In a new monthly column, Randy Saylor, aka "Toom" will give updates on the internet tournament scene.  Look for his columns at the beginning of every month.

“Welcome, my friends, to the show that never ends”…multi-table tournaments (MTTs) are the most exciting way to play poker online. “We’re so glad you could attend”…to explore the online MTT universe. In this monthly column, I will recap the large online events, share information on freeroll tournaments, satellites to WPT and WSOP events, and high buy-in online events.

The Third Largest Poker Tournament in the World

"You're at the final table of the richest tournament of ANY kind in online history."
--PokerStars Card Room Manager Lee Jones as the WCOOP Main Event final table got underway

Two annual series of events define online MTT play – World Series of Poker satellites, and the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), hosted by PokerStars.

The WCOOP in 2005 was a series of 15 huge MTTs, with buy-ins ranging from $200 to $2500, and a variety of games including stud, holdem, and Omaha in limit, pot limit, and no limit forms. Over $12.7 million in prize money was awarded to 1972 players from 82 countries.

Perhaps the biggest indicator of its success was the large number of accomplished professional players who participated. Notable pro participants in the main event included Gus Hansen (broski), Scott Fischman (emptyseat88) and Phil Ivey (erguon). Pros in the money included 2-time WSOP bracelet winner Mark Seif (Buster Love) in 9^th,Tony G. (wraptduck) in 10^th, William Chen (wchen - 51^st), Barry Greenstein (crazyplayer – 53^rd), Isabelle Mercier (NoMercy – 63^rd), and Phralad Friedman (Prefontaine – 116^th).

The top three players in the $2500 Main Event each won more than $500,000. In true poker tournament fashion, the winners of each event also took home a gold bracelet to go with their cash. Of the 1494 entrants, online player Panella86 took home the grand prize of $577,000 when JT caught a ten on the turn to beat A6.

Lee Jones, WCOOP Tournament Director, was “overwhelmed” by the success of the WCOOP. “We exceeded our $8 million guarantee by nearly 60 percent, making the WCOOP the third largest poker tournament series of any kind so far this year…this was a poker tournament to remember.”

Every month, The MTT Scene will take a look at freerolls (tournaments with no buy-ins that award real money prizes) at the larger sites.

The largest current freeroll is the Paradise Poker ‘Million Dollar Freeroll II.’ This gives players the chance to win $1 million with no entry fee! There are three qualifiers each day to the main event, which will be held December 3^rd and 4^th. Play in the main event will continue online until the final table of ten players is set. In January, those ten players will then be flown on an expense-paid trip to an exotic location to play the final table live, with the winner receiving $1 million! In all, $1.15 million will be awarded.

The final table of the first Million Dollar Freeroll was completed on Sunday, September 25. The ten finalists were flown to Costa Rica to play the final table live. First place went to boon88 (real name Lee Biddulph), of Blackpool , UK . ITH Forum Member, Professor77, finished a respectable third, despite having the 7^th largest stack at the beginning of the final table.

This month I checked out the daily freerolls at Party Poker. Party hosts three daily $2500 freerolls, along with several smaller freerolls that are entered with frequent player points. If you are not already a player at Party Poker, use the ITH link to sign up and you will receive the following bonuses:

An entry to the weekly $5000 freeroll for new players

Two free poker books from the ITH Free Book Offer

A 20% bonus on your first deposit (maximum $100 bonus)

Online poker sites are a great place to qualify for large buy-in “live” tournaments. I will have an even bigger selection of live tournament satellites in the next MTT Scene.

Entry into the $10,200 World Poker Tour November event at Foxwoods can be won at Paradise Poker and UltimateBet.  Both sites have sub-qualifiers that can be entered for as little as $4. Paradise awards the $10,200 buy in plus $1300 to cover travel expenses. UB includes $1000 for travel expenses.

Poker Stars is running satellites for the World Poker Tour $25,500 Championship at the Bellagio in April. Players can enter qualifiers for small buy ins or use accumulated frequent player points for freeroll shots at the big event.

Congratulations to ITH member osmosis who finished in the money at the WPT event in Aruba . Mark was 105^th in a field of 647. He qualified for this tournament by winning a 2-step satellite at UltimateBet. The first step was a $10 buy in MTT, which qualified him for the main WPT satellite. Matthew Hilger was also in Aruba but was knocked out late on the first day.

Join Matthew Hilger on the Party Poker Million V Cruise

Party Poker is currently running satellites for its ‘Party Poker Million V’, which will have a prize pool of about $7 million! Join Matthew and other ITH’ers in this great event. The tournament takes place on a cruise ship in March 2006. Qualifiers win entry to the tournament, a cruise for 2, and spending money. There is a rumor that Party Poker might be changing the PPM from limit to no-limit. I will have an update in next month’s column.

One of the largest prize pools each week is found in the Poker Stars $500,000 Guaranteed. The tournament is entered with a $200+15 buy in, or by qualifying in a satellite. Sunday afternoons see 3000 or more players enter this exciting MTT, which can take 9 hours to finish. The top 5 finishers usually win at least $30,000, and first prize exceeds $100,000. The tournament rewards solid play with its larger starting stacks and longer blind levels. Satellites to this tournament can be entered for as little as $3.

The Daily Guaranteed Tournaments at PokerStars also deserve mention, because Stars just announced that the guaranteed prize pools of these $11 rebuy tournaments has been increased to $45,000.

A recent thread on the ITH Forum concerned a player who was faced with three players all in before him on the turn, when he held the nuts on the turn (top set), but was vulnerable to a flush draw and two different straight draws. It was demonstrated that the player was a 60% favorite to win with one card to come. This thread got me to thinking: Is there ever a situation where a player should fold the nuts here?

There are two reasons a player might fold here; one reason is good and the other is terrible. The good reason to fold is to move up when on the bubble of a qualifier. If ten players remain, 8 advance, and there are three all ins, a fold is wise unless you hold an unbeatable hand (such as quads with no overcards or straight flush draws on the board). On a ragged board such as T459, a tie is unlikely, so let the other three players go at each other, and figure two will be knocked out (or close to it).

The terrible reason to fold is fear. A player who is on scared money might lay this down when on the bubble for fear of not making the money. The lesson is clear – play within a reasonable bankroll. A player with a proper bankroll does not fear calling three players all-in in a situation like this. If you are somehow knocked out, there’s always another tournament if your bankroll is sufficient. Good players have no interest in just finishing in the money, and getting all of your chips in on the turn when you are a 3-to-2 favorite is a good way to become a higher finisher. In the next column, I will go in depth on just how large an MTT bankroll should be.