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THE COMPETITIVE FRONTIER · INTERMEDIATE

What Is Pay Jump in Poker?

An increase in prize money between finishing positions.

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What it means

Survival can matter more near larger jumps, especially when stack sizes differ.

AT THE TABLE

A practical example

Ninth place pays 100 and eighth pays 150; that difference is a pay jump.

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 ↗BubbleThe point just before a tournament pays or reaches another significant payout threshold.Explore ↗Risk PremiumExtra equity required to risk elimination in a tournament compared with a chip-only calculation.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