If you’re relatively new to online poker, you may be wondering what are the most popular forms of tournament around? There appear to be many different types available on in most tournament lobbies. Don’t worry, we will highlight and introduce you to do top three types of tournaments and how they work so you are best prepared. By the end of this article, you will be able to choose which is right for you and adopt the correct strategy too.
Freezeouts
This type of tournament is what we like to call “standard”. It is the original tournament format where you buy in and if you lose your chips, you are out. That is it! Freezeout tournaments are still popular today although due to marketing and innovation, poker sites are encouraging people to play other forms. However, if you want to play the simplest form of tournament this is for you. We encourage you to learn freezeout tournament strategy so you are best prepared. In short, you should protect your stack and have a bigger emphasis on survival. Unlike other tournament types, you can’t afford to take huge risks in a freezeout otherwise you will be on the rail very quickly!
Rebuys
Another popular tournament format is the rebuy. Now, there are even different types of rebuy within rebuy but for purposes of simplicity, it’s a tournament where there is opportunity to buy back in if you lose your stack. Strategy changes radically in these tournaments as players will gamble more early on in a bid to get a big stack. This can be a sign of a bad player shoving all in too much. It may work if one has a deep bankroll but for those who are conversative, rebuys are unlikely to be up your street.
In addition to having a number of levels where rebuys are permitted, there is often an option to “add on” at the end of the rebuy stage. Most experts agree it’s almost always wise to take advantage of add-ons otherwise you are at a disadvantage to the rest of the table who will almost always add on. The great thing about rebuys is the prizepools where you can earn far more in smaller fields than otherwise.
Bounty
This last tournament type is known as “bounty”. Like bounty hunting in real life, you are rewarded for getting your opponent. In poker, that means knocking them out of the tournament. Unlike other variants where busting a player merely reduces the field, in a bounty style tournament, you will earn some money that is paid out later. Unlike the early bounty formats, some poker sites now have 50-50 ratio. That means you can potentially break-even on a tournament just by busting a couple of players out. Whilst this may seem fun and exciting, it reduces the prizepool if you win and causes people to chase and bust out more people. So, you need to bone up on your maths and be mindful of the change in strategy in order to be proficient and a winner in bounty tournaments.
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