Poker Tournament Formats For Beginners

By Mrinal Gujare

24 Apr 2025

Mrinal Gujare 24 Apr 2025

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Types of tournaments in poker
Pro tips on playing across formats

This guide provides a breakdown of the most commonly played poker tournament formats in 2025.

Poker tournaments in 2025 feature a broad range of formats across both live and online platforms. Each format offers distinct structures, pacing, and payout models.

This guide outlines the key characteristics of each tournament type and provides pro tips for players based on format-specific dynamics.

Freezeout Tournaments

In freezeout tournaments, players are eliminated once they lose their chips, with no option to re-enter.

These events demand a strong emphasis on stack preservation and selective aggression. Freezeouts are considered the original tournament model.

Pro Tip: Minimize early risk. Shift to aggressive play as blinds escalate.

Re-Entry Tournaments

In a re-entry tournament, players who are eliminated are allowed to re-enter the tournament by paying the full buy-in again. This is treated as a new entry into the event, usually seated at a different table with a fresh stack.

Key Features:

Re-entry is only permitted during a specific time window (typically the late registration period).
Players can re-enter once or multiple times, depending on the rules.
Each re-entry is a separate entry, not just an addition to an existing chip stack.

Pro Tip: Re-entry formats allow players to play more aggressively early on, knowing they can rejoin the field if eliminated. However, this requires careful bankroll management due to the possibility of multiple entries.

Rebuy Tournaments

In a rebuy tournament, players can purchase additional chips (a rebuy) during a designated "rebuy period" if their stack falls below a certain threshold—often when they bust or fall below a chip limit.

Key Features:

Players can rebuy multiple times within the rebuy period.
Rebuys usually cost the same as the original buy-in and give the same number of chips.
Rebuys do not reset your seat or count as a new tournament entry.

Pro Tip: Players often adopt a high-variance style during the rebuy period, knowing they can top up their stack if needed. Once the rebuy period ends, the structure returns to a freezeout model, requiring a shift to more conservative play.

Add-On Tournaments

An add-on is a one-time opportunity at the end of the rebuy period to purchase extra chips, regardless of current stack size.

Key Features:

Available to all players still in the tournament at the end of the rebuy period.
The add-on typically offers more chips for the same or slightly higher price than a regular rebuy.
Players are not required to be short-stacked to use an add-on.

Pro Tip: Taking the add-on is often considered optimal if the chip value exceeds the cost, as it improves survival odds and deepens stack flexibility for the post-rebuy stages.

Sit & Go (SNG)

SNGs begin once a predetermined number of players have registered. These are usually single-table formats but can extend to multiple tables. Pacing is consistent, and durations are shorter than large-field MTTs.

Pro Tip: Play conservatively in early stages; increase aggression near the bubble.

Spin & Go (Jackpot SNGs)

This hyper-turbo format includes three-handed games where the prize pool is randomized before play starts. These are typically high variance formats with steep prize pool multipliers.

Pro Tip: Implement a push-fold strategy. Focus on short-stack aggression.

Bounty & Progressive Knockout (PKO) Tournaments

These formats award monetary rewards for each elimination. In PKO formats, a portion of each bounty collected increases the player’s own bounty value.

Pro Tip: Be aggressive when covering players with large bounties. Avoid early risk when short-stacked.

Mystery Bounty Tournaments

Mystery bounty formats involve randomized bounty payouts revealed after eliminations. Jackpot prizes are usually awarded randomly among bounty envelopes.

Pro Tip: Preserve chips during the early no-bounty phase. Increase aggression when bounties are activated.

Shootout Tournaments

Shootouts require players to win or finish on top to progress. Each round features fixed tables and resets chip stacks.

Pro Tip: Adjust to short-handed play in later rounds. Increase hand range flexibility.

Satellite Tournaments

Satellites provide entry into larger events for a fraction of the buy-in cost. Payouts are generally structured as seats rather than cash prizes.

Pro Tip: Focus on survival over accumulation near the bubble. Avoid marginal spots late in play.

Turbo & Hyper-Turbo Tournaments

Blind levels increase rapidly, resulting in high variance. Hyper-turbos demand faster decision-making and higher risk tolerance.

Pro Tip: Avoid passivity. Capitalize on fold equity through early aggression.

Table Sizes and Structure

6-Max: Requires broader hand ranges and aggressive play.

7-Max: Balances short-handed and full-ring dynamics.

8-Max: Offers moderate pacing and reduced multi-way pots.

9-Max (Full Ring): Encourages tight play and structured hand selection.