Poker term
Pay jump
The difference in prize money between two consecutive finishing positions. Pay jumps grow sharply toward first place and are what makes ICM so important at final tables.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pay jump?
The increase in prize money between one finishing position and the next. Jumps are small near the bubble and very large at the final table.
How should pay jumps change your play?
They make survival worth real money, which is the whole basis of ICM. The bigger the next jump relative to your stack, the tighter a short stack should play and the more freely a big stack can pressure them.