PKO Tournaments: How Bounties Reshape Your Strategy | POKER GOAT
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PKO Tournaments: How Bounties Reshape Your Strategy
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In Progressive Knockout (PKO) tournaments, bounty value dramatically widens your calling range. Learn to adjust your strategy for knockout formats.
What Is PKO?
In a PKO (Progressive Knockout) tournament, you earn a cash bounty instantly when you eliminate an opponent. This fundamentally changes traditional MTT strategy.
Expanded Calling Range as the Covering Stack
When you cover an opponent, your calling range against their all-in widens significantly.
Situation
Calling Range (Traditional MTT)
Calling Range (PKO, medium-large bounty)
BB vs BTN all-in (covering)
Top 25%
Top ≈30–40%
vs short-stack all-in (covering)
Top 30%
Top ≈40–50%
The figures above assume a typical PKO structure (bounty ≈50% of starting stack) and average stack depth. With smaller bounties (e.g., ≈25%) or significant ICM pressure, the ranges shift back toward traditional MTT play.
