Progressive knockout poker tournaments have become increasingly popular, with a lot of money to be made by players who understand their strategy. However, these tournaments are quite different from traditional MTTs and they require some adjustments in strategy to succeed. If you don’t make the necessary adjustments, you will quickly find yourself out of the money.
Firstly, there is the fact that every player has an initial bounty set on their head, which grows the deeper into the tournament you get. This creates a different dynamic at the table, as it is not uncommon for bounties to reach epic proportions in the later stages of a PKO event. This means that the players with a large bounty will be called much more often than they would be in a normal MTT, as other players will try to scoop their bounties. This creates a very interesting scenario at the tables, where you will need to tighten up your shoving ranges against opponents with juicy bounties on their heads.
Another factor to consider is the fact that you will be rewarded immediately each time you eliminate an opponent. This is a huge advantage compared to most MTT formats, where you might be making all the right decisions but end up unlucky one time and lose all your chips without cashing. The immediate payouts also mean that PKO tournaments have a lower volatility and don’t put as much strain on players’ bankrolls, especially when it comes to making it into the paid places.
One of the most important aspects to remember when playing a PKO tournament is that you should never be afraid to play hands that might be risky, but can potentially pay off big in the long run. For example, if you are in late position and an opponent with a large bounty on their head decides to shove pre-flop, you might be tempted to fold your hand – but this is actually the best thing to do in these situations. The reason is that if you call, the player will be able to collect half their initial bounty – meaning that a standard calling range against them will actually be EV+.
This makes it essential that you always know your math in a PKO tournament, and you should be confident in your ability to construct calling and showing ranges. If you are not comfortable with the math behind these types of games, it is best to stick to regular MTTs until you learn how to adjust your strategy for this type of tournament. The good news is that there are plenty of resources available online, so you shouldn’t struggle to find the right information for your needs. Just be sure that you choose a site with high standards and security measures in place to keep your personal details safe at all times. This will give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy the game to the fullest.