- The next Full Tilt Micro Turbo Online Poker Series (MTOPS) starts on May 25
- There are a total of 75 micro and low stakes events in the series—all of the events feature a turbo blind structure and feature the multi-entry format.
- There is more than $1m in guaranteed prize money for the series’ events, with $400k guaranteed for the multi-day $15 buy in Main Event.
- Guarantees have been substantially reduced. The Main Event for the MTOPS in June last year carried a $1m guarantee.
The next Full Tilt Micro Turbo Online Poker Series (MTOPS) starts on May 25, but the first of 15 Day 1s to Event #1 has already started.
There are a total of 75 micro and low stakes events in the series. All of the events feature a turbo blind structure and a multi-entry format.
There is more than $1m in guaranteed prize money for the series’ events, with $400k guaranteed for the multi-day, $15 buy-in Main.
For the first time, there are three multi-day events—event #1, event #37 and the Main Event itself—and all three have multiple Day 1s.
The 15 day-1s to the $3.30 event #1 started last weekend. There are nine Day 1s for the $5.50 buy in $75k guaranteed event #37, and nine for the Main Event.
New Flipout “Sudden Death” Format For Two Events
Two events feature the new Flipout format, where every player is automatically all-in on hand one, with the survivors all making the money.
The format is designed to appeal to recreational players, removing what can be a long period of tight play before the money bubble bursts.
Full Tilt's full range of poker variants is represented, including Irish, 5-Card Omaha and 6-Card Omaha tournaments.
One unique event is the 25-Game Turbo, with 2 minute levels for which the buy in is 100 Full Tilt Player Points (FTP).
Main Event Guarantees are Again Down
Although the series is a popular highlight of Full Tilt’s seasonal tournament schedule, prize pool guarantees have been cut substantially over the last year.
The Main Event for the inaugural MTOPS in June last year carried a $1m guarantee; in November 2013 and February 2014, this was cut to $500k. For the May series, it is down to $400k.
The prize fund is still big for a $15 buy in event, but players now have to commit to playing for two days rather than one. The multi-entry format also encourages players to invest more than the $15 minimum.
In June 2013, the total prize pool guaranteed across the series was $2 million. This was reduced to $1 million in subsequent series.
Leaderboards
The multi-entry format is being promoted with an “MTOPS Multi-Entry Challenge.” Players earn leaderboard chips if they cash in events where they have entered multiple times.
- Cash twice in a single event to earn one chip
- Cash three times in a single event to earn three chips
- Cash four times in a single event to earn six chips
- Cash five times in a single event to earn ten chips
- Cash six times or more in a single event to earn twenty chips
The leaderboard winner receives tournament tickets worth over $1,500, including an FTOPS Main Event buy-in and entry to every MiniFTOPS event. Second and third places pay a ticket package to every MiniFTOPS event worth approximately $1,000.
Merged Stacks
Under the multi-entry system, players have multiple seats in the event and can therefore cash multiple times in the same event. If there are insufficient tables remaining, players’ stacks are merged, so that the player is not sat twice at the same table.
There is also a promotion for merging stacks that result from multiple entries. Merging two stacks in a single event wins a MiniFTOPS Main Event ticket worth $75. If three or more stacks are merged, there is a $500 cash bonus for each additional merge.
Full Tilt remains the fifth ranked poker room globally, measured by cash game traffic, although it has underperformed the market over the last year and is expected to soon slip out of the global top five.
A new “Take it Down” cash game promotion is running from May 9 to May 18, just in time to boost traffic in advance of the start of MTOPS.
