Poker tournaments are of different kinds and one such exciting kind is the Knockout tournament. Knockout tournaments are multi table tournaments (MTTs) that follow the basic poker rules of tournament but with a slight change in the structure. In this tournament format, a percentage of the prize pool is placed on the player’s head and is awarded as a bounty when you knock that player out of the game.
Like regular poker tournaments, Knockout tournaments too, are played for a fixed buy-in. It’s just that instead of the entire entry fee that goes into the collective prize pool, a portion of it is kept aside as a bounty that’s assigned to each participant.
The bounties are placed on each player’s heads, so whenever you knock out or eliminate a player, you win his/her bounty in a Knockout tournament. So, basically whenever you beat anyone, you enjoy an immediate incentive right away! How cool is that?
Also See: Poker Tournament Variants
This way, knockout tournaments allow a greater percentage of players opportunities to win a share of the prize pool instead of the typical 10-20% that is meted out in a regular tournament. This means only one thing- Knockout tournaments give you a bigger bang for your buck than any other kind of poker tournament.
By the end of the day, you go home with a fuller pocket. However, the bounty of the last man standing in a knockout tournament will be credited back to his total winnings.
Progressive Knockout
Besides the standard Knockout, PokerBaazi features another stunning variation of Knockout tournaments that you can play as part of various series and events across the widest spectrum of stakes throughout the year. Here’s the catch behind this thrilling variant.
The major difference between Standard Knockout and Progressive Knockout tournaments is that in a regular Knockout, the bounty placed on each player’s head is fixed at an exact amount. Progressive Knockout tournaments place a different amount of bounty on each player’s heads.
In fact, in Progressive Knockout tournaments, you earn 50% of the bounty when you knock out another player and the rest gets added to your own bounty. So, when the tournament runs deep, as you knock out more players, the size of your bounty increases along with your fellow remaining players.
Also See: Poker Tournaments details
So, when you knock out players toward the end, you receive much bigger bounties. In the end, the winner not just collects the bounties of the knockouts but also gets his own bounty credited to his final winnings.
What Makes Knockout Tournaments Awesome?
Knockouts are excellent formats that you could play to enjoy a change of pace and thrill in the game. Here are a few reasons you should consider playing Knockout tournaments on PokerBaazi.
- When you play Knockout tournaments of any kind, even if you don’t manage to run deep, you still end up with some cash if you manage to collect enough bounties by the time you walk out.
- The level of excitement in Knockouts is right on point from beginning to finish due to the opportunities to win instant rewards. It gets even better in Progressive Knockouts when you get to grab big fat bounties!
- Knockout tournaments due to their innate appeal, tend to attract a more recreational pool of players, hence the prize pools are bigger, and so are your payouts.
- Variance is lesser compared to regular tournaments because you carry the potential to cover downswings by winning more bounties.
- Knockout tournaments sometimes have the tendency to mete out bigger payouts than the original guarantee due to the higher bounties that players eventually collect. If you play it right, you have a fair opportunity to inflate your bankroll against a smaller buy-in.
You have been introduced to Knockout poker now and acquainted with the pros of playing Knockout tournaments but acing them means you need to address the shift in the elements and therefore, need some tweaks in your strategy if you are used to playing the regular kind all the time.
Knockout Tournament Strategy
When you add such a strategic element in a poker tournament, your strategy is bound to undergo a certain shift. Take a walk-through of these tips to orient yourself and nail Knockout Poker tournaments.
Eye At The Final Table
In Knockout tournaments, most players step into the game with added pressure due to the bounties placed in their heads and as such their decisions often revolve around this factor So, when one player goes All-in, another player gets the urge to call him even with a short stack just with the intent to make him fold and steal his bounty.
This short term incentive often plays out against the long term actual incentive, the pot, that’s always larger than a bounty. So, bounty or not, you must keep your head together and focus on the end goal and keep playing your regular game most of the time.
Adjust As Per Your Current Stack
In Knockout poker tournaments, your current stack determines your betting strategy besides the obvious blind increase. If you unfortunately got short stacked, it’s better to go aggressive rather than playing shy and waiting to get busted because everyone else will have their eyes on you and your bounty. It’s a different scenario when you play with a healthy stack.
You can afford to be patient and play tight and strong with premium poker hands. That doesn’t mean you don’t grab your chances to knock out the short stacked! While bounties are great incentives, it is always better to eye the higher end of the prize pool. So, no matter what, the aim should be to progress with a healthy stack while taking calculated risks.
Loosen Up A little
While TAG playing is a working strategy in regular online games, playing tight too early on might not be an excellent way to start off your game in Knockout poker tournaments. You must take risks at the beginning and aim to build a lofty stack by collecting as many bounties while you can.
Instinct might protect you from making early bets and urge you to shield your stack form all odds, but being shy will only push you to make desperate calls when the blinds get bigger in the late stages. If you take calculated calls early, it also gets easier to eliminate the short stacked in the later stages of Knockout tournaments.
Now that you know how Knockout poker works, next time, you spot one on PokerBaazi, just hit the button!
Asian Poker Tour (1st-8th August)
If you have been waiting for the big guns all season, the wait ends here. The Asian Poker Tour (APT) is back online for its 2nd tour around India. The schedule is appetizing for all poker fans. The scope of buy-ins have widened and the guarantees are smacking awesome as ever!
So, if you have been aiming to join the circle of champs and carve your name in the Indian poker circuit, the APT is the perfect call. Besides cash prizes, the Asian Poker Tour is offering 10 trophies, 3 Championship rings and an exclusive Luxury Watch for the APT Player of the Series.
Multiple events await your presence at the felts, and satellites are running wild ushering in opportunities starting at just INR 80 6 days of the week! Frankly,there’s no reason good enough to skip this tour. For more details, click here (insert link to the Asian Poker Tour).
Break a leg!
