ICM chop explained: how to split a poker tournament prize pool

An ICM chop is a deal where the players left in a tournament stop playing and split the remaining prize money using the Independent Chip Model (ICM). ICM turns each player’s chip count into a chance of finishing in each paid place, and pays each player the average of what those chances are worth. Compared with a split by chip count, it gives a little more to the short stacks and a little less to the chip leader, because in a tournament each extra chip is worth less the more chips you already have.

When players make a deal

• Late in a tournament the blinds are large compared with the stacks and most hands are all-ins. The players left often agree to stop and split the money, especially when it is late.
• A deal needs every remaining player to agree. If one player says no, you keep playing.
• Before you count, decide whether you are splitting all of the money or leaving some to play for, for example $50 and a trophy for the winner. Write the numbers down.
• In a casino or club, tell the tournament director before you agree. House rules may apply.

Three ways to split the money

• Even split. Everyone gets the same amount. Simple, but it ignores the chip counts, so it only feels fair when the stacks are close.
• Chip chop. Everyone first takes the lowest prize still unpaid, then the rest is shared out by each player’s share of the chips. Easy to do by hand.
• ICM chop. Everyone gets the ICM value of their stack. It needs a calculator once more than two players are left.

Worked example: three players left

Twelve players each paid $50, so the prize pool is $600, paying $300, $180, and $120. Three players are left with all 60,000 chips in play:

Chip chop: each player takes the $120 third prize, then the other $240 is split by share of chips.

Why not split all $600 by share of chips? Player C would get $100, less than the $120 they are already sure of for third place. That is why a chip chop pays everyone the lowest prize first. ICM goes one step further and moves another $9 from the chip leader to the two shorter stacks.

How the ICM numbers are calculated

ICM works out each player’s chance of finishing first, second, and third from the chip counts, then multiplies each chance by the prize for that place. Here is player A:

1. Chance of finishing first is the share of chips: 30,000 ÷ 60,000 = 50%.
2. Chance of finishing second adds up every way another player could win first. If B wins (a 1 in 3 chance), A has 30,000 of the 40,000 chips left, so 75%. If C wins (1 in 6), A has 30,000 of the 50,000 left, so 60%. That gives 1/3 × 75% + 1/6 × 60% = 25% + 10% = 35%.
3. Chance of finishing third is what is left: 100% − 50% − 35% = 15%.
4. ICM value is each chance times its prize, added up: 50% × $300 + 35% × $180 + 15% × $120 = $150 + $63 + $18 = $231.

This is the Malmuth-Harville model, the version of ICM that most calculators use. With more players the number of possible finishing orders grows fast (four players already have 24), so use a calculator.

Heads-up: ICM and a chip chop agree

With two players left, ICM and a chip chop give the same answer. Say the prizes are $300 and $180 and the stacks are 40,000 and 20,000. Each player takes $180, and the other $120 is split two to one, so the chip leader gets $260 and the other player $220.

What ICM leaves out

• Skill. A stronger player may reasonably ask for more than ICM gives them.
• Blinds and position. ICM only looks at chip counts, not who is about to pay the big blind or how big the blinds are.
• What people agree to. Players often round the numbers or keep some money to play for. Treat ICM as the starting point for the conversation, not a rule.

How to do it in BlindClock

ICM chops are part of BlindClock Pro. Open the payout calculator from the clock screen, set Split Method to Chop, and enter each player’s chip count. You can also count a stack by denomination with the chip icon next to a player. BlindClock works out each player’s share for up to 9 players, rounds down to whole amounts and gives the leftover to the biggest stack, so the payouts add up to the prize pool exactly. If the tournament has a starting stack set, it also checks that the chips you entered match the chips in play before you split the money.

Frequently asked questions

Is an ICM chop fair?

It is the most widely used way to turn chip counts into money, and it protects short stacks better than a simple split by chips. It doesn’t account for skill or the blinds, so players are free to adjust it before they agree.

What is the difference between an ICM chop and a chip chop?

A chip chop pays everyone the lowest remaining prize, then splits the rest by share of chips. An ICM chop uses each player’s chances of finishing in each place, which moves a little money from the chip leader to the shorter stacks. With two players left they give the same result.

Does ICM work with more than three players?

Yes. The method is the same, but the math grows quickly, so use a calculator. BlindClock handles up to 9 players, a full final table.

Do all players have to agree to a chop?

Yes. A deal needs every remaining player to agree. In a casino or club, tell the tournament director as well, since house rules on deals vary.

How should a home tournament pay out before any deal?

For 10 players or fewer, pay the top three 50/30/20 percent of the prize pool. For 11–20 players, pay four places, roughly 50/25/15/10. Our guide on how to run a home poker tournament covers buy-ins, payouts, and chips per player.