Introduction To Satellite Tournaments:Win High-Stakes Poker Tournaments At Reduced Buy-In Fees.

If you're new to the online poker scene, you've probably heard of Online Poker Satellite Tournaments, but you may not understand the purpose of them. A Satellite Tournament allows poker players to buy-in to a low-cost Tournament. The winner of the Tournament then proceeds to a high-stakes Tournament without forking over the high-stakes buy-in fee.

When you win an Online Poker Satellite Tournament, instead of keeping the prize, it rolls over as the buy-in for the high-stakes Tournament. Win the high-stakes Tournament and the prize is yours! In some cases, there will be a number of Tournaments on-going. The winners of each Tournament continue to funnel upward into larger tournaments until the main event is reach, where the winner will take the prize. All subsequent prizes will be rolled over as the buy-in for the following Tournaments.

There are three standard rules in which a Poker Satellite Tournament is run:

1. A buy-in, or entry fee, is paid to the house by the player who wishes to participate in the Poker Tournament.
2. All entering participants must pay the same entry fee.
3. All entries fees are combined to determine the amount of the prize-pool.
 Example: 400 players x $300 buy-in = $120,000 prize pool.

In most cases, there will be a first, second and third place winner, so the prize-pool will be divided appropriately.

A Satellite Tournament will typically start with a Single-Table Tournament, with the final round held as a Multi-Table Tournament. There are a few distinguishing features between Single-Table Tournaments and Multi-Table Tournaments.

Single-Table Tournaments (STT)
In a STT, the tournament is set to begin once enough players have arrived at the table. Players will be seated according to first-come first-serve. When a table becomes full, the tournament begins. There are no breaks allowed in a STT.

Multi-Table Tournaments (MTT)
An MTT is slightly different, as there is a set time for the tournament to begin. Registration for the game is required usually at least several hours prior to the start time of the MTT. Seating order is pre-determined randomly, before the tournament takes place. Players will get a 5 minute break once per hour during the MTT.

Satellite Tournaments: Online vs. Offline
There are several advantages to playing online Satellite tournaments. However, those same advantages can also work against you. It really depends on the skill of the player, and that of their opponents.

When playing online Satellite Tournaments, the player is not subject to the pressure of the players around him. The player does not need to maintain a poker face, or keep his cards held tight and close so as no other players can see them. This can give a novice poker player a better chance at taking the prize against more experienced players. In the same token, a more experienced player cannot utilize his poker face or any other strategic, physical mannerisms to intimidate the other players. For experienced players who usually win Offline Satellite Tournaments by invoking nervous behaviorisms from their opponents, you'll have to develop a centralized poker playing strategy for Online Satellite Tournaments.

What is a Super Satellite Tournament?
The most predominant reason a player joins in a Poker Satellite Tournament is to achieve one common goal - entry into the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Several online poker rooms also offer a Super Satellite Tournament, which grants the winner direct entry to the WSOP Main Event. The buy-in for a Super Satellite is higher than that of a regular Satellite Tournament, but the chances of winning a seat at the WSOP Main Event is greatly reduced to about 1 in 20. The higher buy-in rate tends to discourage novice poker players. This is intentional so as to uphold the prestige of the WSOP Main Event, which is intended for the world's best poker players, rather than a newbie who got lucky in one tournament. A regular Satellite Tournament offering advancement to the WSOP Main Event is far cheaper to buy-in to, but lowers your odds near to that of winning the lottery.

Satellite your way to the WSOP
Think you've got what it takes to become the World Poker Champion? The following online poker rooms are currently offering Satellite Tournaments and Super Satellite Tournaments to gain entry to the 2007 World Series of Poker and World Series of Poker Main Event.

Betfred Poker: Click �Poker� from the tabs at the top menu, then click on the �World Series of Poker - Harrah's� banner.

Manchester United Poker: Click �Poker� from the menu at the top of the page, then under �Promotions�, choose �WSOP 2007 Main Event�.

About Author

Pearl Gaming Casino Affiliate Program

I bet The Blue Brazil will make it into the SPL within the next five years

I am a Cowdenbeath supporter - a Blue Brazilian through and through! I have been supporting my wee team for over five years now. I watched them get promoted from the Scottish third division in my first year of supporting them, only to see them go back down a couple of seasons later. It has been a roller-coaster few year at Cowdenbeath FC, and unfortunately I didn’t live very close so wasn’t able to see many games; but now I'm living in Edinburgh I get to see my team play every couple . . .

Return to Our Online Gambling Index

USA Online Casinos - Strike It Lucky Casino - Silver Dollar Casino - Royal Vegas Casino - Poker Time - Sun Vegas Casino

Slots Plus Casino - Slot O Cash Casino - Poker Rewards - Phoenician Casino - Palace of Chance

Sitemap.xml