{"id":41199,"date":"2024-07-31T05:17:34","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T10:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/?p=41199"},"modified":"2024-08-15T03:29:54","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T08:29:54","slug":"icm-in-poker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/icm-in-poker\/","title":{"rendered":"What is ICM in Poker? How to Use ICM in Your Poker Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If you play poker tournaments, either online or at your local casino, it’s crucial to understand poker ICM, or the Independent Chip Model. While it might sound like technical jargon, knowing ICM poker strategies \u2013 and what does ICM mean for your poker strategy \u2013 is incredibly valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first thing you need to know about ICM poker is that it only applies to tournaments and online poker tournaments. Not cash games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re playing poker, you want to ask yourself what is the best decision mathematically. Am I getting a good price to complete my flush draw? Straight draw? Gutshot? Do I think I likely have the best poker hand<\/a>? When you\u2019re playing a poker tournament, however, you want to ask yourself two questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the second question that changes everything \u2013 and gets to the heart of ICM poker model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re getting excellent pot odds to draw for a flush. The math tells you to call, even if it\u2019s for your entire stack. In a cash game, you should always take this opportunity because you can profitably win money; if you miss your flush draw, you can easily rebuy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let\u2019s say you\u2019re a big stack in a poker tournament or online poker tournament and there are only five people left. According to the ICM model in poker, you would not want to take this opportunity because it would jeopardize your position. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The chips you would lose are worth more than the chips you would gain. <\/strong>Said another way, the benefit of going from second or third in chips to first in chips is not worth the risk of elimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ICM means adjusting your decision-making to your ranking in the tournament rather than the value of your hand.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s another crazy example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do you do here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why? Because even if you have a better hand than your opponent, it\u2019s not worth the risk. Perhaps they have Ace-Ten, where you\u2019re a nearly 70% favorite. Or a pair of threes, where your equity is closer to 80 percent. Doesn\u2019t matter. The 20-30% of the time that they will outdraw you poses too great a threat to your chip stack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
What is ICM in Poker?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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