A buy-in is the amount of money or chips a player pays to enter a poker game or tournament. It gives you your starting stack and a seat at the table. Every poker game—whether it’s a cash game or a tournament—requires a buy-in.
In cash games, your buy-in becomes your actual stack, and you can cash out whatever chips you have left. In tournaments, the buy-in goes toward the prize pool, and once you lose your chips, you’re out—unless rebuys are allowed.
Tournaments often have a structure like $100 + $10, where $100 goes to the prize pool and $10 is the house fee (or rake).
Some events offer rebuy periods, where you can re-enter by paying another buy-in if you bust early.
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