Part: Part Thirteen - Miscellaneous

Chip-chop versus ICM

Pre-flop
Blinds 400 / 800Pot 1,200 (1.5 BB)Final 3 • you're the chip leaderBTN● 60,000 (75 BB)YOUyou lead with ~44%SB● 20,000 (25 BB)Player 2~25%BB● 25,000 (31.2 BB)Player 3~31%D

Final three and you're the commanding chip leader (about 44% of the chips). The other two propose an ICM-based deal, which flattens the payouts toward equal.

You're the chip leader; the others offer an ICM deal that compresses the payouts. Best?

WhyThe two formulas split the pool very differently: a chip-chop pays each player straight in proportion to chips, while ICM drags every payout toward an even split. With 44% of the chips, the ICM number quietly shaves money off your rightful share and slides it to the shorter stacks - so counter with a chip-chop, or at minimum negotiate above their ICM figure.
What happensYou counter for the chip-chop and anchor to what your stack is actually worth - never sign a deal that pays you less than your chips earn.
Deals are math, not goodwill: a chip-chop tracks chip proportion while ICM compresses payouts toward equal, so as the leader push for the chip-chop and refuse any number that undersells your stack.

Chip-chop rewards big stacks and ICM rewards short stacks - know which formula your stack favors and steer the negotiation toward it.