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, things just never seem to materialize. 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, 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.

Participating in an internet series like FTOPS can be a lot of fun and full of excitement. In general download free poker tournament buy-ins will range from as low as $10 all the way up to $5,000! This wide array of buy-in levels allows players of all skill levels to participate in a piece of poker history. 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.

Players will smaller bankrolls 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. Most 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. In general it is best to stay with in your bankroll but playing in bigger events after winning a satellite is fine by me.

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 so always be sure to double check before signing up. 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.  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. Once you have your game selected sit back and wait for the tournament to start. Make sure to play your game, have fun, and always go with your instincts when you’re faced with a tough decision.