♠ Card Games Encyclopedia

Final Table Deal Calculator

Calculate fair tournament deals when players at the final table want to negotiate a prize pool split. This calculator computes ICM-based chops, chip-proportional deals, and combination deals to help all parties find an equitable agreement. Understanding these different deal structures is essential for tournament players, as covered in our tournament strategy guide.

💰 Prize Pool Structure

$1,000
Total Prize Pool
3
Paying Places

🃏 Player Chip Counts

Player Chips
100,000
Total Chips
3
Players Remaining

Deal Comparison Results

📊 Detailed Breakdown

Player Chips Chip % ICM Equity ICM Deal Chip Chop 50/50 Combo

💡 Negotiation Insights

Understanding Tournament Deals

When players reach the final table of a poker tournament, they sometimes choose to negotiate a deal rather than play out the tournament completely. This is particularly common when the remaining prize pool is significant and players want to reduce variance. According to the World Series of Poker official rules, deals are generally permitted in tournaments as long as all remaining players agree.

The most common deal structures are ICM chops, chip-proportional deals, and combination deals. Each method has advantages and disadvantages depending on stack distribution, as explained in our ICM calculator guide.

Key Terminology

  • ICM (Independent Chip Model): A mathematical model that converts chip stacks into tournament equity, accounting for payout structure
  • Chip Chop: Distributing the prize pool strictly based on chip percentages
  • Equity: The percentage of the prize pool a player "deserves" based on their winning probability
  • Combination Deal: A blend of equal splits and ICM/chip equity to find middle ground

Deal Types Explained

ICM-Based Deals

ICM deals use the Independent Chip Model to calculate what each player's chips are "worth" in prize money. The key insight of ICM is that chips have diminishing marginal value - doubling your chips doesn't double your equity because you still need to win the tournament to get first place money.

ICM accounts for the fact that even short stacks have significant equity because they're guaranteed at least the next payout spot. This makes ICM deals generally more favorable to short stacks compared to chip-proportional deals. The mathematics behind ICM uses the Malmuth-Harville method to calculate finish probabilities.

Chip-Proportional Deals

A chip chop (also called chip-proportional deal) is simpler: the remaining prize pool is divided according to each player's chip percentage. If you have 40% of the chips, you get 40% of the remaining prizes. This method:

  • Favors chip leaders more than ICM does
  • Is easier to calculate and explain
  • May be preferred when one player has a dominant stack
  • Doesn't account for the security of guaranteed payouts

Combination Deals

When pure ICM or chip-chop negotiations stall, combination deals offer a middle ground. A common structure is the "50/50 combo" which gives each player:

  • 50% of an equal share (total pool ÷ number of players)
  • 50% of their ICM equity

This creates a compromise that's often acceptable to all parties. The equal-share component provides a floor that protects short stacks, while the ICM component still rewards chip leaders for their position.

Comparing Deal Types

Aspect ICM Deal Chip Chop Combo Deal
Favors Short stacks Chip leaders Middle stacks
Calculation Complex (ICM formula) Simple (chip %) Moderate
Accounts for payouts Yes No Partially
Best when Stacks are close Clear chip leader Negotiations stall

When to Make a Deal

Deciding whether to accept or propose a deal depends on several factors. Our expected value calculator can help you think through the math, but here are general guidelines:

  • Risk tolerance: If the prize money is life-changing, locking in value makes sense
  • Skill edge: If you believe you're significantly better than opponents, playing it out may be +EV
  • Stack position: Short stacks usually benefit from deals; big stacks may prefer to play
  • Fatigue: Late-night final tables with tired players often favor deals
  • Variance reduction: Professional players often deal to reduce bankroll swings

According to research published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, most tournament players are somewhat risk-averse when significant money is at stake, which explains the popularity of final table deals.

Using This Calculator

  1. Enter the payout structure for all remaining places (1st through however many places pay)
  2. Add players and enter their current chip counts
  3. Click "Calculate All Deal Options" to see comparisons
  4. Review the ICM, chip-chop, and combination deal amounts for each player
  5. Use the strategy notes to guide your negotiation

This calculator uses the same probability mathematics as professional poker tools. For more on tournament-specific concepts, see our guides on M-Ratio and Nash push/fold strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ICM chop in poker tournaments?

An ICM chop uses the Independent Chip Model to calculate each player's equity based on their chip stack and the remaining prize pool. ICM accounts for the diminishing value of chips - a player with 50% of chips doesn't have 50% equity because they still must win the tournament to get first place money. ICM gives short stacks more equity than a straight chip count would suggest because they're guaranteed at least the next payout spot.

What is a chip-chop deal?

A chip-chop (also called chip-proportional deal) distributes the remaining prize pool strictly based on chip counts. If you have 30% of the chips, you get 30% of the remaining prizes. This method is simpler than ICM but tends to favor chip leaders more than ICM does because it doesn't account for the security of guaranteed payout spots.

Which deal type is best for short stacks?

ICM deals typically favor short stacks compared to chip-chop deals. ICM recognizes that even a small stack has significant tournament equity because they're guaranteed at least the next payout spot. Short stacks should generally push for ICM-based deals, while chip leaders may prefer chip-proportional splits.

What is a combination deal?

A combination deal blends ICM equity with equal splits. For example, a '50/50 combo' gives each player 50% of an equal share (prize pool divided by number of players) plus 50% of their ICM equity. This creates a middle ground that's often acceptable to all parties when pure ICM or chip-chop negotiations stall.

Are deals allowed in poker tournaments?

Most poker tournaments allow deals, but rules vary. The World Series of Poker and most major tours permit final table deals as long as all remaining players agree. Some tournaments require that a certain percentage of first place remains reserved to "play for." Always check the specific tournament rules before proposing a deal.

Related Tools

For comprehensive tournament strategy, combine this calculator with our other tools: