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ONLINE POKER: Prize Pool Considerations in Poker Tournaments part II

go back to the Prize Pool Considerations in Poker Tournaments - part I

Deal Making

The vast majority of tournaments allow players to make deals at the final tables.  Usually only the last few players will make a deal but on rare occasions tournament deals will involve as many as 7 or 8 players.  There are a number of reasons why players may want to make a deal, but the primary one is simply to lower variance.  The blinds are so high relative to the chip stacks at the end of poker tournaments that luck can be the overriding factor that decides the winner.  It is often a sound strategy to protect yourself against the fickleness of lady luck by making a deal.

Whenever possible it is best to have all deal making mediated by the tournament director.  This will keep misunderstanding to a minimum and keep one player from attempting to not honor the deal.  Helpful tournament directors will work out the math behind chip count deals for the players and alter the official payouts.

Some larger tournaments do not allow any deal making.  This is the case with most televised tournaments where the promoters want the excitement of playing for a large prize pool.  This does not mean that deals are not occasionally made in these events, just that they are not officially sanctioned.  You must be able to trust the person you make a deal with implicitly in this scenario and in general it is better to not make a deal if it is not allowed.  It is almost never a good idea to make a deal with more than one person under these conditions as too much can go wrong and negotiations are just too difficult.

There are two common kinds of deals in poker tournaments.  The most common, and usually fairest is a chip count deal where players are awarded a prize based on percentage of the chips they possess.  The second common deal is to simply come up with an arbitrary number that each player will receive based on chip count, abilities, and willingness to deal.  Either deal can be right depending on the situation.

A chip count deal is usually the fairest option.  The only time that this method is not appropriate is when one player has significantly more chips than the other players.  The more disproportionate the stack sizes the more this method favors the larger stacks.  It is important to know how to make these sort of deals regardless if you plan on sticking to the formula as it gives you a starting point to negotiate from.

To make a chip count deal you must first award all remaining players the smallest amount each could win.  If there were three players left then this would be the prize for 3rd place.  Then add up the additional prize money left in the prize pool.  Add up each players chips and determine what percentage of the chips each player has.  That is the portion of the remaining prize pool that each player is entitled to.  This may sound complicated but it really is not once you get the hang of it.  Helpful tournament directors will often do this math for you.  While this is helpful it is always good to be able to work it out on your own as well to double check for accuracy.

The second deal making procedure is to haggle over amounts and assign arbitrary numbers that each player will receive.  When making a deal in this way there is an element of skill involved as players fight for the best deal possible.  Do not be intimidated in these situations.  If you feel like you are the best player then demand compensation for this.  If it is apparent that the other players desperately want to make a deal then feign indifference to the proposal and demand more.

It is never a good idea to seem too eager to make a deal.  Never seem opposed to simply playing the tournament out regardless of your true feelings.  If your opponents feel you are very willing to simply play to the bitter end they may very well be easier to negotiate with. 

Deal making is a skill that does not come naturally to some players.  If you find yourself unable to negotiate a deal or in some way do not understand what is being proposed then do not be pressured into agreeing.  Many poker players are bullies by nature and will try to bully you into making a deal that benefits them.  Do not fall for it and if a deal cannot be reached that is either fair or beneficial to you then do not be a victim of peer pressure.  There is never anything wrong with refusing to deal.

Final Thoughts

Moving up the prize ladder and making deals are important poker skills, even though they may not seem to fit in that category.  Neither one is cut and dry and there are so many potential variables and situations that I cannot even begin to cover them all.  I have attempted to explain the underlying principles so that you will be better prepared next time you are confronted by one of these scenarios.  Next time you are fortunate enough to find yourself at a final table you will be armed with the skills to maximize your expectation and walk away with a larger pay day.