How to Join and Play Poker Tournaments

Poker games come in a large variety and there is an audience appreciating each of them. Regardless of how you wish to play the game, you can step up your game to a competitive level. This is done through tournaments for all kinds of poker formats in the world.

Two kinds of poker tournaments

Every tournament has a unique set of rules that players have to agree to before joining. You can assume what it will entail based on which of the two categories the competition belongs to. Here are those two categories and all the fundamental elements you are expected to follow as a participant.

Pot competition

The first and most popular category is poker games where you compete for the pot prize against other players on the table. Here is the list of elements to keep in mind:

● Buy-in
First and foremost is the price of the table. You have to buy-in the agreed-upon bankroll size before you take a seat. This is your budget throughout the tournament and you are not allowed to leave the table until it’s depleted or you’re the only player left. Everyone is going for broke and your potential payout is the accumulated pot of the whole table.

● Seating
Once you pay the buy-in, you are allowed to take a seat at the table. Most tournaments give players assigned seating arrangements but some venues prefer a first-come-first-serve setup. Players take turns in a clockwise motion starting from the right of the dealer and this usually has a big influence on strategy.

● Blind
The blind is the mandatory payment the first two players have to pay at the start of every round. First up is the small blind which is equal to half the agreed-upon stake at the table or as stated by the rules of the tournament. Big blind comes second and it’s equal to the minimum stake.

● Pot
The word ‘pot’ refers to the accumulated bet by all players on the table throughout the game. It only goes up with every bet made in the game and the winner takes all. If there are multiple winners due to a tie, then they all divide the pot.

● Elimination
A player is eliminated once their bankroll is depleted. Casual poker allows new players to join by paying the buy-in then leaving at any moment but a competitive setting can’t allow new players. Thus, an eliminated player will leave a vacant seat for the remainder of the tournament.

Leaderboard competition

Online casinos mostly offer poker games where you are betting against the house rather than other players. Thus, the only type of tournament you can try is one that follows a leaderboard. Rules are always simple but can vary. First, you have to opt-in to become a participant then you have to play specified types of games to earn points.

Poker games fall into the live dealer game category all the time. Play the specified game as often as possible throughout the allotted time frame (ranging from a day to a week) and climb the leaderboard. A cut of the pot is awarded to the top performers with the winner getting most of the prizes.

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