, poker players have been drawn to poker tournaments more than ever before. And now, with the inception of online poker, tournaments have become more accessible, allowing players to win real money prizes without leaving the comfort of their homes. Some of the biggest tournaments today exist solely online, drawing in tens of thousands of players each and every week. Here is everything you need to know about poker tournaments for winning high stakes.
What Is an Online Poker Tournament?
An event such as an online poker tournament begins at a set time, with each player buying a ticket at a set price and starting with the same amount of chips. The time and buy-in are predetermined, so there is clarity and transparency among the players. Instead of a cash game, which can run indefinitely, a poker tournament begins at a set time, with everyone buying a ticket at the same price. Each player loses all of his or her chips when they are eliminated. In most races, the last paid finisher is paid a set amount (usually around 10% of the whole field).
The Difference Between Poker Tournaments and Cash Games
In addition to the ability to rebuy and cash out whenever you wish, blinds increase according to a set schedule during tournament play. Players cannot dictate their own pace in this type of game, as they would in a cash game with static blinds. It’s also important to note that stack sizes vary greatly between cash games and tournaments.
Cash games typically have closer stack sizes between players compared to tournaments where some players will have a much higher average, and others could hold just a single chip. To be a successful tournament player, you must understand how to play with an array of stack sizes, while cash-game players can choose to stick around a specific amount or stack size.
Sit & Go
Sit & Go tournaments have been crafted in the online market and continue to grow in popularity today. These games tend to be only one or two tables and will commence when each seat is filled. Most poker sites will have Sit & Go tournaments starting every couple of minutes, sometimes even seconds. The top three players usually receive a payout, depending on how many numbers are started in the game. On some of the more popular sites, Sit & Go’s are so popular you may struggle to find a seat in time. Sit & Go models are the perfect tournament option for new players to experience what it is to be in a game with other players without competing against hundreds of others, creating a chance of becoming overwhelmed.
Satellite Tournaments
Satellite tournaments work a little differently as the prize is to be entered into another larger prize pool poker tournament. Players in the past have made tens of thousands from an initial ten-dollar entrance fee from a satellite tournament. You may find in some satellites that it is not only another poker tournament you’re trying to earn qualification for, but all expenses paid trips to an exotic location. Of course the most popular example is that of Chris Moneymaker, who in 2003 won a satellite tournament online, earning him a seat in the WSOP Main Event. He then went on to win the tournament, taking home a first prize of $2.5 million, which then started a new era for poker in what is commonly referred to as the ‘Moneymaker effect’.
Earning Big Online
Online poker tournaments come thick and fast, which is great for players looking to play regularly. The growth in online games that have come along with the WSOP poker boom as we mentioned earlier, means there is always something available for players, and with the vast choice of poker game styles, there is something for everyone. Sit & Go, Shootout, Bounty, and much more, online poker is here to stay and can be one of the most accessible ways to win big on the virtual tables.
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