• Live Poker Tournaments Schedule
• Biloxi Poker Tournament Schedule
• Canadian Poker Tournament Schedule 2019

Tournaments are an appealing way to play poker for a number
of reasons. For starters, they can be a lot of fun and provide
players with an opportunity to win large sums of money relative
to the amount risked. The rules for tournament play are also
usually relatively simple, so you can easily take part in them
even if you’re not an expert player.

However, tournament poker is somewhat complicated by the fact
that there are so many different formats and structures that can
be used. None of these are particularly complex individually,
but it can take more time to understand all of the different
types of tournaments and how they work.

In this article, we’ll look at the remaining 2019 HPT events, the upcoming 2020 schedule, and the history of the tour. Heartland Poker Tour 2020 schedule. Note: All HPT events for 2020 are currently postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following list includes the original dates for the HPT 2020 schedule; these dates are subject to change. Coverage of the poker series Canadian Poker Championship, including results, chip counts, poker videos, and photos. Canadian Poker Championship Schedule - Poker Tournaments Sign In / Register. Canadian National poker tournament schedule and information, including starting times, buy-ins, prize pool guarantees, and freerolls. Here is a list of all Poker Tournaments in Canada for 2011. The Canadian Poker Tour is currently the only professional poker tour with Canadian locations. Hopefully that will change in the near future as the now defunct PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT), Party Poker’s World Poker Tour (WPT), or Epic Poker League expand their schedule.

In this article we attempt to make the various aspects of
tournament poker as clear as we possibly can. We look at the
main ways in which tournaments can be classified, along with the
basic formats that are part of those classifications. We also
provide details on some other specific types of tournaments and
explain blind structures and payout structures.

Tournament Classifications & Basic Formats

Live Poker Tournaments Schedule

There are a few ways to classify the basic formats of poker
tournaments, with each classification relating to a particular
aspect of a tournament. For example, a tournament can either be
played in a single table format or multi-table format. This
particular classification relates to the number of tables in
play.

The following are all the main classifications and the aspect
of a tournament they relate to.

The way the tournament starts.

The speed that the blind increases by.

Whether players can buy additional chips.

The number of players per table.

Please note that a tournament will generally fit into one
format from each of the above classifications. This might all
seem a little complicated but it should be fairly clear once you
fully understand all of the different formats. We’ll now explain
each of the main classifications in detail, and take a deeper
look at how each individual format works.

Single Table/Multi Table

The distinction between a single table tournament (STT) and a
multi table tournament (MTT) is as obvious as the names suggest.
An STT is played on just one table, while an MTT is played
across two or more tables.

STTs are the simpler of the two formats, as all the entrants
are seated at one table and play basically continues
uninterrupted until the winner is determined. Because MTTs take
place over more than one table, and possibly hundreds of tables
for particularly large tournaments, it becomes more complicated.

As and when players are eliminated during an MTT, other
players may have to move tables to ensure that the number of
players at each table is as close to equal as possible. As a
tournament progresses, the total number of tables in play is
reduced until the last few players are all sitting at just one
table. This is known as the “final table” and it’s where the
tournament is then played out until its conclusion.

Sit & Go/Scheduled

The difference between sit and go tournaments (SNGs) and
scheduled tournaments is equally simple. An SNG has no fixed
start time, but rather starts as soon as the required number of
players has entered. The majority of SNGs take place over a
single table, although small MTT SNGs are fairly common too.

A scheduled tournament does have a fixed start time.
Tournaments of this type have a registration period during which
players can enter and then they’ll start at the pre-arranged
time. They’ll typically run regardless of how many players enter
but some tournaments do require a minimum number of entrants in
order to go ahead. Some have a maximum number of entrants
allowed too.

Regular/Turbo

The terms regular and turbo refer to the overall speed of a
tournament. They are basically a way of describing which blind
structure is being used. We’ll explain more about blind
structures later, but in very simple terms, they relate to the
speed and rate at which the blinds increase through the
different levels. During a regular tournament, they’ll increase
relatively slowly, whereas in a turbo tournament they increase
more quickly.

There are also super turbo or hyper tournaments. These are
typically only available online and the blinds go up at a very
fast rate to make them even quicker than standard turbos.

Freezeout/Rebuy

The term freezeout applies to any tournament where players
are eliminated as soon as they lose all of their chips. Most
tournaments fall into this category, but there are some rebuy
tournaments that allow players to buy more chips when they have
lost their starting stack.

Typically a player will have to pay an additional amount of
money equal to the original entry fee in order to rebuy. They’ll
then receive additional chips, usually the same amount they
started with. All the additional money spent by players on
rebuying goes into the prize pool. Rebuying is only allowed for
a fixed period of time (this varies from one tournament to the
next), but the number of rebuys allowed by each player is
usually unlimited. Once the rebuy period comes to an end, the
tournament effectively reverts to a freezeout.

Full Ring/Shorthanded/Heads Up

Just like cash games, tournaments can be classified based on
the number of players allowed on each table. A full ring game
allows for the maximum, which can be nine or ten, while a heads
up game is limited to just two players per table. A shorthanded
game typically allows up to six players per table.

Specific Types of Tournament

In addition to the main formats and classifications that
we’ve discussed above, there are a few other specific types of
tournaments that you should be aware of. We’ve explained each
one of these below.

Guarantee

A guarantee tournament means that the prize pool is
guaranteed to be at least a certain amount, regardless of how
many players enter. Poker rooms, casinos, and poker sites add
guarantees to tournaments in order to make them more attractive
to players. The idea is that by doing so they should get enough
entrants to cover the guarantee anyway.

If the entrance fees don’t cover the guarantee, then the
organizers of the tournament have to make up the difference from
their own funds. Any amount that they have to add to the prize
pool is known as an overlay.

• Multi table freeze-out tournament.
• $50 + $5 entry fee.
• $10,000 Guarantee.

• If 200 or more players enter, the guarantee is covered.
• If less than 200 players enter, there’s an overlay.

Shootout

A shootout is a type of multi table tournament. In most MTTs
the tables are balanced as and when players are eliminated, but
shootouts work differently. They consist of two or more
“rounds”, where all players stay at their designated table until
there’s just one player remaining. This marks the end of the
round, the tables are rebalanced at that point, and another
round begins. Eventually all the remaining players end up at one
table and then the tournament is played to a conclusion.

• 100 players enter.
• Ten tables are used, with ten players on each.
• Each table is played down to one player.
• The ten players who “won” their table are then moved.
• Ten players make up a final table, which is played as normal.

Satellite

A satellite tournament is one where players are competing to
win entry into another tournament that has a higher value entry
fee. The prize pool doesn’t consist of cash, but instead is
effectively made up of one or more entries to the relevant
tournament. In some satellites, however, there may be some cash
awarded to players who just miss out on the main prize.

If satellite tournaments have more than one tournament entry
up for grabs, then they generally won’t be played until just one
player is remaining. For example, if there are three entries in
the prize pool, then the tournament will finish when there are
three players remaining. Each of those three players will win an
entry to the relevant tournament.

• Satellite to a $100 + 10 buy in tournament.
• $10 + $ 1 entry fee.
• 38 players enter.
• Total prize pool is $380.
• Top three players each win a tournament entry.
• Fourth place wins remaining cash ($50).

Bounty/Knockout

Bounty, or knockout, tournaments are ones where a percentage
of the prize pool is allocated towards paying players a prize
for eliminating other players. These tournaments award prizes
for every player that’s eliminated, while others only award
prizes for knocking out specific players such as resident pros.

• $10 + $1 entry fee.
• 75% of the prize pool is distributed to the highest finishers.
• 25% of the prize pool is for bounties.
• All players have a bounty on their head.
• Players are awarded $2.50 for every player they eliminate.

Biloxi Poker Tournament Schedule

Blind Structures

We referred to blind structures earlier and these are an
important part of any poker tournament. The blind structure,
which can also be referred to simply as the tournament
structure, stipulates the blind levels used and the length of
time that each blind level lasts. It’ll also stipulate how many
chips each player starts with.

These things have a big impact on how long a tournament will
last, and they also affect the strategy involved to some extent.
A structure where the blind levels increase steeply and quickly,
for example, will take less time than where the levels increase
more gently and at a slower rate. With the former, a good
strategy would be to act aggressively and try to win chips
early, whereas with the latter, a good strategy would be to be
act patiently and wait for good opportunities.

The following illustrates a typical structure that could be
used for a single table sit and go tournament.

Sample Structure

• Starting Stacks: 1,500 Chips
• Time Per Level: 10 Minutes

The following structure illustrates a typical structure that
could be used for a larger multi table tournament. There would
be more levels than we’ve shown here but this gives you a better
idea of how they progress.

Sample Structure

• Starting Stacks: 1,500 Chips
• Time Per Level: 10 Minutes

Canadian Poker Tournament Schedule 2019

The payout structure of a tournament is also very important,
as it determines how many players win money and how much money
each player wins. Technically a payout structure can be whatever
the tournament host wants it to be, but there are some general
rules that they tend to follow.

A payout structure is usually based primarily on the number
of total entrants. A large tournament with lots of entrants will
pay out more to players than a small tournament will. You’ll
typically see just two or three players getting paid in an STT
for example, while a big MTT could see a hundred or more players
getting paid.

The exact size of each prize is then based on a percentage of
the prize pool. In a small tournament this will be something
simple like 50% to the winner, 30% to second place and 20% to
third place. It gets a little more complicated in larger
tournaments with more people to pay but the basic principle is
the same. First place gets the biggest percentage; the
percentages get smaller the earlier in the game the players
finish.

Here are a couple of sample payout structures to give you an
idea of what they can look like.

Canada is rapidly being regarded as the poker capital of the world. Sure, the game originated in the States and the majority of pro poker players are American, but Canada’s more relaxed attitude to gambling has made it the venue of choice for casual poker players.

That has been even more the case in the years since 1995, when two brothers set up a company called Cryptologic that was to power Canada’s first online poker room a year later. Their popularity has grown exponentially in the subsequent 25 years, making poker and other casino pastimes like slots and table games accessible to a whole new audience. This has given rise to a corresponding growth in informational sites like for example Casinoblox.ca that keep players up to date with what is happening in Canada’s ever-changing gambling landscape.

All this support and infrastructure of poker at grassroots level inevitably means that Canada is becoming increasingly important on the pro scene. After all, everyone has to start somewhere, and Canada’s nurturing environment has given rise to prodigious talents like Daniel Negreanu and Kristen Bicknell. You might think that these stars would head to Vegas at the earliest opportunity to earn their millions. But on the contrary, Canada also provides the necessary big-money tournaments that not only attract Canadian poker stars, they also attract talent from south of the border and further afield.

WSOP Montreal and Vancouver

The World Series of Poker a little like the NBA. For sure, there are other basketball leagues and tournaments out there, but this is the one that everyone knows, even if they have no interest in the sport. It has a cachet that is about more than prize pots, and pros value a WSOP Main Event bracelet above all else.

The WSOP has evolved into an international phenomenon over recent years, and while 2020 has been an exception for obvious reasons, there’s usually something happening somewhere all year round.

The great thing about WSOP is that it is not exclusively aimed at the most elite players like Negreanu, Bicknell and the rest. The Vancouver and Montreal stops on the tour feature a range of tournaments and some have buy-ins of less than $500. If you’re a decent poker player, this is the perfect opportunity to find out just how good you are.

The WSOP was forced to go online due to wider world events this year, but at least this meant the show could go on, which was more than could be said in many sports. All being well, it will be back with a more conventional circuit schedule in 2021.

WPT Montreal

Back in the days when WSOP was something Canadians watched on TV, the “real” pro poker action was all about the World Poker Tour. That conception still endures among Canadian professionals, and Montreal has almost become the unofficial home of the WPT. Since 2012, the city has been hosting two WPT tournaments each year.

If you want to rub shoulders with Daniel Negreanu, Antonio Esfandiari, Evelyn Ng and the rest, this is the place to do so. WPT takes place at the Playground Poker Club Montreal tends to attract the big names, so just be aware that if you want to take a seat at their table, you’ll need to stump up accordingly. Typical buy-in is $3,500.

Sunday Million

Setting to one side the unprecedented events of 2020 that have thrown everything off-kilter, the biggest pro poker events such as the WSOP and WPT still take place in traditional land-based venues. We all look forward to them returning to some sort of normal schedule over the coming months.

But for the casual players among us, those who would not be looking at spending thousands, hundreds or even tens of dollars on buy-in, cyberspace is the venue of choice. In Canada, there is, as we mentioned earlier, no shortage of choice when it comes to online poker platforms where you can play tournaments for nominals sums, just for the fun of playing. Of course, that means you can’t expect big cash rewards for winning, either!

Sunday Million is the exception that proves the rule. This weekly poker tournament attracts thousands of participants and while the buy-in for the main event is $200, there are satellite events that you can join for less than a dollar. It means there is something for everyone, and if you are a talented amateur, there’s a genuine possibility of working your way up and playing for a six figure win with minimal initial outlay.

Partypoker

Finally, we cannot talk about Canadian poker tournaments without giving a mention to the site that started it all for so many players. Partypoker remains the most accessible route into poker for absolute beginners. The platform is as user-friendly as Sunday Million, but it is a little less daunting as you are not up against 5,000 or so other players.

This is another one that gets underway every Sunday (at 1:30PM ET) and it tends to attract a high proportion of Canadian players. If you’ve played a little poker with friends or on a phone app just for fun, this is the ideal platform for taking your hobby to the next level in a safe environment. And as we have seen, once you get started in competitive poker in Canada, there is no telling where you might end up!