Types of poker tournaments explained
Poker tournaments come in many formats. They differ in how many times you can enter, how fast the blinds rise, how deep the stacks are and how prizes are paid. The tournament lobby always shows the format, so read it before you register.
Formats by entries
Section titled “Formats by entries”| Format | What it means |
|---|---|
| Freezeout | One entry only; when you’re out, you’re out |
| Re-entry | You can register again after busting, during late registration |
| Rebuy | You can buy more chips when your stack is low, usually early |
| Add-on | One optional chip purchase at the end of the rebuy period |
See satellites, rebuys and add-ons and late registration.
Formats by speed
Section titled “Formats by speed”| Format | Blind levels (typical) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deepstack | Long, with big starting stacks | More post-flop play; good for learning |
| Regular | 10–15 minutes online | Standard |
| Turbo | About 5 minutes | Faster, more push/fold |
| Hyper-turbo | 2–3 minutes | Very fast, high variance |
Formats by prizes
Section titled “Formats by prizes”| Format | What’s different |
|---|---|
| Bounty / knockout | Part of the buy-in is paid for each player you eliminate. See bounty tournaments |
| PKO (progressive knockout) | Half of each bounty goes to you, half is added to your own bounty |
| Mystery bounty | Bounties are drawn randomly. See mystery bounty |
| Satellite | Prizes are entries to a bigger tournament |
| Freeroll | Free entry, real prizes. See freerolls |
| Shootout | You must win your table to move to the next round |
Which suit beginners?
Section titled “Which suit beginners?”- Freerolls and deepstack freezeouts at low buy-ins: more time to think and learn.
- Bounties are fun and reward aggression.
- Avoid hyper-turbos at first: they’re mostly push/fold and very swingy.
See how poker tournaments work and tournament strategy.
What is a freezeout tournament?
Section titled “What is a freezeout tournament?”A tournament with one entry only; once you lose your chips, you’re out.
What is the difference between re-entry and rebuy?
Section titled “What is the difference between re-entry and rebuy?”Re-entry means registering again after busting; rebuy means buying more chips while you’re still in.
What is a PKO tournament?
Section titled “What is a PKO tournament?”A progressive knockout: half of each bounty you win is paid to you and half is added to your own bounty.
Which tournament type is best for beginners?
Section titled “Which tournament type is best for beginners?”Freerolls and low buy-in deepstack freezeouts.