One big difference between live and online tournaments is the ITM range.
Live tournaments usually pay around 10% of the field. Online, it’s more common to see 18–20% ITM.
This changes the whole dynamic.
With 10% ITM (live), the bubble is brutal.
Players get super tight, ICM pressure is heavy, and survival becomes a real skill. Small mistakes near the bubble cost a lot. You need patience, timing, and discipline to get through.
With 20% ITM (online), the bubble is much softer.
More people get paid, so players are less scared to bust. You see more loose calls, more flips, and more aggression around the bubble. Chip accumulation matters more than pure survival.
In short:
• Live (10%) → tighter bubble, more ICM, survival-focused
• Online (20%) → looser bubble, more action, chip EV matters more
Live tournaments usually pay around 10% of the field. Online, it’s more common to see 18–20% ITM.
This changes the whole dynamic.
With 10% ITM (live), the bubble is brutal.
Players get super tight, ICM pressure is heavy, and survival becomes a real skill. Small mistakes near the bubble cost a lot. You need patience, timing, and discipline to get through.
With 20% ITM (online), the bubble is much softer.
More people get paid, so players are less scared to bust. You see more loose calls, more flips, and more aggression around the bubble. Chip accumulation matters more than pure survival.
In short:
• Live (10%) → tighter bubble, more ICM, survival-focused
• Online (20%) → looser bubble, more action, chip EV matters more
