PokerWorks

Anyone remotely in touch with the poker industry is aware that the 2009 World Series of Poker is currently running in Las Vegas and will culminate in the Main Event that begins July 3. But not everyone - in fact, most people - can afford to play in the tournaments there, as the minimum buy-in for open events is $1,500 and the maximum is $50,000. Enter Full Tilt Poker, who made the decision to offer the Mini Series of Poker - the exact same events as offered at the WSOP at exactly 1/100th of the price.

Just as with the World Series, the Mini Series of Poker boasts of 57 events. However, the lower buy-ins that allow tens of thousands of players to participate fall short of offering the multi-million dollar prize pools. But there is over $1.8 million - not too shabby of a number - up for grabs in guaranteed prize money, and a guarantee is something the WSOP does not offer.

The Mini Series of Poker began on May 27, and each event runs exactly concurrently with the actual WSOP event. For as little as $10 + $1 in a no-limit hold’em tournament all the way up to the $500 + $35 H.O.R.S.E. event, poker players around the world can avoid the costs of traveling to Las Vegas and simply log on to Full Tilt Poker to play any one of the 57 events.

But as is customary with Full Tilt tournaments, there are also satellites for each event of the Mini Series, so the low, low price of $1 or 50 Full Tilt Points, players can win their seats into the main tournaments and compete for guarantees of up to $250K. And all the while, all players can compete for spots on the Mini Series of Poker Leaderboard, where the ultimate points winner will claim a $10,000 seat into the 2010 WSOP main event.

The WSOP and corresponding Mini Series of Poker are more than half over, meaning there is limited time to get in on the remainder of the events. As of June 22, the tournaments remaining on the schedule were as follows, with the guarantees following the event titles:

Event 43    June 22        15:20    $10+$1 No Limit Hold'em        $30,000
Event 44     June 22        20:20    $25+$2.50 Razz            $10,000
Event 45    June 23        15:20    $100+$9 Pot Limit Hold'em        $30,000
Event 46    June 23        20:20    $25+$2.50 Omaha Hi/Lo        $15,000
Event 47    June 24        15:20    $25+$2.50 Mixed Hold'em        $15,000
Event 48    June 25        15:20    $15+$1.50 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo    $10,000
Event 50    June 26        20:20     $15+$1.50 Limit Hold'em Shootout    $7,500
Event 51    June 27        15:20    $15+$1.50 No Limit Hold'em        $40,000
Event 52    June 28        15:20    $30+$3 No Limit Hold'em (Trip Chance)    $60,000
Event 53    June 28        20:20    $15+$1.50 Stud Hi/Lo            $7,500
Event 49    June 28        21:30    $500+$35 HORSE            $100,000
Event 54    June 29        15:20    $15+$1.50 No Limit Hold'em        $25,000
Event 55    June 30        20:20    $25+$2.50 Razz            $10,000
Event 56    June 30        15:30    $50+$5 No Limit Hold'em 6-max        $40,000
Main Event    July 5        15:00    $100+$9 No Limit Hold'em        $250,000

Each winner of a Mini Series of Poker event will walk away with a limited edition Full Tilt Poker Champion’s watch, along with the first place prize money and a chance to win the leaderboard challenge and that coveted 2010 WSOP main event seat.

With only a few events left on the schedule and the main event quickly approaching on July 5, it is time to download Full Tilt Poker now and launch that real money account. At that time, don’t forget to use the bonus code “POKERWORKS” to qualify for an extra 100 percent bonus on any deposit of up to $600. And that bonus can be earned through playing satellites and Mini Series of Poker events over the coming weeks. Let Full Tilt Poker bring the WSOP excitement to you!