FTOPS

The vast majority of poker players will never get the chance to compete in a major tournament series. Whether it is the costs (both tournament fees and travel), the time away from home, or level of texas hold em hands competition, it is just not feasible for most poker players. In the time before internet poker if you could not make it to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Atlantic City you were out of luck. However, all of this changed after FullTilt introduced their online poker series, known as FTOPS. Now, poker players from around the world can compete for major prizes from the comfort of their own home. 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 download free poker 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, every now and then there are not enough entrants to fulfill 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. This is a great way to not only qualify for the bigger event but also get in some practice against other players. The vast majority of PC and Mac poker rooms 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. You should always try to play within your bankroll but if you are fortunate enough to qualify for a bigger tournament it can be worth the risk/experience to give it a go.

Figuring out the best tournament for your game is a big key to overall 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 which can be found in the FTOPS Lobby. The last thing you would want to do is sign up for a $200 event thinking it was rush poker omaha 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.  Players should also seek out 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.