Poker Strategy - The Art Of The Deal In Tournament Poker

Tournament Poker Strategy Articles

The Art of the Deal in Tournament Poker

A poker tournament is appealing in that it offers potentially great reward for little risk. For only $10,000 (which he got from his sponsor, Bodog), Jamie Gold was able to collect a payday of $12 million at the 2006 WSOP. While that was by far the largest tournament poker prize ever, smaller events can still offer prizes in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The problem that many poker players experience in tournaments is that by the time the final table is reached, the luck factor is at its height. Blinds are extremely high, meaning players may be forced to gamble more than they would like, and one bad beat can end your tournament run. This, combined with the fact that most of the prize money is concentrated in the top three spots, leads many players to opt for making a deal.

How to Make a Deal
The first thing you need to do is determine whether your tournament allows deals. Some large tournaments, just as the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour tournaments, do not allow deals, as they feel that it distracts from the integrity of the event. These tournaments gain television sponsorship based on the excitement of someone playing for a million dollars, not of someone playing for what’s left after all the money has been chopped up. Fortunately, most tournaments do not appear on television, which means deal making is common. Usually a deal is made once the final table is reached. Any player can offer a deal.

There are a number of different ways to make a deal, but one of the most popular is

the chip count deal, where the money is distributed according to how many chips each player currently holds. If a chip count deal is made, sometimes a percentage of the pool is held back for the players to continue to play for, and there may be a baseline amount that all players receive before the remainder of the money is distributed according to chip count. All players must agree to the deal for it to go forward. In most casinos, the casino personnel will help you calculate the deal, and distribute prize money according to what has been agreed upon.

Should You Make a Deal?
Deals tend to favor the players with larger stacks, so if you are on the short stack, you may wish to hold out for a better deal than is originally offered. On the other hand, if 9th place is $4000 and you only have enough for the big blind, which is coming on the next hand, you may well wish to take a deal that gives you $6000 rather than risking $2000 against whatever money you may earn by moving up on the hopes that your very next hand will be good enough to win. If you believe you are the best player at the table, it still may behoove you to make a deal, as even great play and perfect poker odds cannot save you from a bad beat that may vastly change your position at the table. However if other players acknowledge your skill, you may ask that that be reflected in the deal. If it is very important to you to win the tournament outright and you are not currently in first position, you may wish to decline a deal to put pressure on your opponents if you think this will give you an advantage. If the prize money is more important, a deal is often a great way to insulate yourself against short term luck fluctuations.

Try This Strategy At These Top Poker Rooms:
1. Sportsbook Poker

- Instant 10% + 100% up to $1,000 bonus
2. Full Tilt Poker

- 100% up to $600 bonus + special WSOP freerolls
3. Bodog Poker

- Instant 10% + 100% up to $500 bonus

More Poker Strategy Sections:

General Poker Texas Holdem Tournament Poker Stud Poker Omaha Poker Razz