Chops vs. Tops

I was recently watching a replay of a televised poker tournament, I don't remember which one it was but I think it was a 2006 WSOP circuit event, and I was reminded of interesting quote made by one of the professional card players in the tournament after raking in a fairly substantial pot. It was something along the lines of, "You play for chops, I play for tops!" to which commentator Norman Chad replied, "I have no idea what that means, but at least it's original."

I am pretty sure that whoever it was who uttered these words meant that he intended to play to win the tournament, as opposed to playing only to 'cash' -- finishing roughly in the top 10%, which is usually the threshold for receiving prize money.

Many poker tournaments end with a 'deal' made, perhaps two or more of the remaining contestants split (i.e. 'chop') the remaining prize money thereby calling it a day. Otherwise, if the tournament is played to the end, the remaining prize money is split between first and second place, with first place receiving in the neighborhood of 65% and second place 35%. Some players resist chopping pots in order to have a shot at the lion's share of the money.

Players chop for all kinds of reason's I'm sure, but I tend to think they do so primarily either because they do not want to go through the trouble of a lengthy 2-handed heads-up match (in cases where two players chop), or they feel like heads-up play is a virtual coin flip anyway, so they may as well split it 50/50 to save the trouble.

As you know by now, I must consider all of these varying viewpoints in the context of my WSOP goals. My primary goal is to win enough money to go to the WSOP at all! Secondly, I want to gain enough experience in live play to prepare myself for a good performance in Las Vegas.

My $600 win from a couple of weeks ago was at the First Turn Poker Club in Monticello, FL. It was a 1st place / 2nd place chop. Had I gone on to win, I would have received $800, and if I had lost, it would have been $400 for second place. Remembering my primary goal, I accepted the offer for a chop in order to be assured of $600 toward my buy-in. I also had to consider that I was outgunned in chips by about a 3-to-2 margin, so I thought I was getting a pretty damn good deal.

Once I reach the buy-in goal of $1500, however, I foresee my strategy changing. In the WSOP, a bracelet does not chop in half that easily, so I will be playing to win. Should I find myself in the fortunate position of making it to the final table, I will want to have had as much short-handed and heads-up experience as possible. No more chops!