MTT Preflop

MTT chips measure survival and rank

Unlike cash chips, tournament chips cannot be cashed out directly. Losing them all eliminates you, and their value changes with the field and payouts.

1. MTT chips measure survival and rank
2. Zero chips means elimination
3. SB posts 0.5BB first
4. BB then posts 1BB
5. The pot starts at 1.5BB before cards
6. Rising blinds make the same chips shorter
7. Convert the stack into current BB
8. Effective stack is the shorter stack
9. The first raise after folds is an open
10. An earlier open requires a response range
11. Choose the action first
12. After Raise, choose the size separately
13. Shorter stacks create more shove candidates
14. Chip EV measures average chip change
15. $EV measures expected prize value
16. Chip EV and $EV can diverge
17. ICM input 1: remaining stacks
18. ICM input 2: the payout structure
19. ICM outputs $EV for each stack
20. The bubble is one elimination from the money
21. A pay jump is a higher prize at the next place
22. When losing hurts more, required equity rises
23. Bubble factor compares value lost and gained
24. Read five inputs in every MTT spot
25. Final check: what is the effective stack?

Tournament chips · Ante · SB · Small Blind · BB · Big Blind · Blind level · Stack depth · Effective stack