Should you make a final table deal? It is one of the most consequential decisions in tournament poker, and it comes up in almost every live event. Two results this month show how it works in practice: Jason Nguyen's win in the Borgata Fall Poker Open $600 Kickoff, where the top three chopped, and Adam Wilkinson's GUKPT Blackpool victory, where the final two made a heads-up deal. This guide explains the main methods, the maths behind them and a practical checklist for deciding whether to accept a chop.
Two real examples
Borgata Kickoff. According to PokerNews, Nguyen was credited with $126,727 for first place, including a $20,000 bonus, with Sebastian Crema receiving $125,171 for second and Chadd Beatty $97,471 for third. The top three agreed to a chop in which Crema received $115,171, Nguyen $106,727 and Beatty $97,471, with an extra $10,000 held back for second place and $20,000 for the champion. The structure is a common one: divide most of the money by an agreed method and leave a bonus to play for.
GUKPT Blackpool. In the £1,250 Main Event, Adam Wilkinson held a two-to-one chip lead when he and Michael Whitehead made a deal. The deal left £9,747 to play for, and Whitehead was guaranteed his largest live score. Wilkinson went on to win, collecting £55,035 plus a £5,504 bonus for buying in through GGPoker, as listed by PokerNews.
A third example comes from the 2025 888LIVE UKPL Coventry Main Event, where PokerNews records a three-handed ICM deal involving Terelle Tavares (£27,518), Vitor Da Paiva (£23,213) and Wayne Peach (£20,109).
The main deal methods
Chip chop. Each player receives money in proportion to their chip count. It is simple, but it overvalues the chip leader and undervalues short stacks, because chips lose value as you accumulate them.
ICM (Independent Chip Model). ICM assigns each player an equity based on their chance of finishing in each position, given the prize ladder. It captures the diminishing value of chips and is the standard method in most deals. Our ICM guide explains it in detail.
Even chop. Everyone gets the same amount. This is rare unless stacks are close, or short stacks need to be bought into a deal.
Hybrid or custom. Players agree to use ICM, then adjust for skill, risk or a bonus. Many deals involve leaving a fixed amount "on the table" for the winner, as in the Borgata example.
A simple illustration (hypothetical)
Imagine three players with a total prize pool of $300,000 to share and stacks of 60%, 30% and 10% of the chips. A chip chop would give them $180,000, $90,000 and $30,000. ICM would give the chip leader less and the short stack more, because the short stack has a real chance of finishing higher than third. The exact numbers depend on the payout ladder, so use an ICM calculator for real decisions. This example is for illustration only and does not describe any event mentioned above.
The key principle: the chip leader's cost of a deal under ICM is usually small, because the leader still gets more than anyone else. The short stack gains the most. That is why short stacks tend to push for ICM or even chops, and chip leaders sometimes prefer chip chops or a bonus.
When to accept a deal
1. You are short or medium-stacked. When the pay jumps are large and you have a modest chance of winning, a deal reduces variance and often gives you more than your expected share. Nguyen started the Borgata final table with 3,850,000 chips, a middle stack compared with Crema's 15,525,000. Later he won, but a deal at that point would have been a reasonable way to lock in a large payout.
2. The pay jumps are steep and you need the money. Your bankroll and financial situation matter. Tournament poker involves variance, and a guaranteed six-figure payout can be life-changing. Our bankroll management guide explains how to match decisions to your finances.
3. The deal offers more than ICM. If the chip leader is offering an above-ICM share, that is usually a sign the leader values certainty. Evaluate the offer against a reliable calculator.
4. You are not the best player left. If you believe your opponents are stronger, the skill gap works against you in a long heads-up match. A deal reduces that disadvantage.
When to decline
1. You are the chip leader and the deal is below ICM. Do not accept less than your equity unless the extra certainty is worth it.
2. You are clearly the best player. In heads-up play, a large skill edge can be worth more than a standard split. Even so, remember that the cards often decide: Whitehead doubled up with a set of nines against Wilkinson's pocket jacks before Wilkinson regained control.
3. The prize for first is much larger than second. Some events pay a big premium or have trophy, seat or title value that a cash deal ignores. Consider non-cash value, such as a bracelet or a ring.
4. Format or rules limit deals. Some events do not permit deals in certain forms or require that a minimum amount be left to play for. Check the tournament director's policy before you negotiate.
Practical checklist before you chop
- Know the payouts. Ask for the exact payout ladder and the remaining prize pool.
- Count chips accurately. Have the staff confirm stack sizes.
- Run the numbers. Use an ICM calculator, then compare with the chip chop and other proposals.
- Decide the bonus. Agree how much to leave for first and second place. The Borgata deal left $20,000 for the champion and $10,000 for second.
- Tell the tournament director. Make sure the deal is recorded and confirmed with the floor before any chips or payouts change hands.
- Consider tax and reporting. Rules vary by country and state. Check your local obligations.
- Keep emotions out. Tilt can push you toward a bad deal. Our guide on what is tilt can help.
Deals online
Rules on deals vary by site and format, so if you play online, review each site's rules first. Our tournaments page and the guides to real money poker explain tournament structures, and reviews such as BetOnline and Americas Cardroom detail the formats they run. Play within your bankroll and stay aware of local regulations.
The psychology of deals
Deals are not purely mathematical. People accept chops for emotional reasons: fatigue at the end of a long day, a desire to lock in life-changing money, or a wish to avoid regret. They also decline deals because of pride. The healthiest approach is to decide in advance, using your strategy and bankroll rules, how much you value certainty. If you think you will be tempted to chase the title, agree a bonus structure that gives the winner something extra.
Related concepts
Understanding deals helps with other late-stage decisions. Pot odds and equity are essential for calling or folding in big pots, and the poker odds calculator can show how close a spot is. When you move between cash and tournaments, see cash games vs tournaments for how pay structures change strategy.
Bottom line
A final table deal is a trade between equity and certainty. ICM is the standard benchmark, chip chops favour big stacks, and a bonus can keep the title meaningful. Recent results at the Borgata, GUKPT Blackpool and UKPL Coventry show how deals unfold in practice. Before you agree to one, know the payouts, run the numbers and consider your bankroll. Make the decision before emotion takes over.
Sources: PokerNews reports on the Borgata Fall Poker Open Kickoff, GUKPT Blackpool Main Event and 888LIVE UKPL Grand Final, November 2026. The numerical illustration is hypothetical.