Progressive knockout (PKO)
Also: PKO, progressive bounty
A bounty tournament where half of each bounty you win goes into your pocket and the other half is added to your own bounty, so the chip leaders carry ever-growing prices on their heads. PKOs reward aggression and change ICM calculations completely.
Related terms
Full glossaryFrequently asked questions
What does PKO stand for?
Progressive knockout. It is a bounty tournament format in which half of each bounty you collect is paid to you in cash and half is added to the bounty on your own head.
How is a PKO different from a normal bounty tournament?
In a standard bounty event the whole bounty is paid out when you eliminate someone and nothing carries over, so bounties stay the same size. In a PKO half carries over, so bounties compound and the players who have eliminated the most become the most valuable targets.
How does a PKO change the way you should play?
Mainly in two ways. Calling all-ins becomes correct with weaker hands when you cover a short stack whose bounty you can win, because the cash bounty adds to the value of winning the pot. And accumulating chips matters more than usual, because only a player who covers an opponent can collect their bounty.
Can you win a bounty if the other player has more chips than you?
No. You must cover an opponent and put their entire stack at risk to collect their bounty. If they have you covered and you lose, they collect yours instead.