96. Satellite Savviness

By: FullTiltPoker.com Proffesional Players

"The fact is, satellites provide much more than the chance to save some money on a $10K buy-in."

Satellites offer a great way to get big discounts on tournament entry fees. Over the years, many of Full Tilt Poker's best known pros have spent a lot of time playing in satellite tournaments, both in live venues and online. Some, like Gavin Smith, even made their reputations and their livings by travelling the tournament circuit and playing single-table satellites for their cash value.

The fact is, satellites provide much more than the chance to save some money on a $10K buy-in; they also serve as great warm-ups for big tournaments, and a convenient way to focus your game and sharpen your skills before playing for big money.

With that in mind, we've pulled together a collection of resources that should help you hone your tournament game in preparation for playing in Full Tilt Poker's wide variety of World Series of Poker qualifier tournaments.

If you have some Full Tilt Points to spare, we suggest you head to the Full Tilt Store and pick up some great books on tournament poker. The three books in the Harrington on Hold 'em series are excellent. David Sklansky's Theory of Poker may not apply strictly to tournaments, but it's one of the great books on poker theory. And Full Tilt Poker's own Phil Gordon has packed great information into his Little Green Book and his Expert Insight DVD.

In addition, these tips from some of Full Tilt Poker's WSOP bracelet winners will help you further refine your game:

* Sit N Goes Made Easy - by Howard Lederer will teach you how to conquer these mini tournaments by applying a tight-aggressive style.
* How to Win at Tournament Poker, [Part 1] and [Part 2] by Chris Ferguson which explains how to think through complex tournament situations.
* Big Slick: A Slippery Hand - by Rafe Furst shows how you can make the most out of one of the toughest hands in No-Limit Hold 'em: A-K.
* Early Tournament Play by David Grey explains why building your chip stack early provides a solid foundation for late-stage play.
* Looking at the Long Term - by Erik Seidel provides insightful analysis of why patience is vital to the successful tournament player.

For even more reading, be sure to visit Full Tilt Poker's complete archive of pro tips or look for answers to specific tournament questions in our Pro Chat archive. Of course, theory only goes so far at the table. Try playing some WSOP satellites as you absorb these lessons, and see which tactics work best for you. Who knows, you may just win your way to the WSOP along the way.


Team Full Tilt