Skip to main content
Poker Challenges

Pay jump

A point on a tournament payout ladder where finishing one place higher pays meaningfully more, sharply increasing the real-money cost of busting just before it.

ICM pressure is strongest right before a pay jump, since the gap between the two nearby finishing positions is large relative to the chips in play. A short stack near a pay jump is worth more than its chip count alone suggests, because simply surviving past one more opponent locks in the jump, and a big stack should apply pressure harder here, not softer, since opponents can least afford to call off near a jump.

Poker Challenges. Five free poker puzzles every day, plus free multiplayer puzzle races, anonymously or signed in. The full ranked Trainer (equity, pot-odds, ICM and push/fold) is a subscription with a 14-day free trial.

Spotted a wrong puzzle, hit a bug, or have an idea? feedback@pokerchallenges.com — we read everything.

Studying? Train for free.

Fancy a quick test? Take a free poker quiz.

Not sure what a term means? Browse the glossary.

Built by Verdient.