Satellite
A satellite is a poker tournament whose prizes are entries (seats) into a bigger, more expensive tournament instead of cash.
A satellite is a tournament where the main prize is not cash but a seat, meaning an entry, into a larger and more expensive tournament. Satellites let players try to qualify for a big event by paying a fraction of its full buy-in. A satellite that awards seats into another satellite is sometimes called a super satellite or a step.
How satellites work
The number of seats depends on how much money the satellite collects. If the target event costs 1,000 and the satellite costs 100, each 10 entries fund one seat.
For example, 50 players pay 100 each, creating 5,000. That buys 5 seats of 1,000 each. Fees are ignored for simplicity. If 53 players entered instead, the extra 300 would usually be paid as cash to the next finisher, but rules vary between events.
Why satellite strategy is unusual
In a normal tournament, first place pays much more than fifth. In a satellite, every seat is worth exactly the same. Finishing first with a huge stack wins the same prize as finishing fifth with almost nothing. That means:
- Once you are sure to win a seat, extra chips have no value.
- Busting before the seats are awarded is extremely costly.
- The bubble is the most important moment of the whole event.
This is the most extreme form of ICM pressure.
Example: folding a monster
Six players remain and five seats are awarded. Blinds are 1,000/2,000 and there are 300,000 chips in play:
| Player | Chips |
|---|---|
| You | 90,000 |
| Player 2 | 70,000 |
| Player 3 | 60,000 |
| Player 4 | 40,000 |
| Player 5 | 30,000 |
| Player 6 | 10,000 |
| Total | 300,000 |
Player 6 has only 5 big blinds and will be forced all-in soon. Player 3 moves all-in and you look down at A♠ A♥. In a normal tournament, this is an easy call. Here, folding is often correct: if you call and lose, you drop to 30,000 and may bust, while if you call and win, your seat is no more valuable than it already was. Folding keeps you almost certain to qualify.
Satellite tips
- Early on, play solid poker and build a stack, much like any freezeout.
- Near the bubble, big stacks should avoid confrontations, and short stacks must take chances before the blinds catch them.
- Count the seats and compare your stack to those around you, not just the blinds.
- Understand the rules about leftover money and whether seats can be transferred or converted.
Frequently asked questions
What is a satellite in poker?
A satellite is a tournament that awards entries into a bigger tournament instead of, or in addition to, cash prizes.
Why would you fold pocket aces in a satellite?
Because all seats are worth the same, a player who is already almost sure to win a seat gains nothing by winning more chips but could lose everything by busting.
What is a super satellite?
A super satellite is usually a satellite that awards seats into another qualifier or a larger event, often with many seats available.
Related poker terms
- ICM (Independent Chip Model) — ICM (Independent Chip Model) converts tournament chip stacks into their real prize-money value, showing why chips you lose matter more than chips you win.
- Bubble — The bubble is the stage of a tournament just before the paid places, when one more elimination means everyone left wins money.
- Freezeout — A freezeout is a poker tournament where each player buys in once and is eliminated for good when they lose all their chips, with no rebuys allowed.
- Short Stack — A short stack is a chip stack that is small relative to the blinds, often under about 20 big blinds, leaving little room beyond shoving or folding.
- Final Table — The final table is the last table of a poker tournament, formed when the remaining players can all fit at one table. Pay jumps grow with each elimination.