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THE COMPETITIVE FRONTIER · BEGINNER

What Is Bubble in Poker?

The point just before a tournament pays or reaches another significant payout threshold.

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What it means

Players near the money may face extra risk from elimination.

AT THE TABLE

A practical example

With 101 players left and 100 paid, the event is on the money bubble.

Where you will hear it

Tournament. The exact usage can vary with rules and context.

Related concepts

Independent Chip ModelA model that converts tournament chip stacks and a payout structure into estimates of prize equity.Explore ↗Risk PremiumExtra equity required to risk elimination in a tournament compared with a chip-only calculation.Explore ↗Pay JumpAn increase in prize money between finishing positions.Explore ↗Final TableThe last table remaining in a multi-table tournament.Explore ↗Tournament EquityAn estimate of a player's share of a tournament prize pool.Explore ↗

Keep learning

Study this idea in a wider poker context, then return to the dictionary whenever a term needs a closer look.

Explore Tournament Terminology Galaxy in Poker Galaxy ↗Read NLHE Tournament Study Guide (PDF) ↗

Published 2026-10-15 · Updated 2026-10-15 · Flawless Poker Cosmic Codex