Full Tilt FTOPS

Full Tilt FTOPS

The Full Tilt Online Poker Series, also known in the industry as the FTOPS, is Full Tilt's main tournament series that happens periodically. The first FTOPS started in August of 2006, and FTOPS XX will kick off on April 17, 2011. The FTOPS is known for being one of the most popular online poker tournament series, and always attracts hundreds of professional players and millions of dollars in prize money. Unlike the hold'em-filled tournament series on other sites, the FTOPS is also known for having many different tournament formats and structures.

The first FTOPS had nine events. There were two $200+16 no-limit hold'em events, one $200+16 limit hold'em event, one $200+16 Omaha eight-or-better event, one $200+16 pot-limit hold'em event, a $200+16 HORSE event, a $200+16 short-handed no-limit hold'em event, a $200+16 pot-limit Omaha high event, and the $500+35 no-limit hold'em main event. This was one of the biggest tournament series in 2006, and the FTOPS has set the online poker tournament series standard ever since.

By comparison, the FTOPS XX is scheduled for 45 events with the main event being a $600+40 no-limit hold'em multi-entry style tournament with a $2,500,000 guaranteed prize fund. The following are some of the highlights of the series. Event #1 starts on April 17, 2011 at 5 pm ET, and will be a $200+16 nine-handed no-limit hold'em tournament with multi-entries available and a $1,000,000 guaranteed prize fund. Event #4, scheduled to be held on April 18, 2011 at 9 pm ET, is a $1000+60 short-handed no-limit hold'em tournament. It is expected to be favored by professional players because of the high buy-in and no-frills nature of the tournament with no special rules like multi-entries. This event will have a $250,000 guarantee.

On April 23, 2011 at 5 pm ET, the two-day heads-up no-limit hold'em championship will begin. This is event #19 with a $10,000+300 buy-in and a $150,000 guaranteed prize fund with no special rules. Event #30 is a $1000+60 10-game mixed game event that will be dealt six-handed and with multiple entries available. This event has a $75,000 prize fund, and is expected to be heavily populated with professional players.

One of the biggest no-limit hold'em tournaments of the FTOPS XX, event #40, will begin on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 2 pm ET. This two-day event features antes starting at the first level of the tournament and a $2000+100 entry fee. The prize fund is guaranteed to be $1,00,000 or higher. Finally, there will be event #45, the main event of the FTOPS XX. This is a $600+40 nine-handed no-limit hold'em tournament with multiple entries available and a $2,500,000 guaranteed prize fund. The main event begins on Sunday, May 1, 2011 at 5 pm, and is a one-day event.

The 20th installment of the FTOPS will feature over $12.5 million in guaranteed prizes, as well as a number of special prizes available on the FTOPS XX leaderboard, like a special avatar and a tournament ticket package for the FTOPS XXI.