In last months BJI, I talked about how you can get a big edge in tournaments where you are competing against all the other player bankroll totals. By betting aggressively from hand one in these accumulation-style events, you have a much better than average chance of achieving a bankroll total high enough to advance into the next round or finish in the money. Throwing caution to the winds and betting so aggressively, of course, also means that you must get lucky to succeed. Good luck is a requirement for winning any event, but in accumulation events the effect is acutely visible.

Many players disparage these accumulation style events, saying they are nothing more than glorified slot tournaments! While these events do lack the opportunity to apply the skillful final hand play of the more traditional elimination-style events, the large advantage they afford the well-prepared player gives this format considerable value.

There are two main formats for accumulation tournaments.

Pure Accumulation Format: Players play one or more rounds and the total of each player's ending bankrolls is used as a final score. The players are ranked according to these totals and prizes are awarded. Top score gets first place prize money.

Hybrid Accumulation Format: Players play one or more rounds and total their scores, and a designated number of players advance to the next round. This hybrid format blends aspects of the elimination style with the pure accumulation format. Some events whittle down the starting field to 36 players followed by a semi-final round where one player from each table advances to a final. Other hybrid events may advance only the six or seven top scores from the first rounds directly onto a final table.