MTT (multi-table tournament)

A multi-table tournament: a poker tournament spread over many tables that are merged as players bust.

Last updated October 16, 2026

What it means: MTT stands for multi-table tournament. Everyone buys in for the same amount and starts with the same chips, the blinds rise on a clock, and players are knocked out until one has every chip. Only the top finishers are paid, and the prizes rise steeply toward first place.
How it is calculated: As players bust, the tournament breaks tables and moves players to fill the seats left behind, until the last players meet at the final table. Your stack measured in big blinds shrinks as the blinds rise, so short-stack play, push/fold charts and ICM matter far more than in a cash game.
Worked example: 180 players buy in for 50 and are seated 9 to a table, which makes 20 tables. With 27 places paid, 153 players finish with nothing. By the time 9 remain, 19 tables have been broken.
Why it matters: Most of an MTT's money sits in the last few places, so results swing far more than in cash games and a winning player can go many events without a big cash. That is why tournament study leans on ICM and why a bankroll for MTTs needs many buy-ins.