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Online poker formats: MTT, Cash, Spin, Bounty and more

MTT, Cash Game, Sit & Go, Spin & Go, Bounty/PKO, Mystery Bounty, High Roller, Freeroll: understand each online poker format with clear explanations, without complicating things.

Photo slgckgc / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

You entered a poker room and got lost in the names - MTT, Spin, PKO, Mystery Bounty? Calm down. Here you understand every poker format in clear language and discover which one suits you.

MTT (Multi-table tournament)

The classic. Several players enter by paying a buy-in, everyone starts with the same stack and plays until there is one left. It rewards a slice of the first ones (the ITM - "in the money"). High variance, big prizes. That's where the glory (and the WSOP bracelets) lives.

Cash Game (live money)

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Each chip is worth real money and you enter/exit whenever you want. Stacks are usually low-stakes (100bb+). Less variance than MTT, more technical and constant game. Ideal for those who want a more stable "salary".

Sit & Go (SnG)

A "mini tournament" that starts when the table is full (e.g. 6 or 9 players). Fast, good for training and for those who have little time.

Spin & Go

3-player SnG, turbo, with drawn prize before starting (can multiply the buy-in several times). Pure adrenaline, a lot of variance, short stack decisions all the time.

Bounty / PKO (Progressive Knockout)

Tournament in which eliminating an opponent awards a prize (the bounty). In PKO, part of the bounty goes to your prize and part increases YOUR bounty. Change the strategy: calling an all-in can become more profitable (you win the pot + the bounty).

Mystery Bounty

Popular variation: you eliminate someone and draw the value of the bounty (it can be small or a huge prize). "Scratch-off" excitement + poker.

High Roller

High buy-in tournaments (US$10k, US$100k...). Small field, beasts from all over the world, million-dollar prizes. (It was at a $100K High Roller that Yuri won the 6th bracelet.) You can arrive via satellites.

Freeroll

Free tournament with real prizes. Perfect to start without risking money and training.

Which one to choose?

  • Little time / adrenaline: Spin & Go, SnG.
  • Glory and big prizes: MTT (and Bounty/PKO, very popular in BR).
  • More stable and technical income: Cash Game.
  • Start without spending: Freeroll.

Whatever it is, the secret is the same: review your game and correct your mistakes. The GTO Vyve analyzes your tournaments (MTT/Bounty/Cash), points out your leaks and trains you - with clear explanations, for free to start.

👉 Upload your tournament and see your analysis on GTO Vyve. (play responsibly · +18)

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