Our latest CMU x Tells Poker Tournament was a huge success, with 50 total entrants and a prize pool of over $1,000. The room was packed with energy from start to finish, and the action definitely delivered.
We saw plenty of memorable moments throughout the night — including an incredible hand where the board ran out a straight flush, one of the rarest sights in live poker.
The tournament ended in dramatic fashion as KJ cracked AQ on the river in the final hand, sealing the championship in a brutal but unforgettable bad beat.
Huge congratulations to CMU student Michael for taking down the title after battling through a stacked field.
Thank you to everyone who came out and made it such a fun night. Great games, great people, and an amazing atmosphere all around. We’re excited for the next one.
What a tournament organizer needs to keep straight
A live tournament creates two stories at once. Players remember the all-ins, river cards, and table changes. The host has to track entrants, re-entries, the prize pool, blind levels, payouts, and who is still playing. The current Tells iOS organizer is designed around that second story.
A host can create a multi-table tournament, add every player, record each buy-in, and enter payouts as players finish. The game view keeps the running totals visible so the host can check the prize pool and paid-out amount before settlement.
Run the blind structure from the same game
Tournament levels can be configured with blinds, antes, breaks, and durations. Once the clock starts, the current level and time remaining stay connected to the tournament rather than living on a separate timer with no player context.
The organizer can also create a shareable read-only live view. Players and spectators can follow the clock and entries while only the host retains editing control.
Save the hands people will still discuss tomorrow
Tournament logistics end when the game is settled, but the interesting decisions deserve a second look. In Tells, a player can capture a completed hand by voice, text, or Guided Entry, replay every action, and review the decision street by street.
A share link lets the group see the same positions, cards, action, Analysis, and Table Talk. That turns a memorable runout into a reviewable hand instead of a story that changes each time it is retold.
Cash games are supported too
The organizer is not limited to tournaments. A host can create a cash game, set the stakes, track player buy-ins and cash-outs, and use the guarded settlement flow to catch a difference between money in and money out before finalizing the game.
Completed games can then sit alongside personal ledger sessions, giving players and hosts a clearer record of the night without mixing financial tracking into the hand analysis itself.
Frequently asked questions
Can Tells organize both cash games and tournaments?
Yes. The iOS organizer supports hosted cash games and multi-table tournaments, with player tracking tailored to each format.
Does Tells include a tournament clock?
Yes. Hosts can configure blind levels, antes, breaks, and durations, run the tournament clock, and share a read-only live view.
Can players review hands after the tournament?
Yes. Completed hands can be captured, replayed, analyzed street by street, and shared with the group for Table Talk.