Playing poker requires a certain amount of knowledge about game situations and how to best manage them. Thus, it is not uncommon to see the value of your chips increase depending on the proportion of chips of the players still competing in the tournament. How do we assign a precise value to the players’ tokens in play? What is the impact of this value on our decisions? This is where the mathematical model that is the ICM comes into play in poker.
What is ICM in poker?
Can be translated as Independent Chip Model, the ICM is a calculation method which makes it possible to determine the winnings of the competing players based on all the chips in the poker tournament. In other words, it is a fraction of each player's chips out of the total chips of the players still competing. At the same time, it allows you to know the player with the best chance of winning the tournament. It must be emphasized that this is an essential technique that allows you not to take unnecessary risks when you find yourself in the paid places or close to the bubble.
In addition to knowing a player's probability of victory, calculating the ICM can make it possible to know the probability of finishing in other places, paid or not. In these cases, the calculations can be rather complex and the use of dedicated software is essential. So there is no need to worry about obtaining this data which will allow you to make the best decisions in key moments of a tournament. Here is a reputable site for performing these calculations: https://www.icmpoker.com/icmizer/
Importance of ICM Poker in tournaments
The permanent count of your chips does not give you a precise idea of the amount you have at any given time during your tournament. However, it is better to know exactly this value as the bubble approaches. In addition, with the payment system, this information can condition how you play during the tournament. As we said above, in poker, the ICM helps in this sense.
For example, at one point in the game, you may have a quantity of chips with a value of 20 euros and have to pay or not 2 players all in, let's say that the next level earns you 15€ you must play tighter here . A lack of knowledge of the ICM in poker tournaments would cause you to make unprofitable decisions in the long term. Evaluating the value of your stack led the poker world to the development and implementation of the ICM. It has become the major asset of professional players, and its importance during tournaments is therefore no longer in doubt. In other words, even the most seasoned players use it as is the case for push or fold NASH chart.
ICM POKER: Bubble management
A major asset for decision-making, the Independent Chip Model is of capital importance in bubble situations during a poker tournament. Generally, the game is very tense during this phase, and players know they need to play tighter. If you have a big stack or are the cheap leader, this is the perfect time to put pressure on and steal valuable pots. Remember that the notion of ICM is required in poker, because the difference in winnings between the various paid places is sometimes very significant. In a high tournament stake reaching the bubble often means recovering hundreds or even thousands of euros.
In these situations, it is common to evaluate the pot odds to make a decision. This is a good technique, but it is less effective than ICM, because it minimizes certain phases of the game. Indeed, the Independent Chip Model considers each chip you have knowing that it represents a chance of achieve victory, which the bubble pot odds do not do. As a result, the latter leads you to take risks that you can do without. On the other hand, in tournament poker, trusting the ICM forces you to play a tight game, especially when you have to call all-ins on the bubble. It is up to you to take advantage of this information. This is not always true in KO tournaments where the bounty (bonus received when a player is eliminated) will on the contrary push you to pay more.
Without necessarily wanting to play it in reverse psychology, the notion of ICM is popular with players and you will notice that as the bubble approaches certain short stacks will be aggressive if the cheap leader is passive at the table, you must analyze these situations and ask yourself this famous question: am I here to win the tournament or for itm (in the money)?
What are the limits of the ICM in poker tournaments?
Although it is the best way to know the value of your chips and especially to evaluate the different playing situations in a poker tournament, the ICM has some limits which can be prohibitive. Thus, the failure to take into account the position of the players, the difference in level between the players and especially future game situations highlight the flaws in this model.
In addition, it is common for following the advice of this mathematical model to prevent you from playing the win or the top 3 in certain game situations. Sometimes you have to take calculated risks and ignore it to reach certain tournament places. In any case, the level of the players present during a tournament is an important indicator which determines the way of playing.
What to remember about ICM Poker
- The ICM always advises closer play in tournaments than in cash games.
- Doubling your stack will increase its value but never to the point of doubling it.
- The ICM often advises against weak all-ins when there are still players with fewer chips than you.
- If you have an average stack at the bubble, try to avoid coin-flips or 60/40s.
- Players with the biggest stacks must put pressure on the middle stacks at the bubble because their range is very tight.
- However the ICM does not take into account the position of the players, the difference in level as well as the situations of future games, it can sometimes be better to sacrifice a small advantage to expect a better one.
