How to value a bounty
Tournament chips represent a share of the prize pool, not the full buy-in. In a $100 PKO with half to bounties, the prize pool gets $50 per player. With a 20,000-chip starting stack, each dollar of prize pool is worth 400 chips. A $50 bounty pays you $25 in cash in a progressive knockout, worth about 10,000 chips, or 10 big blinds at a 1,000 big blind.
Worked example
| Step | Value |
|---|---|
| Prize pool per player | $100 × 50% = $50 |
| Chips per $1 | 20,000 / $50 = 400 |
| Cash you collect from a $50 bounty | $25 |
| Bounty in chips | $25 × 400 = 10,000 |
| Equity needed to call 14,000 into 16,500 | 45.9% without the bounty, 34.6% with it |
The half that goes on your head
In a progressive knockout, half of every bounty you win is added to your own bounty. That money is not yours yet: you only collect it by winning the tournament or when someone busts you. Many players value it at well below face value early on and closer to face value deep in the tournament. Tick the box in the calculator to count it in full.
When the bounty does not count
You can only win a bounty if you have at least as many chips as the player you bust. If they cover you, ignore their bounty. For full shoving and calling ranges with bounties, see the PKO push/fold chart.
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