Types Of Poker Tournaments

Tournament poker is extremely popular but not all forms are created equal. Tournament poker comes in three main varieties: standard, satellites and sit’n’gos (SNGs).

Each has the same basis but their structures and strategies are different. Standard tournaments furnish you with a set amount of chips at the start and payout a certain amount of places depending on the size of the field and prizepool. These tournaments have scheduled start time and usually have 100+ entrants. The prizes you can win increases as you move up the pay ladder and the aim is to finish at the top.

Similar to standard tournaments are satellites. These start in much the same way but the prizes they offer are different. Satellites usually offer a set amount of seats into a larger tournament. The value of the prize doesn’t differ no matter whether you finish at the top of the table or just inside the payout structure. Thus, it is wise to take far fewer chances in this type of tournament if you want to be successful.

SNGs are the final type of tournament and differ in both size and timing to the previous two. SNGs start whenever all the seats are full and they usually pay between 2 and 3 players. 6 and 9 player games are the most common with the former paying 2 places and the latter playing 3. The main aim in these games is to play tight until the bubble then play very aggressively. Essentially, SNGs are micro tournaments which mean that everything happens on a much quicker scale.

Succeeding in all forms of poker tournaments is a balance between preservation and aggression. You need to strike a balance between gathering chips and holding onto the ones you've got if you want to score the most profit possible.