Most poker players will never have the opportunity to participate in a major event like the World Series of Poker. Whether it is the costs (both tournament fees and travel), the time away from home, or level of texas hold me hands competition, things just never seem to materialize. Before online poker became popular if you could not make it to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Atlantic City you were out of luck. However, this soon all changed when FullTilt introduced their online poker series, known as FTOPS. Now, players from all over come together 2-3 times a year to participate in the biggest online poker tournaments today. If you have yet to check out the schedule and satellites for the next FTOPS you are running out of time! If you are new to their site you will have to use the Full Tilt Poker Download to install their software before opening the Lobby.
Playing in a tournament series such as FTOPS can be a great experience and be quite profitable. In general money poker sites tournament buy-ins will range from as low as $10 all the way up to $5,000! Having such a large disparity in buy-in amounts allows players of all bankrolls levels to participate. Each tournament typically carries a guarantee which is a set amount of money the prize pool will contain no matter the number of entrants. In most cases the amount of entrants (along with buy-in fees) surpasses this number. However, there are cases every year where the amount of players does not reach the guarantee. If the guarantee is not met the us poker rooms will have to pay what is called “overlay” to match the guarantee. For those playing this proves to be quite the reward as it translates into getting a better bang for your buck.
Those with out a big enough bankroll to play some of the events should check out the Full Tilt Download satellites, or smaller buy-in tournaments awarding tickets to the bigger events. For example, a $500 buy-in tournament might have $50 satellites, awarding a ticket to the $500 event for every 10 players in the smaller tourney. Satellites are a great way to gain experience and pick up a seat to a big-time event. A lot of PC and Mac poker sites will allow you to cash these tickets in before the tournament starts so you can use them for other events or to play cash games. For the most part you should stick to tournaments with in your bankroll but splurging after winning a satellite is not a bad idea either.
Determining the proper tournament to play in is they key to success. Check out the Full Tilt Poker Academy free poker training is a great way to make sure your skills stay sharp. These series have a lot of different formats including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, and more. The last thing you would want to do is sign up for a $200 event thinking it was rush poker holdem only to find out it was Seven-Card-Stud. After using the Full Tilt Poker Download and opening the Lobby you can find out which game a tournament offers by opening up the tournament’s very own Lobby. Other factors to consider will be the blind structure (some blinds escalate faster than others) and the number of seats at the table (heads-up, 6-handed, 9-handed, etc...). Try to find a game you are used to playing and will comfortable with. After picking the best tournament for your game kick back and get ready for the tournament. Make sure to play your game, have fun, and always go with your instincts when you’re faced with a tough decision.
09/23/2010
