Final Table Chop Calculator: ICM Deal vs Chip Chop
Enter the stacks and the payouts still to be paid. See what each player gets under an ICM chop and a chip chop, who each deal favours and by how much, and copy the numbers for the table.
Chip Stacks
Total: 12,000Payout Structure
ICM Chop vs Chip-Chop
| Player | ICM deal | Chip-chop | ICM vs chip-chop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player 15,000 chips | $359.72 | $366.67 | -$6.94 |
| Player 24,000 chips | $334.92 | $333.33 | +$1.59 |
| Player 33,000 chips | $305.36 | $300.00 | +$5.36 |
Splitting $1,000 among 3 players. Chip-chop shown is the standard casino method: everyone locks up the smallest remaining payout ($200), the rest splits in proportion to chips.
How to use these numbers at the table
- The ICM column is the fair baseline — it prices each stack's real chance at every remaining payout
- Short stacks: a chip-chop underpays you — counter with the ICM number
- Chip leaders: chip-chop flatters your stack; expect pushback from everyone else
- Leaving 10-20% of the pool to play for ("ICM with a save") keeps a winner incentive
Copy the result and paste it in the group chat — deals negotiated off a shared number close faster than "feels fair" arguments.
How to chop a poker tournament fairly
A chop (or deal) is an agreement between the players left in a tournament to stop, or to stop playing for most of the money, and split the remaining prize pool. Every deal needs every remaining player to agree. The argument is always about how to split it, and there are three common answers.
ICM chop
The Independent Chip Model works out each stack's chance of finishing in every remaining place and pays each player the money those chances are worth. It is the standard fair baseline because it respects the pay jumps: a short stack still has a real chance at second or third, and a big stack cannot win more than first-place money. It assumes everyone plays equally well and ignores the blinds and seat positions, so treat it as the starting number for a negotiation, not a verdict.
Chip chop
The usual casino method: every player locks up the smallest remaining payout, and what is left is split in proportion to chips. It is simple to explain, but it pays the chip leader more than ICM and the short stack less, because it treats chips as if they were money in a straight line.
Deal with a save
Players agree a split for most of the pool and leave some money, often 10–20%, to play for. The winner still gets something extra and the game keeps going. Enter the remaining payouts with the save taken out of first place to see what the rest is worth.
A worked example: the deal that starts arguments
Three players are left with 45,000, 40,000, 15,000 chips, and $500 / $300 / $200 is still to be paid. The chip leader proposes that the short stack takes third-place money and the other two split first and second.
| Stack | ICM chop | Chip chop | Leader's proposal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45,000 | $372.94 | $380.00 | $400.00 |
| 40,000 | $359.79 | $360.00 | $400.00 |
| 15,000 | $267.27 | $260.00 | $200.00 |
The proposal sounds tidy, but it takes $67.27 of fair value from the short stack — the player with 15% of the chips still has a real chance of finishing second — and hands it to the two big stacks. The chip chop is closer, and the ICM chop is the one to put on the table. Enter these stacks and payouts in the calculator above to check the numbers, then do the same with your own table and copy the result into the group chat.
What to say at the table
“Here are the ICM numbers for everyone's stack. If anyone doesn't want a deal, we play on — no hard feelings.” A shared number ends the argument faster than “that feels fair”, and anyone refusing a deal is always within their rights.
For the model behind the numbers, see the ICM calculator and final table strategy. Setting up the payouts in the first place? Use the payout calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ICM chop in poker?›
A deal where the remaining prize money is split according to the Independent Chip Model: each player receives the expected value of their stack, based on their chance of finishing in each remaining place. It is the most widely used fair baseline for a tournament deal.
What is the difference between an ICM chop and a chip chop?›
A chip chop gives everyone the smallest remaining payout and splits the rest in proportion to chips. An ICM chop accounts for pay jumps, so it pays short stacks more and chip leaders less than a chip chop does.
Is an ICM deal always fair?›
It is fair under its assumptions: every player is equally skilled, and blinds and seat position do not matter. A much stronger player, or one about to have the button while others are in the blinds, may reasonably ask for more. Use the ICM number as the starting point of the negotiation.
Does everyone have to agree to a chop?›
Yes. A deal needs every remaining player's agreement, and any player can refuse and keep playing. In casino tournaments the tournament director usually has to approve and record the deal.
What is a save in a poker deal?›
An amount taken out of the prize pool before the split and left for the eventual winner, so the players keep playing for something. Take it out of first place in the calculator to see how the rest divides.
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