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WPT GTO Trainer Hands of the Week: Facing The Chip Leader

Related Topics: World Poker Tour, Blind

This week you’re playing at a major final table where you are defending the Big Blind as a medium stack against the chip leader at the table.

Due to the presence of the 2 shorter stacks at the table and pay jumps, there is significant pressure on you in this spot. You are highly incentivized to avoid getting stacked while the 2 shorter stacks are still alive at this final table, since they are far more likely to bust out before you. This pressure is often called “ICM” pressure, named for the Independent Chip Model method of assigning real dollar values to chip stacks in tournaments.