Tournament ICM Calculator
Calculate ICM equity for poker tournaments - convert chip stacks into real-money prize pool value, analyse bubble pressure, and determine push/fold ranges.
ICM Calculator - Independent Chip Model for Tournaments
In tournament poker, chips have non-linear value. A player holding 50% of all chips does NOT hold 50% of the prize pool equity. The Independent Chip Model (ICM) converts chip stacks into real-money equity based on the payout structure, and it fundamentally changes how you should play — especially near the bubble and at the final table.
How ICM Works
ICM calculates each player's probability of finishing in each position based solely on chip stacks, then weights those probabilities by the prize for each position. The result is each player's "equity" — what their chips are worth in real money terms. Short stacks have proportionally more equity than their chip count suggests because they're guaranteed to outlast at least some opponents, while big stacks have slightly less equity per chip because accumulating more chips has diminishing returns.
Bubble Factor & ICM Pressure
The bubble factor measures how much tighter you should play compared to chip-EV optimal strategy. When the bubble factor exceeds 1.5, ICM pressure is extreme — every elimination risk costs you significant real-money equity. When it's below 1.2, you can play close to normal chip-EV strategy. Understanding this concept is crucial for final table negotiation and deal-making.
Push/Fold Strategy
With short stacks (under 10–15 big blinds), tournament poker simplifies to push/fold decisions. Our calculator determines which hands are profitable shoves from each position and which calls are correct against a shove, factoring in ICM pressure to give you tighter ranges when the pay jumps are significant.