What is an MTT?
An MTT is a multi-table tournament. Entrants play at different tables in the same event. As players are eliminated, those remaining move onto fewer tables until the final standings are decided.
From registration to the start
Choose an event, then check its start time and time zone, entry requirements, buy-in and fees before registering. Late registration and re-entry depend on that event's rules.
MTTs usually follow an event schedule; SNGs typically start once their required entries are filled. Separate guides help you choose the tournament pace that suits you.
During the tournament
Follow the action order each hand. Blinds change according to the event structure; as the field changes, tables may be balanced or combined. Moving tables keeps you in the same tournament.
If you run out of chips, follow the event's elimination and re-entry rules. Tournament chips are used for the competition and should not be treated as a cash-table balance.
Understanding the result
Your place is decided by the tournament result, not by winning or losing a single hand. Check the selected event's reward terms for paid places, distribution and settlement conditions.
Worked example: from 72 entrants to one table
For this teaching example, assume an MTT with 72 entrants, at most nine players per table, a nine-player final table, and no late registration or re-entry. The numbers illustrate seat capacity; check each Royal Poker event’s details for its actual settings.
As the field shrinks, follow the event’s table and seat assignments. Its rules govern table-breaking order, balancing and the number of players at the final table.
- At the start: 72 ÷ 9 = 8. The entrants can fill eight tables of nine.
- During the event: 36 players remain. If the event has combined tables at this stage, 36 ÷ 9 = 4: four tables of nine. Follow that event’s schedule for when tables are combined.
- At the final table: nine players remain and, under this example’s nine-player final-table rule, all nine play at one table. The tournament continues until the final standings are decided under its rules.
Before registering: check these five things
The references explain general concepts. Follow the selected event’s announcements and rules. Check the points below before registering, then check the platform’s confirmation record.
- Timing: the start date, time and time zone, plus the registration deadline.
- Game: the variant and betting structure. MTT is a tournament format; it does not always mean NLHE.
- Chips and fees: the buy-in, additional fees, starting stack, and blind and ante structure. Tournament chips are not a cash balance.
- Entry rules: whether late registration or re-entry is allowed, and the relevant deadlines and limits.
- Results and confirmation: paid places, distribution and settlement terms. Check your own registration confirmation on the platform.
Teaching example: 4 players competing for 3 paid places
Teaching assumptions: this is a standard elimination-format MTT that awards prizes by final finishing position. Late registration and re-entry have closed, only the top 3 places receive prizes, and 4 players remain. This example explains finishing positions and the paid places only; it does not describe the actual settings of any Royal Poker event.
Different procedures may apply to multiple eliminations in the same hand, hand-for-hand play, satellites or agreements to end an event. The selected event's rules determine the actual paid places, prizes and rankings for simultaneous eliminations.
- If Player A is the only player eliminated in a hand, with no other simultaneous eliminations, Player A finishes 4th in this example and misses the top 3 paid places. Going out just short of the paid places is commonly called being eliminated on the bubble.
- The 3 remaining players reach the paid places in this example (In the Money, ITM). Play continues to determine 3rd, 2nd and 1st place; reaching the money does not mean winning the tournament.
- Winning more chips in a particular hand does not directly determine your place in the whole tournament. Check the final standings based on the complete event results.
Rules may vary between platforms, tables and events. This guide explains common rules; available games, eligibility and dispute procedures are determined by the platform's official announcements.
Keep exploring
This guide was independently compiled in Chinese. The following sources let you verify the rules.
WSOP official help: MTT and Sit & Go tournament formats(new window)Poker TDA 2026: seating, breaking tables and balancing(new window)WSOP Online: bubble and ante terminology(new window)