Getting to Grips with Tournament Structures and Home Games
The bankroll is all set, you’ve plunked down your tournament buy-in, and 3️⃣ ready to roll. You’re seated at your table and given your weapons, a stack of chips to, hopefully, build throughout 3️⃣ the tournament. That initial stack will vary from tournament to tournament and casino to casino, but those colours and chip 3️⃣ values are essential to any tournament, and hopefully, you’ll have a massive stack by the end of the tourney.
The starting 3️⃣ stack and chip distribution, as well as tournament level times and the blind progression, determine a lot about a tournament 3️⃣ such as how long an event may last, the amount of time you have to make a move, and other 3️⃣ variables.
Don’t follow Kenny Rogers’ advice – it’s always important to know how many chips you have at the tables.
Table of 3️⃣ Contents
Poker Tournament Chip Distribution In a typical tournament, players get a particular number of certain-valued poker chips. That chip stack 3️⃣ usually includes a few larger values, some of a medium denomination, and several lower values for the early stages when 3️⃣ blinds and antes are low.
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) offers several tournaments of varying buy-ins each year. In 2024, 3️⃣ the series includes events ranging from aR$500 buy-in withR$1 million guaranteed to the winner, known as the Big 50 to 3️⃣ celebrate the series’ 50th anniversary, to events ranging fromR$1,000 toR$3,000.
The annual series also features severalR$10,000 championship tournaments attracting plenty of 3️⃣ big-name pros. The number of chips and distribution depends on the tournament buy-in. While the WSOP added more chips in 3️⃣ general to its tournaments this summer, larger buy-in tournaments tend to offer more chips for players.
For example, players in the 3️⃣ Big 50 event will start, fittingly, with 50,000 chips of varying denominations. With blinds starting at 100/200 and a 200 3️⃣ big blind ante. That ratio gives players a starting stack of 250 big blinds.
The special 50th Annual High Roller event 3️⃣ features a starting stack of 300,000 chips with blinds starting at 1,000/1,000 and a big blind ante of 1,000, giving 3️⃣ players a stack worth 300 big blinds. The event has one-hour level durations while the Big 50 has 50-minute level
Other 3️⃣ lower buy-in tournaments have even shorter durations, many in the 30- and 40-minute range. The larger distribution of chips certainly 3️⃣ offers more play for the poker buck.
The annualR$888 Crazy Eights (of course, sponsored by 888Poker) offers players 40,000 chips with 3️⃣ 30-minute levels on Day 1 and then one-hour levels on Days 2-4.
Cash Game Distribution
Players jumping in on some cash game 3️⃣ action will be given chips based on the stakes they plan on playing. A player in a low-stakes game at 3️⃣ his neighbourhood card room or casino may buy in forR$200 and receive a rack full ofR$1 chips (100 chips) and 3️⃣ then twenty additionalR$5 chips. Of course, all this may vary slightly.
Players in higher stakes, such as aR$25/$50 games, will, of 3️⃣ course, receive high denominations with quite a fewR$25 chips - and some hundreds mixed in as well and possibly even 3️⃣ higher.
Certainly, casinos will have even higher poker chip values for those playing at the very highest of stakes. Chip colours 3️⃣ will vary by casino, but it’s a good idea to keep a few lower-denomination chips for waitress and cooking staff 3️⃣ tips. Peeling off a big chip for the staff might bring some luck as well.
Home Tournaments The friends have been 3️⃣ invited, the table is ready, and the pizza is on its way. You’ve got a great tournament planned with friends 3️⃣ and prepared to stack some chips.
Which colours, values, and blind durations will all depend on your situation and the number 3️⃣ of players. Planning a bit in advance will help get the action going sooner.
Here is an example of a tournament 3️⃣ structure. If you are running a faster freeze out so that you can get your tournament wrapped up in a 3️⃣ few hours, each player might start with 5,000 chips with blinds of 25/50 in that first level.
That setup gives each 3️⃣ player 100 blinds to get things going. It can be easily adjusted if you’d like deeper stacks, and obviously chip 3️⃣ colours may vary depending on the chipset you own.
Want a shorter tournament? Reduce the chip stack by 1,000 or so 3️⃣ and reduce the time for blind levels.
A sample distribution in the above scenario might look as follows:
Running the Tournament Setting 3️⃣ up your own tournament with a starting number of chips will undoubtedly depend on your schedule, the number of players, 3️⃣ allotted time, blind levels, and numerous other factors.
Below is an example of a structure sheet for the 5,000-chip tournament mentioned 3️⃣ in the above section.
Just a few reminders: Longer blind levels will obviously make for a longer tournament, but also reward 3️⃣ more skill at the table. Shorter blind levels will reward luck a bit more.
The example below might be nice for 3️⃣ a small tournament of 8-20 players.
Online Tournaments and Cash Games
Just like in a live setting, tournaments online also feature starting 3️⃣ stacks, blind, and everything else one might expect in a casino. Those virtual chips will have specific colours as well, 3️⃣ except they’re automatically collected in a pot and coloured up. As a player advances in a tournament, those denominations also 3️⃣ go up - just as in a live tournament.
When it comes to starting chips, the number varies according to the 3️⃣ event. Regularly scheduled tournaments will have a set defined number of chips. While significant events, such as theR$215 buy-in 888pokerR$100,000 3️⃣ Mega Deep Challenge, may start with larger starting stacks, have longer levels, and feature a more favourable tournament structure.
Cash games 3️⃣ will feature differing chips depending on the table stakes. The best way to get in on the action and grab 3️⃣ those chips at the table?
Check out 888poker and take advantage of one of the site’s promos to sit down at 3️⃣ the tables with a few extra dollars.
Home Cash Games If you’ve got that fun cash game scheduled with friends, maybe 3️⃣ even after a tournament, there are numerous options for chip values as well, depending on your stakes, preference, and the 3️⃣ number of chips.
For low-stakes games likeR$1/$2 No Limit Hold’em, if you have plenty of chips, making every colour only worthR$1 3️⃣ keeps things really easy. However, if you are limited in the number of chips for a game (or simply like 3️⃣ having a few denominations in play) adding different chip values can definitely help.
You may want to offer a player buying 3️⃣ in forR$150 something like this:
• White –R$1 – 50 chips for a total ofR$50
• Red –R$5 – 10 chips for 3️⃣ a total ofR$50
• Blue –R$25 – 2 chips forR$50 total
This arrangement allows players to quickly make change for higher denomination 3️⃣ among themselves while being able to easily call and raise with larger chip values if needed.
One thing to remember: If 3️⃣ you host a tournament before the cash game, it’s always a good idea to keep those cash game chips in 3️⃣ a different colour, just in case.
Poker is a popular game because of the fun, strategy, and the possibility of accumulating 3️⃣ more and more of those coloured chips and cash. 888poker offers plenty of opportunities to improve your skills online.
While 888poker 3️⃣ LIVE offers players the chance to participate in some of the biggest and most prestigious live tournaments at great casino 3️⃣ resorts, all over the world.
Get your game together and get in on the action.
Good luck collecting those chips!
