Big Blind Ante and Simultaneous Eliminations: Who Finishes Higher?
Under 2026 TDA rules, compare stacks after the big blind ante is paid. See the simultaneous-elimination rule with a simple worked example.
When two or more players bust on the same hand while already in the money in a tournament using a big blind ante, compare their starting stacks after the ante has been paid. The player with the larger stack at that point receives the higher finishing position.
That is Rule 22 of the Poker Tournament Directors Association’s 2026 rules, Version 1.0, dated September 7, 2026. For a bounty prize, the rule likewise favors the player with the larger post-ante stack (Poker TDA, Rule 22).
Make the comparison after the ante
A big blind ante is paid from the big blind’s stack. Because that forced payment changes one player’s stack before the rest of the hand develops, Rule 22 does not compare the chip totals displayed before anything is posted.
Use this order:
- Record each eliminated player’s stack before the hand.
- Deduct the big blind ante from the big blind’s stack.
- Compare the resulting stacks.
- Give the higher finishing position to the player with the larger post-ante stack.
The Rule 22 snapshot is the starting stack after the ante. Later blinds, calls, bets and the number of chips left behind on the river do not set the finishing order.
Worked example
Assume:
- Blinds: 5,000/10,000
- Big blind ante: 10,000
- Player A is the big blind with 42,000 before posting
- Player B has 36,000
- Both are covered by Player C and bust on the same hand after reaching the money
The relevant arithmetic is:
| Player | Stack before ante | Ante paid | Stack used for Rule 22 comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| A, the big blind | 42,000 | 10,000 | 32,000 |
| B | 36,000 | 0 | 36,000 |
Although Player A appeared to begin with more chips, the big blind ante reduces A’s comparison stack to 32,000. Player B’s 36,000 is larger, so Player B finishes higher.
If the two places paid different amounts, B would receive the payout for the higher place and A the payout for the lower place. Rule 22 applies the same post-ante comparison when a bounty prize is at issue.
The practical reason is coverage: after A pays the ante, B’s 36,000 covers A’s remaining 32,000, while A cannot cover all of B’s stack. Matt Savage gave that rationale when summarizing the change after the 2026 TDA Summit (PokerNews).
What the rule does—and does not—decide
First determine that both players have actually been eliminated. Cards still decide the hand, and the main and any side pots must be awarded correctly. Rule 22 then determines the order of finish among players who busted together; it does not change who won a pot.
The published wording covers players who are in the money in a big-blind-ante game. It does not state how to break a tie between equal post-ante stacks. If the relevant stacks are equal—or the event does not use the TDA rules—stop and ask the floor rather than guessing. TDA Rule 1 makes floor decisions final and allows unusual circumstances to be resolved in the interests of fairness (Poker TDA).
For any all-in, keep your chips visible and make your action unmistakable. A player who intends to retain chips should also understand the separate one-chip-behind rule; it can determine whether the player was actually all-in before an elimination question arises.