Everyone that finishes 1st or 2nd earns a seat in the finale, where everyone gets $7000 in chips. *(Chips have no monetary value, no money is ever exchanged while playing.)* After qualifying, each subsequent win earns you more chips in the final game. Those ‘chip increases,’ or staggerings, are as follows;

1st place-$1000 extra, OR you can forego the increase and give that ‘seat’ to another

2nd place-$500 extra

3rd place-$200 extra

Here's a list of qualifiers as of 08/24/07: