How to play in poker tournaments

In this type of tournament, you are allowed a limited number of chip rebuys without spending a penny.

Multi-entry tournaments allow players to enter (or buy into) the same tournament multiple times. With each buy-in, they get a new chip stack and seat at a new table in the tournament. A player can never occupy more than one seat at the same tournament table, as each buy-in is attributed to a different table. If a player has more buy-ins than there are tables remaining, two of their chip stacks will be merged into one.

Players can buy into the tournament several times before the tournament starts or at any time whilst playing during the late registration period, up to the maximum amount allowed for that tournament.

Additional information

• Players can see how many buy-ins they have against the maximum allowed in the Tournament Info screen.
• Players can win multiple prizes if they still have two or more separate seats/stacks by the time the prize-paying positions are reached (e.g. they could finish 11th and 15th and win prizes for both positions from different stacks/seats).
• Players are allocated a number after their nickname for each buy-in, which is shown both at the table and on the player ranking list, e.g. “Nickname 1” for their first buy-in, and “Nickname 2” for their second buy-in.
• Once a player is eliminated, they can no longer buy into the tournament (or purchase additional entries), regardless of whether they have reached the maximum amount permitted or not.

Re-entry tournaments allow players to register again for the same tournament after they’ve been eliminated, as long as late registration is still available. Unlike in the case of rebuy tournaments, players who re-enter are allocated a new tournament seat. There’s a limit to how many times a player can re-enter.

Additional information

• Players are assigned a number with each re-entry (e.g. 1 for the first re-entry, 2 for the second one, etc.). This number appears beside the player’s nickname both at the table and in the player rankings (e.g. “Nickname 1,” “Nickname 2,” and so on).
• Players can re-enter only after being eliminated. This means they can’t have multiple entries or add more chips to their stack in this type of tournament.
• Bounty and Terminator tournaments can also be re-entry tournaments.
• The number of re-entries allowed can vary by tournament and is stated in the information for each re-entry tournament.
• After being eliminated, players can choose to re-enter immediately or wait, provided they act while late registration is still available.

In this type of tournament, prize pools are usually made up of player registration fees (except for the rake). The prize pool size thus depends on the number of registrants. For example, if 100 players register for a $10 + $1 tournament, the prize pool will be $1,000 and the rake will be $100.

In tournaments with a guaranteed prize pool, the amount of the prize pool is announced in advance and guaranteed by lotoquebec.com as long as a minimum number of players register. If the number of registered players covers the amount of the prize pool, the prize pool will be greater than the announced amount.

In freeroll tournaments, participation is free of charge (some tournaments offer rebuys and add-ons at extra cost). The amount of the purse is announced in advance and varies from one event to another.

Headhunter tournaments reward players who eliminate their opponents in order to collect a bounty (cash prize): there’s a price on each player’s head! The amount of your bounty appears beneath your nickname at the poker table.

Registration fees (except for the rake) are split as follows:

• Part is used for the tournament purse
• The balance is added to your elimination bounty

When you eliminate another player, part of their bounty is added to yours. The remaining amount is deposited in your Espacejeux account.

The big winner takes the tournament purse as well as their own bounty, which increased as opponents were eliminated.

Here are variables of Headhunter tournaments.

Terminator

Your registration fees (except for the rake) go to the bounty placed on your head – there is no purse.

When you eliminate another player, you win the bounty on their head. The entire bounty is deposited in your Espacejeux account.

Bounty Hunter

Your registration fees (except for the rake) go to the bounty placed on your head – there is no purse.

When you eliminate another player part of their bounty is added to yours. The balance is deposited in your Espacejeux account

Chip n’ Chair tournaments are multi-table satellite tournaments set up to fill last-minute available spots in a major tournament. The particularity of Chip n’ Chairs tournaments is that players receive only one chip. Therefore, all players go “all-in” at the first hand.

Lotto Frenzy Tournaments are often used to qualify for a major tournament. As compared to a regular multi-table tournament:

• The player receives fewer chips

• Bet size increases faster

As compared to a regular multi-table tournament:

• The player receives more chips

During a Cash & Carry tournament, you can cash in your remaining chips and leave the tournament before the cash out period. The cash out option is available in certain multi-table tournaments that do not allow late registration or rebuys and add-ons. Before confirming your cash out option, a window will indicate the amount that you will receive in exchange for your chips. A maximum of 30% of the pot can be cashed by players.

Starting chips

In a multi-table tournament, all players receive the same number of chips at the beginning of the tournament. This number varies according to tournament type. The number of starting chips for each tournament is indicated in the poker lobby.

Bet increase intervals

In multi-table tournaments, the amount of the blind bet (or the ante in Stud poker) increases at determined intervals, as indicated in the poker lobby. In some multi-table tournaments, the size of these bets increases faster. In addition, antes may be required in some Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo poker tournaments.

Decision times

In multi-table tournaments, you have 20 seconds to select a game option. In Speed or Turbo multi-table tournaments, you need to make decisions even faster.

Time bank

A time bank (in general, 30, 60 or 90 seconds) is available to you in every tournament. The higher the tournament registration fees, the more time is available in your bank. When you exceed the allotted time for making a decision, the system automatically decreases your time bank by the same number of seconds.

Please note that if you take too long to make your game choice and have not activated your time bank, or if your bank is fully depleted, the system will automatically register a “pass” and put you in “sit out next hand” mode. If the “pass” option is not available, the system will choose the “fold” option instead of putting you in “sit out next hand” mode.

Sitting out

If you sit out during a multi-table tournament, the system will automatically cause you to pay your blind bets until your available funds are insufficient to cover them. The system will then go “all-in.” You will have no more money on the table (stake = $0) and will be eliminated.

Registration

You can usually register up until six minutes before multi-table tournaments begin. However, this rule does not apply when late registration is offered, in which case you may join a tournament already in progress during a specified time period. The time period varies and is posted in the poker lobby.

Deregistration

You can deregister from multi-table tournaments up until the tournament starts. Registration fees will be refunded. See the Tournament Refund Policy.

Purse distribution

Fixed payment means that a set number of players will receive a predetermined percentage of the purse regardless of the number of players who have registered in the tournament.

In variable payment mode, the number of winners who share the purse increases with the number of tournament players. All details for each tournament are indicated in the poker lobby.

Tournament agreement

Some tournaments allow players at the final table—once they are assured of receiving a part of the prize pool—to come to an agreement before the end of the tournament. Thus, all players have an opportunity to leave with money before the end of the tournament. To establish such an agreement, all players must agree to the offer. If a single player refuses the offer, the tournament continues. The amount given to each player is calculated using the ICM (Independent Chip Model), recognized internationally as the most fair and just method because it takes into account each player’s chip stack and all the remaining prizes to be won. The ICM mathematical model estimates the player’s probability of finishing in each remaining position, in relation to their amount of remaining chips.

Starting number of chips

You receive a predetermined number of chips when you begin to play in a tournament. The number varies with the type of tournament and is displayed in the poker lobby.

Decision times

In sit and go tournaments, you have a determined number of seconds, as indicated in the poker lobby, to click on your chosen game option. In some sit and go tournaments, you need to make your decision faster.

Time bank

A time bank (in general, 30, 60 or 90 seconds) is available to you in every tournament. The higher the tournament registration fees, the more time is available in your bank. When you exceed the allotted time for making a decision, the system automatically decreases your time bank by the same number of seconds. The number of seconds remaining in your bank is displayed in the poker lobby.

Please note that if you take too long to make your game choice and have not activated your time bank, or if your bank is fully depleted, the system will automatically register a “pass” and put you in “sit out next hand” mode. If the “pass” option is not available, the system will choose the “fold” option instead of putting you in “sit out next hand” mode.

Sitting out

If you sit out during a tournament, the system will automatically cause you to pay your blind bets until your available funds are insufficient to cover them. The system will then go “all-in.” You will have no more money on the table (stake = $0) and you will be eliminated.

Deregistration

You can deregister in sit and go tournaments until play begins. Registration fees will be refunded. Check full details at rakes collected.

Flight satellites are a type of satellite tournament where qualifying players carry their chip counts (stack) through to the next tournament. Players can also choose to buy directly into the final tournament (if the tournament is setup to allow this).

Flight satellites can be set-up to allow rebuys, add-ons or re-entries.

The final tournament can be configured to be multi-entry, which allows players to qualify or buy-in to the final tournament more than once.

In rare cases where flight satellite winners will be declared when the rebuy period is still open, the tournament will deal 1 or 2 more hands. That will allow eligible players to take an extra rebuy and boost the chip stack they will carry to the Flight Main Event. Players will carry the stack they will be holding once the system will complete dealing hands.

Multi-table tournaments may be cancelled or interrupted in the following circumstances:

1. The tournament has not begun. In this case, registration fees are refunded to all registered players.

2. Fewer than 20% of players have been eliminated. In this case too, registration fees are refunded to all registered players.

3. Twenty percent or more of players have been eliminated, but the purse has not begun to be paid out.

  o 50% of the purse is divided equally among remaining active players

  o 50% of the purse is paid pro-rated to the number of chips these active players possess.

4. The purse has begun to be paid out. In this case, all remaining active players receive the amount that would have been won by the next player to be eliminated. The rest of the purse is then distributed as follows:

  o 50% is divided equally among remaining active players

  o 50% is paid pro-rated to the number of chips these active players possess.

For example:

A tournament pays ten winners using the following formula:
1st place: 30% of the purse
2nd place: 20% of the purse
3rd place: 15% of the purse

4th to 10th place share 35% of the purse, but their individual winnings are not significant for the purposes of this illustration.

A tournament with a $10,000 purse is interrupted when only three players remain in the game. Players who finished in 4th to 10th place have already been paid. The remaining purse, $6,500, is to be shared among the top three players. Each one then receives 15% of the total purse, i.e., $1,500 (the percent to be pocketed by the player who would have been eliminated next). The sum of $2,000 remains to be paid out ($6,500- (3 X $1,500). Half of this amount is shared equally between the three players as follows: $2,000 ÷ 2 = $1,000, divided by 3 players = $333.33 each. The other half of the $2,000 ($1,000) is then distributed in accordance with the proportion of chips held by each player. For example, if there are 100 chips on the table in all and Player 1 has 50 chips, Player 2 has 40 chips and Player 3 has 10 chips, Player 1 will receive 50% of $1,000 since he holds 50% of the chips on the table. The same logic holds for Players 2 and 3.

NOTES :

o In Rebuy/Add-on tournaments, registration and Rebuy/Add-on fees are refunded if the tournament is interrupted before the end of the Rebuy/Add-on period, regardless of the number of eliminated players (less than 20% or 20% and more).

o In Headhunter tournaments, players keep their bonuses (bounty) and a refund is made according to one of the above four methods.

For sit and go tournaments with 30 or more players and where registration fees are more than $10 + $1, the refund policy described above applies.

For sit and go tournaments with fewer than 30 players or registration fees of $10 + $1 or less, all players will instead automatically receive a refund of their registration fees.

If a Head’s up tournament is cancelled, both players are refunded their registration fees, irrespective of how many chips either player holds.

When a satellite tournament is cancelled or interrupted, the refund policy described above applies. However, because a satellite tournament is used to win a seat at another tournament, lotoquebec.com may offer extra seats. This decision depends on the number of available seats and the registration fee amount for the other tournament, as well as the number of active players remaining when the tournament was interrupted.