2015 WSOP - Dreams Do Come True
Hello Poker Community. Let me start off this thread with a statement: I'm a father, a husband and I'm a dreamer. I have never 5 bet a pot and I study the game whenever I can. I'm a losing live holdem cash player, break even PLO player online and winning live holdem tournament player at the 100 to 300 dollar level in small local fast structure tournaments and for the first time ever I will be going to the WSOP.
I'm taking this journey with my father and I'm hoping this will be a once in a lifetime experience. This is not because I believe I will never go again. Like so many of our fathers he is not the superman I knew when I was a little boy. I just want to enjoy every minute I have with him.
I will be leaving Toronto May 28th and returning June 4th. We will be staying at the Gold Coast Hotel. Like so many recreational hopefuls I will be playing the COLOSSUS. I have 3 bullets at the ready if needed. If I bust out there are always the smaller daily tournaments I can enter.
Well enough of the catharsis here are some very real questions I have for you the experienced and wise poker community:
1. Many of you have played the WSOP bracelet events with 1000's of people. How do you mentally prepare for this? I know the common answer is to just focus on your table. For a first timer like me this is akin to saying just focus on your boat in the middle of a hurricane. What tricks/tips do you have to settle down and get into your own personal zone?
2. I'm fairly active and I'm actually training to not only be healthier but to also maintain my stamina for these long days. Does anybody have any fitness or nutrition tips that they would like to share when approaching MTT's. Please not jokes about me not lasting long enough to worry about it
3. I know some of you are veterans and going to the WSOP is just routine for you now. Please go back into your personal time machines and share this with me. What was it like for you when you FIRST stepped into the Amazon Room and saw the banners hanging and you heard the sound of thousands of chips clacking? I'll will live vicariously through you until I see it for myself.
Thank You Poker Community
Yours Truly,
Happy To Be Dead Money
I'm taking this journey with my father and I'm hoping this will be a once in a lifetime experience. This is not because I believe I will never go again. Like so many of our fathers he is not the superman I knew when I was a little boy. I just want to enjoy every minute I have with him.
I will be leaving Toronto May 28th and returning June 4th. We will be staying at the Gold Coast Hotel. Like so many recreational hopefuls I will be playing the COLOSSUS. I have 3 bullets at the ready if needed. If I bust out there are always the smaller daily tournaments I can enter.
Well enough of the catharsis here are some very real questions I have for you the experienced and wise poker community:
1. Many of you have played the WSOP bracelet events with 1000's of people. How do you mentally prepare for this? I know the common answer is to just focus on your table. For a first timer like me this is akin to saying just focus on your boat in the middle of a hurricane. What tricks/tips do you have to settle down and get into your own personal zone?
2. I'm fairly active and I'm actually training to not only be healthier but to also maintain my stamina for these long days. Does anybody have any fitness or nutrition tips that they would like to share when approaching MTT's. Please not jokes about me not lasting long enough to worry about it
3. I know some of you are veterans and going to the WSOP is just routine for you now. Please go back into your personal time machines and share this with me. What was it like for you when you FIRST stepped into the Amazon Room and saw the banners hanging and you heard the sound of thousands of chips clacking? I'll will live vicariously through you until I see it for myself.
Thank You Poker Community
Yours Truly,
Happy To Be Dead Money
Comments
Show up early. Take it all in, look at the banners, see the sea of people, enjoy the moment.
Find your seat early. Don't have to sit down right away, but at least know where you need to go when the time comes.
Play one hand at a time. You can't win the tournament in one hand but you can certainly bust out in one.
Take an extra second for your decisions. No need to rush, think about what you are doing and why.
Have fun !!
Steven Kerr Live: What To Expect When You Go Play In The WSOP?
I am definitely going to preregister for Day 1 flight A. Maybe you can help me with this one Steve. Is it worth it to preregister for multiple flights or events if you feel that there is a hugh degree of probability of selling out? To elaborate should i just sign up for all the events I intend on entering and if I go deep just get a refund. The Collusus is going to massive and if I bust out of a flight I want to guarantee entry into the next flight.
If the community thinks this is the wrong pre-emptive strategy please let me know. If I do register for multiple events and require a refund how is this done? I see on wsop.com that you have to fill out a form or email in a request before the event. What im afraid of is that if a get a refund they will issue tournament tokens instead of a cash refund. Thanks everybody.
Best of luck and remember to have fun!
I am not sure about the refund policy, so at registration, I would ask about the refund policy if you want to buy into the other flights but find yourself not needing to play them.
Also an edit on my blog is that the WSOP will no longer accept cashiers checks (money orders) from Canada, so you will have to either send a wire transfer or do what I mentioned above.
I would triple range merge taking into account there fold to 3 bet% while calculating there Mzone. Assuming there VPIP is low I would buy them drinks and look for sipping tells.:bs:
Thanks for all the info Steve. Crush it this year ill be railing you.
Awesome.:wink2:
Gold Coast is right next door to The Rio and an easy walk. Rooms have been renovated are are pretty decent.
-Don't drink the night before and get a good night sleep
-Don't drink alcohol at the tables when playing. Not just for the drunkness factor but also more for the needing to take a piss factor. Same applies for too much coffee.
-Try not to play on your phone too much when at the table
-Get up and move your legs every 20-30 minutes, stay close to your seat
-Don't bubble
My bad, never heard of this place. If its close to the Rio then its probably a good location.
These are great common sense tips (yet so many people don't do them). Here are 3 more questions community:
1. I have heard that the rooms at the WSOP are like an icebox. I have some family in the southern US and if there is a mild breeze they claim to be freezing. So is it Canada cold or Florida cold?
2. Your great alcohol advice made me think of this one. Like any tournament when it is break time there is a mass exodus to the washrooms. I have heard the washrooms are fairly far from the playing floor. I read that there were so many men using the washrooms on break that they starting using the ladies. Vanessa Selbst put a stop to that right away. So the question is in a field this massive if you go to the washroom on break will I get back in time? I know this is subjective but I'm wondering what has happened to you.
3. 2 part question. Nutrition is very important if you want to play your best. Does anybody have any superpower focus foods that help them get through the long days? Also what are some great food options inside the Rio. I have seen all the menus but if you have any favorites let me know.
That's what it's like.
Don't wear shorts, ts, or sandals.
You just helped me in two ways Wetts. Now I'll be prepared and when I stare across the table at the guy in shorts shivering I'll know he's a rookie like me.
Jeans and a hoodie made for comfortable clothing.
At the start of day 2 they asked a all newbies to stand up and be recognized. Even though I was a newbie I stayed right in my seat and cheered for all the people giving away free information to their table. Haha
Thanks Trigger. I have a tip to help with jet lag and time zone adjustment. Melatonin is an all natural supplement that you can pick up anywhere. It helps reset your clock when your traveling.
Its going to be hard for me to not be smiling like a Cheshire cat on my first day. So I'm going to stand tall like the noob that I am. When people that are perceived as new make strong plays the experienced players like yourself have a hard time reading them (initially). In a weird way I might have a tight weak image initially so if I bluff it will get respect. Of course the great players will see this and crush me. I'm really excited to see the meta-game that will be played in this tournament.
I have a feeling the COLLUSUS field is going to be extremely polarizing. Really new people like myself and guys like yourself that are there to warm-up for bigger events or just playing for fun. It will be easy to spot me I'll look somewhere between this