Online Poker Tournaments: Getting in on Satellites
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Lots of poker fans have seen the 'mega' tournaments online, including the World Series of Poker and the newer
yet wildly popular World Poker Tour. Lots of poker players also dream about the possibility of playing in one
of these poker tournaments for a shot at a big win and the 15 minutes of fame that accompanies it.
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The bad news: big poker tournaments have big entry fees. You're looking somewhere in the neighborhood of
$10,000 USD or more for most entry fees, which is a little more than your average weekend player can afford.
The good news: Poker satellites allow skilled players to work their way into the big tournaments by winning smaller
ones. You may have heard this referred to as a 'qualifier', and the way it works is this; players pay a small entry
fee that is basically pooled together for the prize(s) offered, which are entries into either more expensive
qualifiers, or directly into the 'big' tournaments themselves - depending on the cost of the satellite you've entered.
For example, a poker room may offer a $10 satellite to attract a large number of players, but at such a low entry it would require 1000 players to gather
enough money for a single direct entry at $10,000 a piece. Instead, the lower limit satellite would offer multiple prizes of entries to direct-entry
satellites, perhaps 10 with an estimated value of $1000 a piece.
These smaller poker satellites are harder to win of course due to the sheer number of entrants, but that's the point - so that good players have the
opportunity to get in regardless of their financial situation.
Larger poker satellites are usually more expensive, but allow players to get a chance at a direct entry to larger tournaments without having to face as many
players.
Binion's Horseshoe and Hotel Casino, July 2006 - Grand prize estimated at $7,500,000+!
The 2005 World Series of Poker finished July 16 with a grand prize of 7.5 million dollars.
It's a little early for details on the 2006 events, but if history is any indication you should be able to find satellite tourney's available at
Party Poker and Pacific Poker when the time comes (we'll keep you posted!).
Finals in March, 2006 - Estimated prize pool of $7 Million!
Started in 2002, the Party Poker millions tournaments quickly gained notoriety for their large prize pools and quick
launch into the global poker scene. The latest installment, the Party Poker Million V is already underway,
with an estimated prize pool of $7 Million plus!
This year to bolster participation, the qualifying tournaments consist of a variety of formats:
- Direct Buy Ins: $150 + $12, Fridays at 6:00 PM EST
One cruise entry is awarded for every 90 players that enter a Super Satellite multi-table tournament.
- PPM V Super Qualifiers: $30 +$ 3, daily at 1:10 AM EST
For every 9 participants there will be one Super Satellte entry awarded.
- PPM V Super Qualifier: $10 + $1
Similar to the qualifier above - but for every 17 participants there will be one Super Satellte entry awarded. (thus the lower buy-in)
As you may have guessed - you can try your luck at the Party Poker Million IV qualifiers only at Party Poker.
Bellagio, Las Vegas, Apr 18-24, 2006 - Prize Pool TBA
The World Poker Tour World Championship is held each year, consisting of a competition between players who have won a variety of participating tournaments.
(This years feeder events include the Five Diamond World Poker Classic and the Grand Prix de Paris to name a couple.)
World Poker Tour satellites are available at a variety of online poker rooms including Absolute Poker,
Golden Palace
and Roxy Poker to name a few favorites.
Many online players are taking these competitions by storm, perhaps with a little good luck you could too! Best of
luck with the poker tournaments, and if I may suggest, practice on some single table tournaments before you get into the
bigger games if you're not used to the dynamic of tournaments, they are a lot different that traditional ring games.
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