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ICM calculator
Enter the remaining stacks and payouts to estimate an ICM deal. Compare each player’s share with a straight chip chop before agreeing a split.
Stacks left
Money left
482 · 314 · 204
Players
3
Chips
94,000
Prize pool
1,000
| Stack | Chip chop | ICM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48,000 | 511 | 384 | −126 |
| 31,000 | 330 | 340 | +11 |
| 15,000 | 160 | 275 | +116 |
Adds up to 1,000 — the whole 1,000 still to be paid.
The same calculation the Poker Hawk apps run at a live final table. ICM assumes every player is equally likely to win a chip, so it prices stacks and not skill — treat it as where the conversation starts.
Questions people ask before they trust the number
What is ICM in poker?
The Independent Chip Model turns chip stacks into money. It asks how often each player would finish in each paying position given their stack, then pays out that average. It is the standard basis for settling a tournament early, because chips at a final table are not worth their face value in cash.
Why is an ICM deal different from a chip chop?
A chip chop splits the remaining prize money in proportion to chips. That systematically overpays the big stack, because the chip leader cannot win more than first prize no matter how many chips they hold, while short stacks are already guaranteed a share of the money left. ICM prices that in, so it moves money from the leader towards the shorter stacks.
Is an ICM chop the fairest way to end a tournament?
It is the standard and it ignores one real thing: skill. ICM assumes every remaining player is equally likely to win a chip, so a strong player is usually happy to take less than their ICM number and play on, and a weaker one should take the deal. Treat the figure as the honest starting point for the conversation rather than the end of it.
Keep the deal with the game
Every paid plan includes ICM deal tools inside the live tournament. Confirm the remaining stacks, compare the shares, and settle the event in one place. This browser calculator is free, and single-table hosting stays free on Free.