Re-Entry

Also known as: reentry, re-buy, re-entry tournament

A format that lets a busted player buy a fresh stack and re-enter, usually until a set late-registration deadline.

In a re-entry event, busting is not the end — you can post another buy-in and start over with a full stack, typically until registration closes. This contrasts with a freezeout, where one bust ends your tournament. Re-entries inflate the prize pool and change early strategy: with cheap re-entries available, good players can take thinner +chip-EV gambles early because the downside is bounded by another buy-in, not elimination.

The core question is re-entry Return on Investment (ROI): is firing a second bullet still +EV? It depends on field softness, your stack relative to the average after late registration, and how much edge remains. Re-entering a 30bb-average field with deep skill edge is often +EV; re-entering a tough, shallow field late frequently is not.

Unlike chip-EV early spots, deep-run decisions still obey ICM — re-entry only changes the early-game risk calculus, not bubble or final-table math.