Unveiled in an article on MLG's homepage the first Doritos-sponsored combine of 2010 will take place at The Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee on March 26 - 28.

The event will be an all-amateur Halo 3 team tournament, with none of the 16 teams who hold professional seeds being allowed to participate.

Whoever emerges victor of the massive 256-team bracket and 1,280 player free-for-all will take home a cash prize, free travel and accommodation and a reserved team pass (which usually sell like hotcakes) for the next pro circuit event. Individual players who excel may have their tournament evaluated by a professional player.

This comes as big news to aspiring European Halo professionals who as a result of MLG's complex bracket system have had a tough ride trying to hit the top 16 and achieve pro status. Power Gaming in particular have fought through massive play sessions to hit the championship bracket, where they and any other advancing amateur teams are rather undeservedly awarded a spot in the lower bracket with one slip-up resulting in elimination from the tournament.

"It sounds like a really good idea to encourage more attendees," said former SK Gaming and current fnatic player Stefan 'MVP' Djordjevic. "With the chance of all that exposure, and some really good prizes it would be stupid to miss it."

Whether a good placement at a combine event will affect amateur teams at pro circuit events is yet to be determined as MLG have "many more exciting details about the Doritos Pro-Gaming Combine rolling out over the next couple weeks," which may introduce additional seeding points or other benefits.

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Source and picture credit: MLG