Updated on April 25, 2025
Want to maximise your chances in poker tournaments? Understanding the strategic use of a poker add-on could be your key to tournament success.
- Are you a beginner trying to grasp tournament structures?
- Or are you an experienced player looking to optimise your strategy?
This guide explains everything you need to know about a poker add-on and how this poker term can impact your tournament journey!
What Is an Add On Poker Option?
Add-ons in poker are extra chips that players can add to their stacks in rebuy poker tournaments in exchange for a specific price (usually the same as the buy-in).
They are generally available only at a specific point during a tournament, typically after the end of the rebuy period.
| Add-ons differ from rebuys, as players can rebuy as many times as they like during the rebuy phase of a tournament. This feature can be particularly useful if luck hasn't been on your side in the early poker hands and you need a boost. |
However, you can only add on poker chips once and only after the rebuy period has ended. (Specific rules may vary depending on the tournament.)
How Does Add On Poker Work?
Add-ons in poker are especially common in rebuy tournaments. The option to buy additional chips at a fee increases the total prize pool.
The option to add on usually occurs after the rebuy period has ended. Players receive a fixed add-on poker stack at a fee, after which no further rebuys and add-ons are typically allowed.
Example of 'Add-On' used in a sentence:
After the rebuy stage, we ran low on chips and decided to purchase the add-on poker option to increase our stack.
Poker Add On Strategy: Should You Add-on?
Most professional players choose to purchase an add-on when available, although this does not guarantee that adding on is always the correct choice.
The two following considerations should figure into the decision to use a poker add-on:
- ICM considerations
- Balancing the cost against its value to your stack
For example. a big chip leader might hardly increase the ICM value of his stack by adding on. If the cost of the add-on is more than the ICM benefit it brings to a player's stack, then adding on is mathematically incorrect.
Despite this, there is much debate on the topic, and many players blindly assume that adding on is always GTO poker correct, regardless of the circumstances.
The main thing is that add-on poker chips are cheaper than the initial stack. (Usually, the add-on gives players more chips than the starting stack).
For that reason, taking the add-on will almost always be +EV.
One crucial thing to remember is that the add-on should always give you at least the same amount of chips as the initial stack.
Read all about ICM in poker to know exactly what to do.
Add On Poker: Real-World Example
Let’s say you’re playing a rebuy poker tournament. On the add-on break, there were 50 players, but only 36 purchased the add-on.
The add-on was 3,000 chips, whereas the starting stack or a rebuy was 1,500 chips.
Fourteen people not adding on left 42,000 potential chips out of play in a tournament in which the prize pool has increased - which by itself also increases the value of each chip. By taking the add-on, you’d have a bigger poker probability of finishing in the money, even if you already had a big stack.
If you had a smaller stack, the decision would be easier. Suppose those 3,000 chips represent 10BB at that point in the tournament, and your stack at the add-on break was 3,000 chips.
Purchasing the add-on would dictate playing with 10BB vs 20BB, which warrants a completely different poker strategy.
The Bottom Line: Making Smart Poker Add On Decisions
When it comes to poker tournament strategy, understanding when and why to purchase an add-on can significantly impact your long-term profitability.
Rather than automatically buying add-ons in every tournament, take the time to the assess following:
- Your stack size
- The tournament structure
- The overall value proposition
Remember that while add-ons provide an opportunity to strengthen your position after the rebuy period, they should be viewed as strategic investments rather than mandatory purchases.
By carefully evaluating each add-on opportunity using ICM considerations, you'll make more profitable decisions that will enhance your tournament results over time.
Whether playing local events, online poker tournaments, or working your way up to major poker festivals like the World Poker Tour, mastering the strategic use of add-ons is essential for any serious tournament player.
Apply these insights to your game, and you'll have an edge over competitors who approach add-ons without proper strategic consideration.
Add-On Poker FAQ
Can I purchase an add-on multiple times during a tournament?
It depends. An add-on in poker is a feature of rebuy tournaments. There’s one predefined break where you can buy the add-on. Once that break is over, you can’t use that option anymore.
Most rebuy tournaments allow players to buy only one add-on during the break, but some tournaments allow players to buy more than one add-on.
What's the difference between a rebuy and a poker add on?
As the name implies, a rebuy is the possibility of rebuying the same amount of chips as the initial stack. Traditionally, you can rebuy as many times as you want if you have fewer chips than the initial stack.
Even though it usually costs the same, you can only buy an add-on once during a specified timeframe, and it usually gets you a higher amount of chips than the rebuy.
Are add-ons available in all poker tournaments?
No. Add-ons are a feature of rebuy poker tournaments only.
Do online poker tournaments offer add-ons?
Yes. Online poker tournaments with rebuys offer add-ons.
Will taking an add-on affect my tournament standing or position?
Buying an add-on will not change your poker table position or final standing in the tournament. It will increase your chip stack, so it will impact your standing at the time of buying the add-on, but that's it.
Your seat stays the same, but having more chips gives you more strategic options as blinds increase. Remember that if most players take add-ons and you don't, your stack may become smaller compared to the field, even though your chip count hasn't changed.
What's the difference between Re-entry and Rebuy tournaments?
Tournaments with re-entry possibilities allow eliminated players to buy back in as completely new participants, receiving a fresh table assignment and full starting stack.
In rebuy tournaments, players purchase additional chips while staying at their current table, similar to reloading in a poker cash game.
Originally published on December 19, 2018
