Over the past few years, the schedule of tournaments in major poker rooms has changed significantly, with poker becoming much more dynamic. Full tables (9-max and 10-max) are less common, and most MTTs are organized in a 6-max to 8-max format.
This is easily explained. With fewer participants, amateurs must play hands more often, preventing boredom and providing the necessary thrills.
Today, we will discuss what knockout tournaments are in poker. You will learn what they are, how to play in knockout events (including bounty events), and which rooms are best for this style of MTT.
Types of Knockout Tournaments
In modern poker, there are several types of multi-table tournaments:
– Freezeout: Classic tournaments where you can only win money by placing. Each participant has one attempt, and if you get knocked out, you cannot return.
– Rebuy: Unlike freezeouts, if you make a mistake and lose your stack, you can rebuy – purchasing another starting stack.
– Re-entry: Similar to rebuys, but with one difference: you make a full re-entry, implying a new place and starting chip count. There are no add-ons.
– Knockout tournaments: These can take place in different formats, but invariably, you receive a monetary reward (bounty) for eliminating an opponent.
Gradually, poker players became bored with classic knockout tournaments, leading poker rooms to modernize the format.
Currently, there are 3 available modern variants:
1. Classic knockout tournaments: From the first hand until the final heads-up hand, the bounty value remains constant.
2. Progressive knockouts (PKO): Above all nicknames or avatars, you see the amount you will receive for knocking out that player. At the start, it is the same for everyone. However, for each knockout you complete, you increase your own "head" value. Half of the bounty goes to your account, and the other half increases your cost.
3. Mystery Bounty: A format that has exploded in live and online poker recently. There is an element of chance and jackpot. In the prize zone, players receive random bounties. Most rewards are minimal, but there are also real jackpots. For example, in major serial events on GGPokerOK, the top bounty size is $1,000,000.
Game Tips for Knockout Tournaments
How to play in knockout tournaments is an interesting question without a universal answer. The strategy you choose depends on many components.
A few general tips can help beginners navigate knockout tournaments:
– Don't chase knockouts: Remember that the prize pool consists of both knockout awards and classic place payouts. The further you progress, the more tangible the potential prize for reaching the top becomes. This is especially true for classic knockout tournaments, where the payout size remains constant.
– Play looser: The opportunity to receive an immediate bounty makes you act slightly more aggressively, especially when calling someone's all-in or going all-in to pressure shorts. However, do not exaggerate their value. The starting knock is only 20-25% of the tournament buy-in, so losing most of your stack chasing such a small amount is dubious.
– Stick to bankroll management: Many knockout tournaments run in turbo or hyper-turbo mode, impacting BRM. Ideally, you should control your investments rather than chase big prizes. This strategy will be more correct in the long run, reducing the chances of losing everything.
Modern poker trends show that most MTTs are played with rewards for eliminating opponents, making the game more dynamic, spectacular, and interesting. If you are not yet playing in such tournaments, we recommend trying a couple in a trusted online room.
Poker Sites With Regular Bounty Tournaments
Classic knockouts and MTTs with progressive prizes are available in all poker rooms. Mystery Bounty is just gaining momentum, requiring software modifications that the largest market players have already made.
The top 3 poker rooms with bounty tournaments are:
1. GGPoker: Large series regularly take place here, including mystery bounty events. GG is known as the leader of tournament lineups, full of the classics and new formats too.
2. PokerKing: A room from the American WPN network, offering the opportunity to play with recreational players from the USA. Many PKO tournaments are held here, including top series. The flagship tournament, The Venom, held every few months, boasts a $10 million guarantee.
3. TigerGaming: A relatively new player on the market, representing another American chain, Chico. It recently entered the European markets, so the main category of poker players here are from America. Be prepared to adjust your schedule to evening and night for maximum fish at the table.
If you are looking to build your bankroll rather than hop right into knockout tournaments, we’d recommend joining a few freerolls.
These are played on almost every online poker site, but some have more than others (and large payouts). Our freeroll schedule, which you’ll see below, has thousands of dollars in prize pools every day. Choose the most lucrative ones, sign-up quickly, and take your seat at the table.
