Payouts, ICM & EndingExplanation

Payout formulas — standard, top-heavy, flat, and custom

What each preset does to your prize distribution, plus a quick ICM primer.

The four presets

•Standard: traditional 50/30/20-ish curve. Rewards 1st place but still pays 3 or more.
•Top-heavy: most of the money at the top. Good when players want a big first-place payday.
•Flat: narrower gap between places. Softens bad-beat sting; popular in recreational clubs.
•Custom: you set each position yourself.

A word on ICM

ICM (Independent Chip Model) is how the poker world values chip stacks in tournaments with top-heavy prize pools. It matters most at the final table and in deal-making. Poker Hawk doesn't auto-chop with ICM yet — but understanding it helps you set payouts that feel fair.

Keep learning

ICM and chops, explained

Why chip counts don’t equal dollars at the final table — and how deals get made.

Run an ICM chop or deal

Split the remaining prize pool fairly when players want to make a deal.

Set the payouts

Choose how the prize pool splits — a preset shape or custom per-place amounts.

Run your own tournament with Poker Hawk.

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