How Does a Satelllite Tournament Work? A small example of how poker satellites work can be as follows: A major tournament has 2,000 dollars buy-in. A one-table satellite includes 10 players who pay 200 dollars each, and the winner of the table wins the entrance for, actually, only 200 dollars. In reality, poker satellites are run by certain poker venues, which want to be paid for their services. Therefore a buy-in to a satellite from the example may be 210 dollars instead of 200 to provide income for the house.
When a major event runs at a casino, the casino usually organizes poker satellites for the event at the same time. However, winning a satellite, the player does not have to play the tournament right after that. He can receive lammers (special buttons which usually have 300 and 500 dollars value). These lammers can be used to play in any other tournament in the same casino.
Issuing lammers has another advantage. If the prize of a satellite is an entrance to a tournament with 1,500 dollars buy-in, the three last players at the satellite table may agree to receive one 500 dollars lammer each and not to play any further. This makes satellites shorter and usually relieves the players, making them all win and not continue with stressful high stage play. Super Satellites: Super satellites have the same principles as regular satellites, but these are multiplayer tournaments, usually held for major tournaments with very expensive buy-ins. Super satellites can include many players and make the buy-in quite affordable. For example, the final round of World Series of Poker costs 10,000 dollars to enter. Super satellites cost only 225 dollars, which allows almost everyone to try and participate in the event. The majority of WSOP players come from satellites, while only few pay the whole buy-in.
Any large buy-in tournament needs super satellites, because they provide many players, and those who can buy the entrance directly want to see many players to know they really can multiply there money at the tournament.
Apart from the buy-in for a major tournament, super satellites often provide additional money or other prizes. For example, Super satellites for Party Poker Million tournament award a buy-in of 7,200 dollars for the event and also a free one week cruise on the luxury boat, where the tournament is held. The buy-in for these super satellites cost only 108 dollars the last year, so it is really worth it.
Even if you have enough money to pay the buy it, it still worth to test your skills and luck at a satellite or a satellite tournament and to save a lot of money.
|
