Explanation of Bounty
In standard Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs), only players who make it into the prize pool are eligible for payouts. This remains consistent in bounty tournaments, with the addition of bonus prizes for achievements such as:
1. Removing a designated player or a specific set of players from the competition.
2. Eliminating any other competitors in general (often termed “knockout” tournaments).
As a result, it’s entirely feasible for a participant to finish without any claim on the prize pool yet still achieve profitability through the elimination of certain key players.
Historically, bounties referred to rewards placed on the capture or elimination of criminals. Those who succeeded in apprehending or eliminating the wanted individual could return, possibly to the local authorities, to collect their reward.
Example of Bounty in a sentence -> The presence of bounties in knockout tournaments enables players to earn rewards even if they do not reach the overall prize pool.
Incorporating Bounty into Your Poker Strategy
Assuming a particular tournament scenario presents a break-even point based on Independent Chip Model (ICM) assessments, facing an opponent with a bounty would clearly yield a profitable situation.
Furthermore, there might be cases where scenarios appear disadvantageous as per raw ICM calculations but could still result in profitability when targeting an opponent carrying a bounty .
This suggests that it is often beneficial to intentionally play against opponents who have a bounty on their heads. The extent to which we engage will depend on the value of the bounty linked to that specific opponent. A detailed ICM analysis should consider the worth of the bounty when making strategic choices.
See Also