Now that the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is upon us, PocketFivers of all bankrolls who can’t make it out to Sin City may virtually participate by way of the Mini Series of Poker (MSOP). Playing out on brand name online poker rooms like Full Tilt Poker, past MSOPs have attracted players from far and wide. PocketFives.com is privileged to be the home of last year’s champion on both Bodog and Full Tilt, pokerfan X. He locked up not one, but two 2009 WSOP Main Events seats all the way back in July of last year and is now looking forward to heading to the Rio to participate in the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament. We sat down with Pokerfan X to talk about MSOP strategy.

Points are accrued on the Full Tilt MSOP leader board depending on a player’s actual finish in an event. First place in a tournament is worth 200 points, second place earns 170 points, and the top 11 will finish with three-digit tallies. The top 72 places earn leader board points, which are solely based on the order of finish, not tournament buy-in or field size. All 57 events that comprise the 2009 WSOP have MSOP counterparts and at least $1.8 million in guaranteed prize money will be up for grabs. The tournaments range from the $5.50 buy-in $25,000 Guaranteed on May 30th (the MSOP version of the Casino Employees event) to the $535 buy-in MSOP HORSE contest on June 28th. The latter event mirrors the $50,000 HORSE Championship at the Rio. Here is how last year's top four on the Full Tilt MSOP leader board looked:

1st Place: Pokerfan X - 657 points
2nd Place: LexLuthor85 - 536 points
2nd Place: JamalJohnson86 - 536 points
4th Place: Bigggg Ears - 512 points

PocketFives.com: Talk about the grind of a series like the MSOP, which parallels WSOP tournaments, but boats buy-ins that are 1/100th of what players will find in Las Vegas.

Pokerfan X: I'm not a high-volume player or a big multi-tabler and I had never tried for a leader board before. The MSOP is unique because it's only one or two MTTs a day and so I was excited about playing from the start. I didn't find it to be a grind at all like I’d imagine the PLB is. The variety of different games day to day makes it more appealing and even less of a grind.

PocketFives.com: Can a leader board like the MSOP be won by just mastering Hold'em or do players need to succeed in every genre of poker?

Pokerfan X: It may be possible for a strictly Hold’em player to win the MSOP leader board with several final tables, but I don't think it's probable. Half of the events aren't Hold’em, so for me, I was most proud of showing proficiency in a variety of games. In my Full Tilt leader board win, I cashed in 11 of the 52 events, including five Hold’em and six non-Hold’em tournaments, with my four deepest finishes all coming in Omaha and Stud variations.

PocketFives.com: Talk about the absence of rebuys and the massive $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament at this year's WSOP. How will those affect the MSOP?

Pokerfan X: I think the structures in this series are deep enough so that the absence of rebuys won't matter much. I also don't think the $40,000 and $50,000 events that result in $400 and $500 MSOP buy-ins will make a big difference overall. Last year, I thought that the $535 HORSE MSOP event would be pivotal because of the smaller field, but I blanked out in that and still won the leader board. The Full Tilt leader board formula is all about consistent play and going deep often, not just in one or two events.

PocketFives.com: Talk about how the Bodog and Full Tilt MSOP leader boards played out last year.

Pokerfan X: In the Bodog MSOP, I final tabled three of the first five events to jump out to a big lead and never looked back. I ended up with top 30% finishes to get leader board points in 15 of the 21 events I played in with five cashes and four final tables. Then, I had to win the 27 person freeroll finale for one of three 2009 WSOP spots on Team Bodog. I'm really looking forward to that, as I played for Bodog during the 2006 WSOP and they really take great care of their players.

On Full Tilt, I kept chipping away by going deep over and over to win the leader board without making a single final table. I had four frustrating final table bubbles. I ended up cashing in 11 of 52 events with 12 of 52 top 72 finishes that gave me leader board points. Since I won both MSOPs, Full Tilt was kind enough to let me transfer that seat to a World Poker Tour event.

PocketFives.com: How did you get started in poker?

Pokerfan X: When I was a kid, my dad had the occasional small-stakes home game with friends, so poker has always been around me. Like the Lederers, I grew up in a competitive game playing family. I started playing tournament poker on PokerRoom in 2004 when they only had Limit Hold’em MTTs, progressed to No Limit, and moved to other sites from there. I don't play a ton of volume, but one of the things I like most about online poker is that it's a global community that’s there 24/7. You can fit it in around other obligations.

PocketFives.com: What advice do you have for prospective MSOP players?

Pokerfan X: Don't be afraid to try out games you haven't played as much. You might really like them! The MSOP is a great opportunity to practice a variety of games at affordable buy-ins with great structures and larger fields. My success in the MSOP has encouraged me to play more non-Hold’em games and led to a win last month in Full Tilt's Sunday Night HORSE tournament. There are lots of games out there besides No Limit Hold’em and variety keeps you from getting burned out!

PocketFives.com: Is there anyone you’d like to recognize?

Pokerfan X: My dad passed away last year and he was my biggest influence and cheerleader in poker and in life. Right to the very end, he loved rooting me on in poker tournaments. If there's a shout out that can get to him, that's where I'd send it.

PocketFives.com: How excited are you to defend your title?

Pokerfan X: I'm looking forward to playing in as many MSOP events as I can, but I don't know that I'll be able to play enough to defend my title properly. Schedule permitting, I also hope to play a few preliminary WSOP events in addition to representing Team Bodog in the 2009 Main Event.