Every tournament has its own orbit.
Learn what the labels in a tournament lobby mean: how you enter, how fast the blinds rise, how prizes are awarded, and how the field advances.
Explore 24 tournament formats ↗Formats can combine.
“$5 PKO Turbo Re-entry MTT” describes one tournament: its field, payout structure, speed, and entry rules. Each dimension answers a different question.
How players enter, exit, rebuy, or re-enter.
What finishing positions, knockouts, or chip stacks can win.
How quickly blinds rise and stacks become shallow.
How many players enter and how tables advance.
How a seat or another tournament entry is awarded.
Find the tournament you actually play.
Search by name or rule, then open a full explanation. An event can combine formats from several groups.
24 format guides
Multi-Table Tournament (MTT)
A field spread across multiple tables that consolidates as players are eliminated.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · BeginnerSit & Go (SNG)
Starts once the required number of players register, rather than at a fixed scheduled time.
Explore the format ↗Entry & return · BeginnerFreezeout
One entry and one tournament life; elimination ends your event.
Explore the format ↗Entry & return · IntermediateRe-entry Tournament
After elimination, a player may register a new entry while re-entry is open.
Explore the format ↗Entry & return · IntermediateRebuy & Add-on
Buy more tournament chips during a stated period; some events offer an add-on.
Explore the format ↗Prize structure · IntermediateKnockout / Fixed Bounty
Eliminating a player awards a stated bounty in addition to any place prize.
Explore the format ↗Prize structure · IntermediateProgressive Knockout (PKO)
Part of each won bounty is paid now; another part grows the winner's own bounty.
Explore the format ↗Prize structure · IntermediateMystery Bounty
After a specified activation point, eliminations reveal variable bounty prizes.
Explore the format ↗Path to an event · BeginnerSatellite
A lower-cost event whose principal prize is a seat in another tournament.
Explore the format ↗Blind pace · BeginnerTurbo
Blinds rise faster than a regular-speed event.
Explore the format ↗Blind pace · IntermediateHyper-Turbo
A very fast structure with rapidly increasing blinds.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · AdvancedShootout
Win your table to advance to the next round.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · IntermediateHeads-Up Tournament
Players compete one against one, often through a bracket or shootout.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · BeginnerSix-Max / Short-Handed
Tables have at most six players rather than a full-ring field.
Explore the format ↗Prize structure · IntermediateSpin & Go / Jackpot SNG
A small-field, fast SNG with a randomized prize multiplier.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · IntermediatePhased / Flighted Tournament
Multiple starting flights feed survivors into a later shared phase.
Explore the format ↗Path to an event · BeginnerFreeroll
No entry fee is charged to eligible participants, subject to event requirements.
Explore the format ↗Prize structure · BeginnerGuaranteed Tournament
The operator advertises a minimum total prize pool.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · IntermediateFour-Max
Short-handed tables with no more than four seats.
Explore the format ↗Prize structure · IntermediateFifty50 Sit & Go
An operator-specific SNG ending when half the field remains.
Explore the format ↗Entry & return · AdvancedMulti-Stack Tournament
A prepaid chip allotment is divided into stacks that can be deployed later.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · IntermediateTime Tournament
A fixed-duration event that ends on the clock rather than when one player remains.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · AdvancedWin the Button
Winning the pot can move the dealer button to you for the next hand.
Explore the format ↗Field & table · IntermediateZoom / Fast-Fold Tournament
Folding moves a player immediately to another table in a shared tournament pool.
Explore the format ↗Spot the difference before you enter.
These labels describe different parts of an event. Compare close alternatives, then read the exact operator listing.
| Rule | Freezeout ↗ | Re-entry Tournament ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| Dimension | Entry & return | Entry & return |
| Core rule | A freezeout does not permit a player who has lost all chips to buy back into that event. | Re-entry creates a new tournament entry after the prior one has been eliminated. It is different from adding chips while keeping the same entry. |
| How it works | Each entrant begins with the posted stack. Once that stack is lost, the entrant is out; no rebuy or re-entry is available. | Re-entry is usually limited by registration time and a posted maximum number of bullets. The new entry receives a new starting stack and may be seated at another table. |
| What can be won | Prizes follow the posted schedule. Freezeout describes entry rules, not the size or shape of payouts. | Each entry adds cost. Track the total spent across bullets when calculating an event result; a payout must be compared with all associated entry costs. |
| Check before entry | Confirm that the event is truly one-entry; a similar looking listing may allow re-entry or an add-on. | Check maximum bullets, re-entry cutoff, stack size, and whether the posted buy-in includes the fee. |
A real tournament can be both a PKO and a turbo, or both a satellite and an SNG. Format details and prizes are set by its event listing.
Check the actual event.
These guides explain common formats using published operator descriptions. Tournament procedures from Poker TDA are a separate layer. Buy-ins, prize schedules, blind levels, eligibility, and special rules are set by the specific event and venue.