Poker Articles

By billywestom | Published Jul 02 2008, 12:29 AM
Do you hear that? Chips rattling, chairs squeaking, cards snapping, cameras rolling, pulses pounding, fists slamming, voices screaming and tears dropping. It can only mean one thing: the World Series of Poker No Limit Hold’em $10,000 buy-in Championship has arrived. Starting tomorrow, players from all over the world, including professionals, amateurs, online and live satellite qualifiers, young phenoms and old-school veterans, wealthy businessmen and people taking their one last shot, will meet up at the Rio in Las Vegas to compete in the most prestigious poker tournament of the year. All members of Final Table Team (MrCasino, JasonGray, Octavian_C, jakz101poker, thetruth503, and myself) are here too, trying to do our best to prepare for the week-long grind. Although, before we dive head first into this shark pit, we are going to discuss some things we should keep in mind while playing in the largest and most exalted poker event on Earth.
 
In regards to the Main Event, the first decision you have to make is when you want to play. There are four different starting days (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D), of which you can choose depending on availability. Each day can potentially hold 3,000 players, meaning there is room for at least 12,000 entrants this year.  I’m guessing, though, that there will be more likely around 7,000-8,000 players. The starting day you choose really doesn’t matter; it depends on your personal preference and mood. The earlier you start, the more time you will have in between that first day and your second day. Some players choose to play the last starting day, because they like to learn how smoothly the tournament has been running, what the average chip stack is at the end of each day, and the overall atmosphere they can expect when they begin.

Remaining players from Day 1A and Day 1B will combine on July 8th (five days after Day 1A), while remaining players form Day 1C and Day 1D will combine on July 9th. Each of those groups will play through their five levels, and combine together on July 10th for the remainder of the tournament. Play then continues for five levels each day until the final nine are decided. Everyone by now knows about the controversial decision to play the final table on November 9th and 10th, which you can read more about in multiple articles on PocketFives. So, now that we know what day we are starting, let’s talk about what to expect when we walk in the room to play.
 
First and foremost, there is the crowd. Along with the couple thousand or so players of your starting day, there will be the spectators, dealers, cocktail waitresses, floor men, camera crews, reporters, chip counters, poker site update teams, sponsorship recruiters and massage therapists. Keeping your concentration on your own table is the most important thing to remember, no matter how tough it may be. Try not to stare at Phil Ivey at the table next to you while he is listening to his iPod – the chips you need to accumulate are on your table! Position your chair comfortably, keep your water bottle handy, and begin studying the players at your table before the cards are even dealt.

Also, remember that it’s ok to be nice. It’s a competitive game, but you can still be friendly. Most of the players you will see in the first days will be like your everyday next-door neighbor, so treat them like it, and you may be rewarded. Many casual players will give you air on scary boards, and even give you hints that you are beat in tough spots, simply because you have been honest and friendly previously. Just don’t plan on giving the same back! Yes, it’s ok to be nice, but at the end of the day, you want those chips. Take any gifts you can get, but remember, you’re going to have to accumulate a ton of chips to win, so take no prisoners!

Those simple ideas may work with your average amateur entrant, but you may be matched with a seasoned professional on any given day. Keep a level head, and just know that they are playing the exact same game you are, with the same cards from the same deck. They are not “super human” and they definitely aren’t reading your soul just because they make eye contact with you. Most of what you may know about the most famous professionals, such as Ivey, Negreanu or Hellmuth, comes from television coverage. Well, all of these shows are edited, and the networks show what is exciting for TV, such as big bluffs and major all-in calls. When it comes down to it, hand for hand, round for round, most of these guys are playing just as honestly and straight-forward as you will be. So don’t be intimidated and lose your instincts because you are threatened by a bracelet winner. Play your hands aggressively and pick the right spots. Patience is the key, which is what we will talk more about now.
 
We all know by now that this is a very long tournament. Players start with 20,000 in chips with 120 minute levels. Each day you will play five levels, with 20 minute breaks between each. There will also be a 90 minute dinner break after the third level of the day. Use all of your breaks wisely. Get a snack if you need one, and definitely use the restroom whenever you are given the chance. You may even see people leaving the room a minute or two before the break starts to beat the rush. Join them if you feel the need. Head back to your table about two or three minutes before the next level begins. Don’t be tardy; that hand the dealer just mucked could have been aces!
 
One other thing that goes along with patience is taking beats. There are thousands of players, which means tens of thousands of hands, which means you will fall victim to your share of suck-outs, set-ups and coolers. The great thing about the Main Event is the structure, which allows for these downfalls to occur, and still let you build yourself back up. With 20,000 starting chips, you start with a stack 200 times the big blind (blinds start at 50-100). Any regular poker player knows that even a 30 big blind stack can be comfortable, so a 200 blind stack is unreal. Think of it this way: at the first round of day two, the blinds will start at 250-500 with a 50 ante. That means that even if you are still at the starting stack of 20,000 chips you will be sitting on a 40 big blind stack! Keep that in mind when you feel discouraged. Stay focused on the long term goal: slowly accumulate chips and concentrate on the dynamics of your table. DO NOT worry about the “average stack” of the tournament. You are not necessarily competing with the entire field, just the other eight players at your table. Pay attention to your stack relative to the blinds, and relative to players at your table.
 
These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. We still have seven full days of poker to play before the final table is reached. Keeping some of these basic thoughts in mind will help us in that unbelievable week-long grind to poker immortality. Play each day, each round, and each hand one at a time, and make your decisions with your best interests in mind. Don’t be afraid to take your time with your evaluations either, but be considerate of the other players at the table. They want to play too! We wish the best of luck to everyone in the field. Members of Final Table Team plan on starting on Day 1A; feel free to say hi. We'll have updates on our team's progress at  www.FinalTableTeam.com.

 

* Billy Westom represents a group of six professional poker players called Final Table Team.  Their website, www.FinalTableTeam.com features player bios, blogs and updates on their progress in live and online poker tournaments.